A Way Forward – Nightingale Village

The Local Project’s eight-part Nightingale Village series, created in partnership with Fisher & Paykel, has explored the defining principles of this landmark Melbourne project. Encompassing six multi-residential buildings – each with its own architectural expression, communal spaces and, in some cases, commercial offerings to complement the project’s enduring ethos – the prevailing nugget is, without question, a persuasive paradigm for socially, environmentally and economically sustainable housing.

This clear takeaway is perfectly aligned with Nightingale’s pursuit for triple bottom line housing. One of its most prominent pillars – community – is readily explored at each of the not-for-profit’s projects yet, at the Village, it is omnipresent with thanks to a carefully considered program of six individual yet hyper-connected buildings designed around purpose-activated Duckett Street. As Nightingale’s CEO, Dan McKenna, says, “now that the residents have been living there for a number of months, the feedback is that the community spirit is alive and well and people are really grateful for all the hard work that the different parties have put in to make this happen.”

As Nightingale’s CEO, Dan McKenna, says, “now that the residents have been living there for a number of months, the feedback is that the community spirit is alive and well and people are really grateful for all the hard work that the different parties have put in to make this happen.”

One of the most pivotal partnerships behind the Village lies between Nightingale Housing and Fisher & Paykel. As the company’s Executive Vice President of Product Lines, Katrina Glenday, says, Fisher & Paykel takes great pride in partnering with “progressive businesses like Nightingale.” She adds, “I’m also really proud of how Nightingale has brought together six of the top architects in Australia to focus their design around a solution that creates better social and environmental outcomes.” It is a sentiment that speaks to the underlying vision for good quality, honest and mindful design – values inherent to Fisher & Paykel as well.

As Katrina notes, alongside the Village’s layered and meaningful community fabric is a compelling framework for ecologically sustainable housing. Not only is the precinct gas-free, but the architecture encourages residents to live more sustainably through gestures like the communal, rooftop laundries (which are all equipped with suites of Fisher & Paykel washing machines and dryers), familiar yet significant principles such as crossflow ventilation and natural light in each apartment, proximity to public transport and highly efficient appliances including induction cooktops. As Dan says, “we are very strong advocates for the removal of gas in all of our buildings – and in all buildings across the country – and our partnership with Fisher & Paykel has enabled us to make that transition seamless.”

“Our work with Fisher & Paykel has allowed us to show people – not just the residents of Nightingale Housing, but anybody – what they can do in their new home or in their new buildings and communities.”

Further, he believes that this rationale serves as an important example to other architects, developers and homeowners. “Our work with Fisher & Paykel has allowed us to show people – not just the residents of Nightingale Housing, but anybody – what they can do in their new home or in their new buildings and communities.” Katrina attests to this, sharing that partnering with Nightingale on the Village has “contributed to Fisher & Paykel’s broader sustainability story,” demonstrating ongoing and developing principles within this realm. It is in this idea that the Village’s power lies – not only will it be an informed case study for sustainably-minded design and construction, but it may also affect positive change on a human level, which is, arguably, where change begins.

Nightingale Village is a radical project for many reasons. It represents a powerful joining of forces between like-minded organisations and is an archetype for intelligent housing created with people and planet front of mind. Mostly, though, it is incredible to witness the built form fostering human relationships. As the architects move forward to other work and surrounding noise quietens, what remains is the most powerful outcome of all – a thriving community becoming heartier with each new day.