When Layale and her family moved from a large family home into an apartment, they expected some parts of family life might have to change.
Big gatherings. Space for the kids. The ease of having everything close by.
What they found at Nation Merrylands was a different way to live.
“We thought apartment living would mean giving up big family gatherings, but having the private dining room has allowed us to keep that tradition alive,” said Layale, a Nation Merrylands resident. “It feels like an extension of our home and brings everyone together in such a warm, beautiful setting.”
For Nation, this is what amenity should do.
“The best Build-to-Rent amenities are the ones residents genuinely use,” said Beatrix Kiss, Nation Head of Operations. “At Nation Merrylands, every space has been considered through the lens of daily life, from how residents work and move, to how they connect, host, unwind and feel supported. That is where amenity becomes more than a feature. It becomes part of the resident experience.”
It is this idea, that amenity can extend the home and support the rhythms of daily life, that sits at the centre of Nation Merrylands.
Nation Merrylands has won Best Amenities at the 2026 Australian Apartment Advocacy (AAA) Awards recognising a resident experience shaped around wellbeing, convenience, connection and everyday life.
For Nation, amenity is not about a checklist of shared spaces. It is about how those spaces are used, how they are programmed and how they help residents feel more connected to their home and community.
At Nation Merrylands, residents have access to a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, cinema, co-working spaces, private dining rooms, resident lounges, games room, podcast studio, pickleball court, community garden and children’s play area.
But the value of those spaces is in the way they become part of everyday life.
For one resident, it might be taking a work call from a co-working space instead of the kitchen table. For another, it might be booking the private dining room for a birthday, joining a resident event, taking the kids to the play area, or ending the day with a swim, sauna or game on the pickleball court.
That experience is supported by Nation’s Resident and Lifestyle Services team, who help bring the spaces to life through events, resident engagement and community programming.
Amenities are not passive inclusions within the building. They are places for residents to come together, build routine and create their own sense of belonging.
Technology also helps make daily life simpler. Through the Nation resident app, residents can access the building, book amenities, lodge maintenance requests and stay connected with community updates through a single integrated platform.
Beyond the buildings, Nation Merrylands is supported by 9,000 sqm of retail, dining and wellness spaces at ground level, creating a walkable precinct that connects residents with the Merrylands neighbourhood around them.
For Layale, that convenience has become part of family life.
“Our days start with school drop-offs for the older kids, then a quick grocery shop at one of the many nearby stores,” she said. “I’ll usually stop by for a coffee before taking our toddler to the play area. Afternoons are filled with school pick-ups, family dinner prep, and evening activities like swimming or a quick game on the pickleball court. Fridays are a favourite, with our family movie nights in the cinema room becoming a tradition.”
It is a reminder that good amenity is not only about what a building offers, it is about what it makes possible.
A place to work outside the apartment. A room to host family. A pool where kids can play. A cinema that becomes a Friday night tradition. A neighbourhood where daily errands, coffee and connection are close to home.
Nation Merrylands shows how Build-to-Rent can support a better way of living, one where the apartment is only the beginning.