UDIA QLD x Urbis – Melbourne Tour of Excellence

Day 1 was a day of construction innovation as the team visited Sync bathroom pods, Hickory building systems, Modscape and Assemble’s 38 Albermarle Kensington.

38 Albermarle St, Kensington, Assemble

It was clear that alternate models for pathways to home ownership are essential, requiring initiatives and amenities that surpass the provision of communal facilities to enhance daily life.

Modscape

Day 2 included visits to a number of BTR projects across Melbourne; Home at Southbank, Realm at Caufield and Briscoe by Kinleaf as well as Nightingale’s newest project at Preston –  variable in scale but with many reoccurring success.

Briscoe by Kinleaf, Realm at Caulfield

Driven by location, each had an underlying objective to deliver a unique brand and proposition, be operationally efficient, and customer focused based on their market.

2. Audience-led amenity

A deep understanding of your future residents is key to success. Not only does it determine the mix but it will enable purposeful programming of communal facilities and amenities. Diversity, flexibility and intimacy of these spaces is essential in the planning and design.

3. Neighbourly

At the heart of what you do, BTR is creating a community. The connection with others through use of communal spaces and service initiatives creates relationships that can lead to greater retention. This is where lobby’s become lounges and bonds with others are built.

Home, Southbank

While not a BTR project, Nightingale brings a different approach to residential development focusing on sustainable community development in a non-for-profit business model that provides 20% social housing in each project to a community provider, with the remaining apartments sold as part of a balloting process.

The key drivers in the Nightingale product are maintaining an environmental sustainable operation (including locally sourced building products and passive cooling and heating), and enhanced communal facilities to foster a sense of community within the building. The communities are highly subscribed in various locations in Melbourne and shows that shifting thinking from building for profit to building to create communities can have a positive impact all round.

Day 3 had a strong focus on Social housing. Visiting Vivs Place by Launch Housing and Housing Choices Australia Queen Victoria Market development. 

Social housing, when strategically integrated into communities and complemented by access to amenities and desirable locations, can yield a multitude of positive outcomes. It’s clear through the learnings of Housing Choices Australia Queen Victoria Market that situating social housing within established neighbourhoods, residents gain access to a diverse range of amenities such as schools, healthcare facilities, public transportation, and recreational spaces which in turn creates a more positive and fulfilling life.

Housing Choices Australia Queen Victoria Market

Viv’s Place offered a look into crisis housing geared towards housing women and children who have faced domestic violence. While a different approach to other multiple housing that was explored, the development had a clear focus on community building and playing a supportive and protective role for the occupants. This highlighted the need for purpose built housing, and understanding the needs of the future occupants is key for any development. You can view our work on Viv’s Place here.

In summary, when local governments work hand in hand with developers to structure social housing within communities, close to amenities, and in desirable locations, the result is more than just shelter; it’s the creation of vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable neighbourhoods where all residents can live, work, and thrive.

The 2024 Tour of Excellence wasn’t just an opportunity to witness innovation – it was a platform to discuss, strategise, and discover solutions to the challenges we all face. Amidst a housing crisis and challenging cost escalations, the urgency to explore diverse housing solutions has never been greater.