Meet the brothers changing Australia’s property development game

For Australian property group Cadre, there is more to development than just financial returns.

Cadre founder and creative director Christopher Tyas says the group approaches its projects from a ‘triple bottom line’ perspective, a business concept which measures success through social, environmental and financial outcomes.

“The triple bottom line is about people, planet and profit,” Mr Tyas said.

“If we’re not protecting the planet, and if we’re not creating beautiful places for the people who live there to feel good, there is no profit, at least not in a meaningful sense.”

And it’s one of the reasons why the property development and investment group earned the Game Changer of the Year Award at the 2025 REA Excellence Awards.

Mr Tyas, who runs the business alongside his brothers Nicholas and James, said they were proud and grateful to win the award.

“I feel honoured by the award,” Mr Tyas said.

Brothers Nicholas, Christopher and James Tyas are behind Cadre. Picture: Supplied

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“I never thought I’d be acknowledged for something like this in my lifetime, let alone with my brothers alongside me. We’re very grateful.”

Hands‑on beginnings

Cadre’s story began when Mr Tyas and his brother James bought their first house in Sorrento on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula and renovated it together.

“We started out renovating houses… and it gradually grew into a large commercial operation,” he said.

“We were on the tools, painting and plastering, working with subcontractors and doing a lot ourselves because we didn’t have the money. It taught us how things go together and gave us huge gratitude for trades.”

Cadre’s Mattone project in Richmond, Melbourne. Picture: Supplied

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While the business was formally rebranded as Cadre about a decade ago, Mr Tyas said the ethos had remained consistent.

“The ethos has always been the same: integrity, doing what we say we’re going to do, and creating timeless spaces that stand the test of time.”

Sustainability in mind

Mr Tyas said the business takes sustainability seriously, going well beyond the basic energy efficiency and green credentials.

“I don’t think sustainability is just about solar power,” he said. “It’s about mental health, social health and social interaction.”

Cadre’s Lumber Yard project in Bangalow, NSW. Picture: Supplied

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He pointed to examples like using low‑impact, mould‑free materials in locations where there is a risk of rising damp or floods, and trying to future-proof places for electric vehicle charging.

Mr Tyas cited Cadre’s Mattone project in Richmond, a boutique collection of 10 residences designed by MAArchitects, as an example of their focus on sustainability.

Each home in the project features 7-star NathERS energy ratings, with Cadre estimating energy cost savings for heating and cooling of about 500% compared to a typical Victorian terrace.

On the materials front, the homes were designed and constructed using bricks with a life expectancy over 100 years.

A render of Cadre’s Swan House Build-to-rent project in Richmond, Melbourne. Picture: Supplied

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The properties have also been designed with the future in mind, having been pre-wired for electric vehicle charging facilities.

“It was driven by a desire for people to have more sustainable housing and to reduce the cost of living,” Mr Tyas said.

Striving for connection

Equally important, Mr Tyas noted their goal of designing buildings that encourage connection.

“How do you design communal spaces for indirect social impact, walkways where people bump into their neighbour and have those incidental conversations,” he said.

Cadre’s Christopher Tyas says the group approaches its projects from a ‘triple bottom line’ perspective. Picture: Supplied

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“Human connection is a major thing we need in life.”

As an example, Mr Tyas highlighted their Lumber Yard project in Bangalow, a village in the Byron Bay hinterland, where they transformed an old development site into a retail and community space.

Cadre describes the location as a “micro-village of designers and makers sharing their narrative through vintage furniture, art, jewellery, music, food, coffee, ceramics and homewares”.

Mr Tyas believes the industry has an obligation to prioritise sustainability and people’s wellbeing alongside profit.

“So much development is still very bottom‑line driven,” he said. “If you’re going to extract profit from the land, at least give something back to the land and to the people.”

Looking ahead, Cadre is focused on expanding build‑to‑rent communities that prioritise quality of life, with their Swan House BTR project recently gaining planning approval.

“Based on everything we’ve learned, we’re very motivated to create build‑to‑rent communities that give people a home which improves their quality of life, especially for those who can’t afford to buy,” Mr Tyas said.

He said milestones like winning the Game Changer award gave him and his team the motivation to keep pushing the envelope and creating spaces that were people- and planet-first.

The REA Excellence Awards comprises eight submission-based categories, including Residential Agency of the Year and Most Influential Woman in Property Award.