Images: SMFA (Artist Impressions)
These days, beachside living isn’t just about proximity to the water, it’s about how seamlessly life unfolds around you. Cafes, transport, daily rituals and community all play a role. And in Glenelg, the pace remains relaxed, but the appetite for good design is growing, and a new residential project aims to tap into exactly that balance.
Set to rise on Colley Terrace, just metres from the Norfolk Pines and a short stroll from the shoreline, The Eaton is a boutique collection of 77 architecturally designed apartments by Taplin. Designed with Glenelg’s coastal character firmly in mind, the development offers an elevated take on modern seaside living.
With waves breaking less than 50 metres away, the location does much of the talking. Mornings start with a walk along the sand, coffee is never far away, and evenings arrive with long sunsets over the sea. Jetty Road, the tram into the city and Glenelg Beach itself are all within a few minutes’ walk, making this a lifestyle where the car is optional, and the rhythm of the coast becomes the tone.
The Eaton has been designed by Adelaide-based architecture studio SMFA, whose approach centres on context and longevity. Here, that translates to a restrained, elegant building that responds to its Colley Terrace setting through sculpted terraces, generous setbacks and a material palette that draws subtly on coastal cues without slipping into pastiche.
Inside, the apartments are designed to prioritise light, space and liveability. Oversized interiors flow naturally to private balconies, blurring the line between indoor and outdoor living and inviting in sea air and long views. Kitchens are finished with premium European appliances and stone benchtops, while bedrooms are positioned as calm retreats, softened by natural light and timeless finishes.
There’s also a clear focus on sustainability and low-maintenance living. Cross-ventilation, energy-efficient design, durable materials and thoughtful landscaping have been embedded into the project from the outset, reflecting a desire to create homes that will age well, both environmentally and aesthetically.
The Eaton arrives at a moment when Glenelg is in the midst of a transformation. Visit Jetty Road today, and it’s almost unrecognisable from even a couple of years ago. Once defined largely by its tourist strip, the suburb has steadily evolved into a more layered neighbourhood, with new hospitality, retail and lifestyle offerings reshaping the area. Nearby, venues like Ballet Wine Bar, Morning Bagels, Shadow Baking, Gelato Messinaand 21st Street Hotpot have created the kind of energy that spills onto the footpath and keeps Jetty Road buzzing well beyond summer.
The Eaton feels like a natural extension of that shift. Rather than competing with its surroundings, the development is designed to sit comfortably within them, contributing to the growing sense of Glenelg as a place people choose to settle.
For Taplin, the project continues a long-standing family legacy of shaping Glenelg with care and intention. And for future residents, The Eaton offers an oversized boutique coastal retreat, complete with Jetty Road’s evolving energy on one side and the steady rhythm of the sea just metres away.
The Eaton build is underway at 13 Colley Terrace, Glenelg. Enquiries open. For more info and expressions of interest, click here.
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