When amenity becomes part of home

Nation Merrylands has been named a finalist for Best Amenity in the Australian Apartment Advocacy (AAA) Apartment Awards for Excellence.

For us, this recognition speaks to more than the quality of the spaces themselves. It reflects what amenity can do when it is designed, operated and activated as part of a complete living experience.

Amenity has become a defining feature of modern apartment living, but its value depends on how it supports daily life over time.

At Nation Merrylands, amenity was designed as an extension of home, supporting wellbeing, productivity, connection and everyday ease. Located within the Mason & Main precinct, the community brings together 434 apartments across three buildings, supported by 9,000 sqm of retail, dining, wellness and everyday services.

That mix is central to the experience.

The precinct brings together the practical and social layers of daily life, from retail and dining at ground level to shared resident spaces, wellness amenities and an ongoing calendar of activations. Together, they create a more complete neighbourhood experience, where residents can move between home, work, wellbeing, dining and community with greater ease.

Residents have access to a resort-style pool, gym with Technogym equipment, sauna, cinema, private dining and entertaining spaces, resident lounges, co-working areas, meeting rooms, a podcast studio, pickleball court and children’s play area.

The list is extensive, but the intent is simple, each space has been considered for the role it plays in daily life.

The gym and sauna support routine and recovery. Co-working areas and meeting rooms support flexibility. Private dining and entertaining spaces make it easier to host. Resident lounges and programmed activations create opportunities for connection. The children’s play area supports families, while the podcast studio reflects the changing ways people create, work and live from home.

This is where Build-to-Rent has the opportunity to offer something distinct.

The experience does not stop at the apartment door. It is shaped by the way spaces are activated, how services are delivered and how residents are supported over time.

That operational layer is central to our model.

Our dedicated Resident and Lifestyle Services team supports day-to-day living, coordinates resident engagement initiatives and helps create a stronger sense of community across the precinct. The Nation app further simplifies the experience, bringing building access, amenity bookings, maintenance requests and community communication into one connected platform.

Resident wellbeing is also embedded into the model. Through our partnership with This Is A Conversation Starter (TIACS), residents have access to free mental health support, recognising that a better rental experience is not only about physical spaces, but about how people feel where they live.

This AAA finalist recognition is an important moment for Nation Merrylands, but it also reflects a broader shift in rental housing.

As Build-to-Rent continues to evolve in Australia, the benchmark is moving beyond delivery to the ongoing performance of communities and shared spaces are part of that shift. When designed with purpose and operated with care, they can support routine, connection, productivity, wellbeing and a stronger sense of belonging.

At Nation Merrylands, that care is reflected in both the operating model and the design detail behind the spaces. Designed by Woods Bagot, with furniture across the shared spaces combining custom and ready-made pieces from MCM House, the community brings a considered, residential quality to the places residents use every day.

At Nation, these spaces are not an addition to the living experience, they are part of what makes it feel like home.