Reaffirming Accessibility – 38 Albermarle Street by Fieldwork
Socioeconomic demands naturally influence design trends, which becomes clear in Fieldwork’s approach to multi-residential housing at 38 Albermarle Street. Representing a shift towards fairer, more accessible and liveable housing options, the project is a thoughtfully designed, community-centric and sustainable dwelling in Melbourne’s inner north-west that seeks to offer hope for the future of housing in Australia.
Fieldwork eloquently brings Assemble’s ‘built-to-rent-to-own’ (BTRTO) housing model to life with Australia’s first medium-density exemplar. The 73-apartment project with one, two and three-bedroom units is grounded in a distinctive concept whereby residents may rent new apartments for up to five years with the option to purchase the property for a fixed price.
The new residential direction of the building is sensitive to the history of the site. The exterior façade offers a striking juxtaposition, with the redbrick from the original heritage building offset against geometrical precast concrete ribs and a series of perforated and corrugated aluminium panels. Moreover, Fieldwork references the spatial philosophy of the 1950s, 60sand 70s walk-up apartments that define many of Melbourne’s inner suburbs, with many spaces serving as informal extensions to the living areas.
In this sense, innovative design reflects an intelligent approach to multi-residential living that challenges notions of apartment living as limited and isolating. Though split into two individual towers, the design encourages connection through an external breezeway between them. A semi-circular void then connects each level, with each apartment linked to the breezeway by a bridged verandah. There is a lending library, a dedicated dog-washing bay and a communal workshop on the ground floor. The social element of 38 Albermarle Street is also heightened through neighbouring hospitality venue Cassette, which continues to foster a sense of community.
38 Albermarle Street is defined by robust materiality and, thus, an inherent liveability. All apartments feature non-glazed fixed panels to allow for the installation of pet doors to balconies, while Marmoleum floors in the communal spaces offer a durable, low-maintenance finish. And, on the top floor, a communal room with views over the city houses a kitchen, bathroom and outdoor barbecue, once again extending living spaces beyond individual apartments. Liveability also derives from its sustainable focus, a passive design ensuring building performance and comfort remain paramount.
With a tangible sense of community and accessible, meaningful living, 38 Albermarle Street reinterprets the perceived constraints of medium-density housing. Connecting residents to one another and the surrounding urban landscape, 38 Albermarle Street offers an alternative avenue to owning a home, with innovation and opportunity embedded in its very design.
