The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 41-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 41-storey tower, which has 229 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Housing Affordability

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First National Real Estate has called on governments to cut restrictions on housing supply.
According to the real estate agency, poor planning and policy co-ordination has contributed to affordability issue leading to Australia’s lowest level of home ownership in 40 years. First National cites a 2.3% average national price rage in March and a cumulative price increase of 16% since June 2012 at the commencement of the current growth cycle.
First National chief executive Ray Ellis attributes price increases to infrastructure costs.
“Although these gains have mostly been in Sydney and Melbourne, the price of land for new homes nationally has climbed hugely, largely as a result of exorbitant headworks costs. Developers can only contain costs and maintain affordability by subdividing land into ever-decreasing block sizes,” said Ellis.   “Local council headworks charges used to cover things like water and sewerage but they now include a host of other charges, including infrastructure costs for roads and, in some cases, recreational and community facilities, electricity charges, footpath networks and more. As a result, the land cost of a new home has surged by 150% square meter in the past decade.”
While First National has acknowledged changing population demographics, living costs, interest rates and stamp duty and taxes as factors in affordability, the company believes that under supply is the major driver for increased prices. According to First National, the market is absorbing all new supply, a sentiment aired earlier this week by RP Data’s Cameron Kusher.
Ellis says that supply side issues may contribute to further affordability issues.
“Although the number of new residential listings coming to market is higher now than it was at this time last year, the total amount of real estate for sale in Australia is actually close to 4%lower. While this means homes are selling very quickly, if supply is not addressed, the gap between supply and demand will significantly widen by 2015, potentially reducing affordability,” he said.
Further policy factors that are hindering the efficiency of the market include state based stamp duties, First National has claimed, which discourage housing turnover and inhibit labour mobility. According to the agency, stamp duties were “supposed to have been removed” when the GST was first introduced.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Poor planning threatening home ownership: First National

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Today's piece is a follow up to Alastair's article last week titled <a href="/news/avi-friedmans-outside-the-box-thinking-on-affordable-housing">Avi Friedman's outside the box thinking on affordable housing</a>.  I unfortunately missed Avi's public lecture at the University of Melbourne but was fortunate enough to be invited to come along on a morning walking tour to three contemporary social housing projects across Melbourne.

It was a great opportunity to gain insight from someone with Avi's wealth of experience and knowledge, whilst in return being able to provide him with a brief history of Melbourne and background on the evolution of Melbourne's housing, particularly social housing.  I look forward to catching up again with Avi either on a return visit to Melbourne or in Montreal sometime in the near future to further explore the changing methods and attitudes toward social housing.

The three projects we visited were McIntyre Drive, K2 Apartments and Horace Petty Estate; each of which demonstrates in its own manner the changes in mindset toward social housing design.  Gone are the cumbersome, monotonous commission housing blocks synonymous that still define Melbourne's inner city skyline, in their place smaller, dynamic designs which enhances their immediate surrounds.

<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/social%20housing%20header.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/social%20housing%20header.jpg?itok=bvvrIN26" typeof="Image"></a>

McIntyre Drive Social Housing in Altona by <a href="http://www.mgsarchitects.com.au/">McGuaran Giannini Soon</a>

<div class="rtejustify">Quoting the Architecture AU <a href="http://architectureau.com/articles/2013-national-architecture-awards-frederick-romberg-award/" target="_blank">article</a> " McIntyre Drive Social Housing inserts high-density living into a suburban environment with the verve, skill and serious social commitment - sixty-nine apartments provide independent living for residents with disabilities, along with communal spaces and gardens.  The result is an inventive, exploratory engagement with a complex set of conditions, which makes welcoming, comfortable spaces for living."  Nominated for the Frederick Romberg Award for residential architecture, McIntyre Drive demonstrates the need for quality design when considering social housing.</div>

<div class="rtejustify"> </div>

<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/DPP_0010.JPG" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/DPP_0010.JPG?itok=FNh0sdEU" typeof="Image"></a>

K2 Apartments in Windsor (2007) by <a href="http://www.designinc.com.au/">Design Inc</a>

"The K2 apartments are the most environmentally sustainable public housing development in Australia. In recognition of the K2 Apartments' sustainability and socially responsible design, the development has won numerous awards."  With no less than ten awards including the 2007 Excellence in construction award and the 2008 Australian Institute if Architects (Vic) Award for Sustainable Architecture, K2 Apartments led the way for a swag of subsequent social housing projects which sought to emulate its success.

