Victorian Apartment Awards for Excellence 2024: See the Australian apartment advocacy’s winners

Alesha Capone

First published 01 August 2024, 11:39am

Viv's Place - Victorian Architecture Awards - Picture Tatjana Plitt (MUST CREDIT)

Viv’s Place, by ARM Architecture and Launch Housing, has won several Victorian Apartment Awards for Excellence. Picture: Tatjana Plitt.

Australia’s first apartment building for family violence survivors and a disused power station repurposed as housing for the homeless are among the projects recognised for outstanding design and innovation at the inaugural Victorian Apartment Awards for Excellence.

The event was hosted by Australian Apartment Advocacy (AAA), a not-for-profit organisation which represents 2.5 million apartment owners across the nation, last month.

Eighteen winners were lauded in 14 categories.

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AAA founder and chief executive Samantha Reece said Viv’s Place in Dandenong, the nation’s first apartment facility for women and children escaping domestic violence and homelessness, received multiple gongs including the Diversity in Housing Choice award.

Viv’s Place, a $30m initiative managed by Launch Housing, opened its doors in 2022.

It features 60 apartments, a communal kitchen, living and garden spaces, medical suites and children’s play areas.

Staff monitor the entry and exit of tenants and visitors to boost security, while on-site support services offer including trauma care and counselling.

Viv’s Place by ARM Architecture and Launch Housing - must credit photo to Tatjana Plitt. For herald sun real estate

Viv’s Place provides housing and support services for up to 60 women and 130 children escaping family violence and homelessness. Picture: Tatjana Plitt.

Jeremy McLeod of Breathe Architecture with Carolyn Robinson. Jeff Robinson was a judge of the Australian Apartment Advocacy: Victorian Apartment Awards for Excellence 2024. He died on 7 April, so his invited his wife to presented the trophy. The AAA also named the Apartment Sector Leading Light after Jeff. Jeremy won that award. - for herald sun real estate

Breathe Architecture founding director Jeremy McLeod with Carolyn Robinson, wife of the late Jeff Robinson who was an awards’ judge. He died in April, so Ms Robinson was invited to present McLeod with the Apartment Sector Leading Light award, which was renamed the Jeff Robinson Apartment Sector Leading Light Award in her husband’s honour.

Several organisations donated to help build Viv’s Place, but former Box Hill homeowner Robin Friday and his extended family made an extra special contribution.

Following the death of his wife Mary Lou, Mr Friday sold the house that he had bought in the 1970s.

After the residence sold for $4.6m, Mr Friday gifted $1.2m from the sale to Viv’s Place.

“It feels good to be putting at least some of this unearned wealth into a worthy cause, we all felt this kind of project was the sort of thing Mary Lou would have contributed,” Mr Friday said when he was interviewed for a Launching Housing website video.

Nightingale Ballarat by Breathe Architecture shortlisted for Victorian Architecture Awards - MUST CREDIT Kate Longley

Nightingale Ballarat by Hygge Property and Breathe Architects won the Best Regional Development award. Picture: Kate Longley.

Duckett Street, Brunswick, by Nightingale Housing. Must credit to Tom Ross - for herald sun real estate.

Duckett Street, Brunswick, by Nightingale Housing, received the Precinct Rejuvenation and Civic Contribution gong. Picture: Tom Ross.

A $24.9m project which converted a disused Melbourne CBD electric supply building into 50 apartments for people experiencing homelessness took out four AAA four awards.

From i2c Architects, the City of Melbourne, the Victorian government and Unison Housing, Make Room offers residents tailored support for up to 12 months or until they find long-term housing.

Ms Reece also praised another multiple-award winner, the 203-apartment Nightingale Village on Duckett St, Brunswick, from the not-for-profit organisation Nightingale Housing.

Umarkoo Wayi – Ganbu Guljin by Aboriginal Housing Victoria and Breathe Architects. Aboriginal Housing Victoria’s very first multi-residential venture, in Reservoir. Photo must be credited to Andrew Wuttke. For herald sun real estate

Umarkoo Wayi – Ganbu Guljin by Aboriginal Housing Victoria and Breathe Architects, is the AHV’s first multi-residential venture, in Reservoir. Picture: Andrew Wuttke.

The development won two awards. Picture: Andrew Wuttke.

“Nightingale appointed six architects to create a ‘mews effect’ from a former industrial site,

recycling 90 per cent of the demolition waste, installing cost-effective power supply, recycled water for residents’ toilets and achieving a NatHERS rating of 7.8-9 for all buildings,” Ms Reece said.

The project liaised with community housing providers Housing Choice Australia and Women’s Property Initiative to allocate 27 homes to for those in need and features 20 parking spaces for share cars, including two electric vehicles.

The national AAA Apartment Awards for Excellence will be held in Queensland during October.

VICTORIAN APARTMENT AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE WINNERS 2024

Precinct Rejuvenation and Civic Contribution

Duckett Street by Nightingale Housing

Technology and Innovation

Duckett Street, Brunswick, by Nightingale Housing

Ageing in Place

The Alba by FK Australia and Australian Unity.

Best Regional Development

Nightingale Ballarat by Hygge Property and Breathe Architects

The Alba by FK Australia and Australian Unity. It consist of retirement apartments and aged care suites. Must credit photo to Willem-Dirk du Toit - for herald sun real estate

The Alba by FK Australia and Australian Unity consists of retirement apartments and aged care suites. Picture: Willem-Dirk du Toit.

Luxury

Flinders Lane by Shelley Roberts Architects

Refurbished

Park St by Milieu Property and Breathe Architects

Affordability

Umarkoo Wayi – Ganbu Guljin by Aboriginal Housing Victoria and Breathe Architects

Diversity in Housing Choice

Viv’s Place by ARM Architecture and Launch Housing

Nightingale Ballarat by Hygge Property and Breathe Architects. The project includes one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, a shared rooftop garden and community room, a cafe and office at ground floor. Photo must be credited to Kate Longley. For herald sun real estate

Nightingale Ballarat by Hygge Property and Breathe Architects. Picture: Kate Longley.

Best Amenities

Home Richmond by Home Apartments

Pioneering – showcasing Victorian innovation

Winners Viv’s Place by ARM Architecture and Launch Housing, Nightingale Ballarat by Hygge Property and Breathe Architects, Make Room by i2c Architects, City of Melbourne and Unison Housing and Duckett Street by Nightingale Housing and Breathe Architecture

Civic Leadership

Make Room by i2c Architects, City of Melbourne and Unison Housing

Heritage and Community Culture

Make Room by i2c Architects, City of Melbourne and Unison Housing

Umarkoo Wayi – Ganbu Guljin by Aboriginal Housing Victoria and Breathe Architects