Community-led, contemporary living.
Quality, community and accessibility first. As it should be. Goulburn Street Housing is a 25-apartment public housing complex in Hobart created from a cluster of forms.
The outcome of a state government collaboration to identify suitable sites for new public housing projects, Goulburn Street specifically addresses the lack of housing for the elderly and disabled. Our design subverts the stereotype for public housing to prioritise natural light, ventilation and generous outdoor space.
Contemporary, complementary.
The development site is a former council car park, with two street-facing fronts. Goulburn Street has a micro-village, community-led feel thanks to its clustering forms.
We wanted the design in Hobart to feel contemporary, yet also nod to the Georgian heritage residential surroundings. A red brick base offers a robust and tactile reflection of the heritage context, with brick colours and finishes varying across the development. Complementary brick tones both symbolise the sense of community and allow residents to easily identify which apartment is theirs.
Each apartment enjoys up to 29 square metres of private open space in the form of a courtyard or balcony. And, of course, each one is universally accessible - our design meets gold and silver standards of Liveable Housing Design Standards.
Changing the face.
Context was an important consideration in our design approach, and the heritage surroundings inspired everything from materials to form to facade.
We’re proud of the subtle synergy in the development’s bricks and joinery. Most of all, we’re chuffed to know how many people enquired to become a resident. It’s felt meaningful to contribute to public housing’s improvement, and to create apartments where people can live contentedly.