<h3 id="content-heading-2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 50, 46); background-color: rgb(248, 247, 245);"><a href="http://www.designinc.com.au/projects/k2-apartments" style="text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" target="_blank" title="http://www.designinc.com.au/projects/k2-apartments
Ctrl+Click to follow link">http://www.designinc.com.au/projects/k2-apartments</a></h3>

<a href="http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/plans,-programs-and-projects/projects-and-initiatives/housing-and-accommodation/k2-apartments" target="_blank" title="http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/plans,-programs-and-projects/projects-and-initiatives/housing-and-accommodation/k2-apartments
Ctrl+Click to follow link">http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/plans,-programs-and-projects/projects-and-initiatives/housing-and-accommodation/k2-apartments</a>

<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/DPP_0021_0.JPG" rel="gallery-all" title="K2 Apartments by Design Inc. Photo taken by me."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/DPP_0021_0.JPG?itok=HnEd9t-A" title="K2 Apartments by Design Inc. Photo taken by me." typeof="Image"></a>

Horace Petty Estate in Prahran (1967, 2013) by <a href="http://www.hassellstudio.com/">Hassell</a>  

Built by Kane Constructions, the revamped Horace Petty Estate involved "188 new apartments designed to meet high levels of demand for affordable rental housing in the inner city. The project includes a major new landscaped area running north from Malvern Road.  Environmental features include rainwater collection and reuse, thermally glazed windows, hydronic heating, gas-boosted solar hot water, bicycle storage and a rooftop garden. These features improve liveability while helping residents save on heating and cooling costs."

<a href="http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/plans,-programs-and-projects/projects-and-initiatives/housing-and-accommodation/prahran-estate-renewal/stage-one-development" title="http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/plans,-programs-and-projects/projects-and-initiatives/housing-and-accommodation/prahran-estate-renewal/stage-one-development
Ctrl+Click to follow link">http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/plans,-programs-and-projects/projects-and-initiatives/housing-and-accommodation/prahran-estate-renewal/stage-one-development</a>

<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/DPP_0047_0.JPG" rel="gallery-all" title="Horace Petty new build by Hassell. Photo taken by me."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/DPP_0047_0.JPG?itok=oUmywwRT" title="Horace Petty new build by Hassell. Photo taken by me." typeof="Image"></a>

And to round out proceedings an article on denser housing in Melbourne - <a href="http://architectureau.com/articles/the-rise-and-rise-of-higher-density-living/" title="http://architectureau.com/articles/the-rise-and-rise-of-higher-density-living/
Ctrl+Click to follow link">http://architectureau.com/articles/the-rise-and-rise-of-higher-density-living/</a>

See a host of images from the three social housing projects below and as always please enjoy the photos. Until 2014, happy holidays, stay safe and peace out! 
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Laurence Dragomir

Picture this - A walking tour with Avi Friedman

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After having attended a lecture last Tuesday at the University of Melbourne presented by <a href="http://www.mcgill.ca/architecture/faculty/friedman" target="_blank">Avi Friedman</a>, Professor of Architecture at McGill University, many questions on housing affordability were posed in general and specifically relating to Melbourne. Professor Friedman is best known for his pioneering housing affordability work in Montréal through the creation of the Grow home and the Next home concepts which started out as pilot projects on the grounds of McGill University's campus and has since evolving to many thousands of individual units delivered in Montréal and further afield.

The <a href="http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/afhoce/afhoce/afhostcast/afhoid/cohode/buhoin/buhoin_005.cfm" target="_blank">Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation</a>'s case study states that Grow homes are targeted at new home buyers "to create an affordable ownership housing form where the interior can be finished incrementally to match the space requirements and financial circumstances of the homeowners".

Architects like to talk about their craft with all its processes being a journey and as Professor Friedman noted in his lecture last Tuesday, he wasn't on a journey to land himself into glossy Architecture magazines (although he now is) – he wanted his work to make nations and markets change.

In the Western World, a car and white picket fence in a far flung suburb has been the predominant housing development pattern for the best part of half a century and yet when the conversation switches to housing affordability, it's generally this outer suburban development which gets categorised in the “most affordable” method.

But is it truly affordable?

Professor Friedman's work on the Grow home and the following incarnation - the Next Home - challenges the notion that when you buy a dwelling the internal fit out must be entirely complete upon picking up the keys.

In a nutshell the Next homes work like this: narrow - 6.1 metre wide - modules built with timber frames can be stacked both vertically and horizontally creating a diverse amount of unpartitioned internal space. The prospective buyer then proceeds through a formula of choosing a) how many floors they would like to purchase, b) how each floor's layout will be configured and c) how much of their dwelling they wish (and can afford) to fit out from the day they obtain the keys. Think of an IKEA catalogue for dwellings - refer to the 9th page, numbered 111 <a href="http://www.housingeducators.org/Journals/H&amp;S_Vol_25_No_1-2_The_Next_Home_Affordability_Through_Flexibility_and_Choice.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> for an example.

The whole concept forces the buyer to sharpen their focus on what they can truly afford.

Apart from empowering the purchaser with multiple individual choices to suit their needs and budget, the buyer in essence enters into a longer-term relationship with the developer than what currently is the norm, rather than the traditional method where which involves the purchase process, build, occupancy followed by the parting of ways upon completion. Next home buyers are instead encouraged to adapt the space they own as their needs change and financial position dictates.

Professor Friedman drew inspiration from the Car Manufacturing industry where buyers are given an inordinate amount of choice on exteriors, interiors, engine and various other other bells and whistles like GPS and iPod connectivity. Where you wouldn't want to buy a car with 3 wheels (when there's space, and a requirement, for 4), someone might want to buy 100 square metres of adaptable space and only partition and fit out 50% of it from day one.

The example Professor Friedman talked about in his lecture was a young couple selecting only a kitchen, bathroom and living area partitioned initially whilst having a second floor left unpartitioned and used as a giant bedroom. Over time as the young couple's space requirements and financial position evolves - such as when the family unit grows by 1 through the birth of a child - the couple can start to partition the second level accordingly. The home evolves with the occupants.

Even the cost of installing individual rooms has many different price points, the kitchen being a prime example - costs can be reduced by opting to have shelving instead of cupboards above benchtops with incremental change over time by purchasing cupboards from the developer at a later stage or by taking DIY route.

The Next home concept directly responds to changing demographics both on a neighbourhood basis and right down to a building level. Initially designed to cost $50,000CAD per floor (75 square metres) with land (Montreal prices at the start of last decade), 4 level buildings - perfect for the new Residential Growth zones being rolled out around Melbourne - could have a mixture of uses: ground floor retail, a 1 bedroom unit or office on the first floor and a 3 bedroom family unit on floors 2 and 3. The configuration of every individual building is solely reliant in the needs of a group of buyers.

In the Australian context, there are many issues to confront before we could ever hope to have affordable housing such as the Next home concept become mainstream. This mainly revolves around illustrating to the wider public the benefits of not necessarily "smaller" housing, but more compact housing and ensuring NIMBYism doesn't get the upper hand beyond the implementation of the new Residential Growth zones.

By all accounts, the NIMBY problem exists in Canada just as much as it does here however compact and higher density housing is far more prevalent right across Canada - something Australia would do well to learn from, mimic and even enhance the Canadian experience.

See below for a video of a similar lecture given by Professor Friedman at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlOWpmN6nXI

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="396" scrolling="no" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BlOWpmN6nXI" width="100%"></iframe>
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Alastair Taylor

Avi Friedman's outside the box thinking on affordable housing

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Across Australia, housing our growing population in areas close to centres of employment, essential services and desirable amenities is becoming increasingly difficult to do in an affordable way - as a result people tend to seek more affordable areas to live further away resulting in longer commutes, less time for people to spend with families or on social activities.
<img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_702px" height="395" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/316050-house-for-rent_HS.jpg?itok=qr2zr4SX" width="702">
Providing additional amenity in these areas usually takes a long time and costs a lot of money to develop and unfortunately, in today's political climate, will only be developed if these areas are in marginal electorates. I'll leave that discussion for another time.  To combat the housing affordability issue in a more timely and effective manner, the Federal Government created the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) which commenced in 2008.  It seems to provide a method and incentive for Australian property investors to buy new property (off the plan), whilst stimulating the economy, building industry nationally and improving the availability of quality rental housing in more desirable areas.  
According to the NRAS Australia website, The NRAS has been designed to:
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		encourage investors to develop additional new houses for the rental market.</li>
	<li>
		provide an affordable rent program for average Australian wage earners as individuals, couples or families. It is not social housing.</li>
	<li>
		yield higher than usual returns for investors in the residential property market.</li>
	<li>
		increase the number of rental dwellings built through the stimulation of demand and investment, while supporting the building industry, related jobs and the Australia economy.</li>
	<li>
		The Government aims to achieve this by providing a tax incentive for investors in NRAS properties in return for the properties being rented at a discounted rate.</li>
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It is important to stress that NRAS properties are not designed to be social or housing commission style properties, but more so, they are designed to provide accessibility to affordable rental housing for low to moderate income tenants.  One example of the importance for this scheme is to provide professionals in the essential services sector - such as ambulance officers and firefighters - who need to live close to their work place.
Due to the popularity of NRAS properties, a series of strict guidelines are in place to ensure the people who need these types of properties most are catered for accordingly.  NRAS properties are overseen by NRAS tenancy managers who assess tenant incomes upon initial application and do so on an ongoing basis, ensuring the scheme remains relevant to those most in need.
The NRAS is funded by the Federal Government for up to 50,000 dwellings and will come to an end for new investments on 30 June 2016. Owners of NRAS properties will continue to have access to the tax incentives on offer as part of the scheme for 10 years post the land/strata title transfer date.
 
Sources and further reading
http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/housing-support/programs-services/national-rental-affordability-scheme
http://www.nraspropertydirect.com.au/
http://www.nrasaustralia.com.au/national-rental-affordability-scheme-nras-property-what-is-nras
 
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