{"id":21121,"date":"2024-03-20T11:58:13","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T01:58:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/?p=21121"},"modified":"2024-04-18T12:14:35","modified_gmt":"2024-04-18T02:14:35","slug":"reimagining-urban-living","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/reimagining-urban-living\/","title":{"rendered":"Reimagining urban living"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Victoria’s urban heart, Nightingale Housing is reimagining ‘home’ for the future<\/a>. <\/strong>Following the completion of the inaugural Nightingale 1 project in Brunswick, in 2017, Skye House’s sustainable, community-centric living, has been disrupting conventional residential models ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drawing inspiration from Ricardo Bofill\u2019s The Factory, the striking community-minded apartment complex features repeated arches along its Duckett Street fa\u00e7ade, a nod to the area\u2019s eclectic Mediterranean houses, while also giving greenery soft shapes to cling to, enhancing the verdant urban vibe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Nightingale\u2019s sustainable ethos is what first attracted them to enter the ballot for an apartment, residents Dana Thomson and Sacha Karsten, who share an apartment with their cavoodle puppy, Strudel, say it is the community aspect of the development that makes them proud to call it home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Skye House utilises natural elements to enhance its style appeal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

“There are a few features that set the Nightingale apart from other typical apartment buildings,” Dana says of the shared spaces such as the rooftop veggie patches, communal bathhouse and bookable entertaining area, which encourage interaction and collaboration among residents. \u201cWe’re really lucky we’ve got a dog park, we’ve got a shared laundry and washing line,\u201d she says. \u201cThe focus on communal spaces assists us to reduce our footprint.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developed by a collaborative team of Melbourne-based architects, Skye House is not just an apartment building; it’s a manifesto for the future of urban living, prioritising amenity and livability over increased space and urban sprawl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Communal laundry facilities help reduce residents energy footprint.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think it’s something that we should challenge,\u201d Dana says. \u201cWhy do we need these massive houses?\u201d With its focus on reducing carbon footprint, enhancing community bonds, and promoting economic sustainability, Skye House, like the Nightingale projects that came before it, presents a compelling blueprint for homes of tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And its eco-credentials are unparalleled. Skye House is powered by Australia\u2019s first 100% fossil-fuel-free residential GreenPower<\/a> network and features a 23kW solar system<\/a> and 8.1 stars NatHERS rating<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There are some solar panels<\/a> on the roof, which helps the communal areas,\u201d Sacha explains. \u201cIt\u2019s very well insulated with the way it’s been designed \u2013 it can be like 10 degrees outside and it will be cosy 20 degrees in here. And we haven’t had to put any heating on.\u201d \u201cThat really reduces our bills as well,\u201d adds Dana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Every inch of space in Skye House is used to optimum ability, making it as effective as can be.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The economically-designed and space-efficient apartments feature recycled timber hardwood flooring throughout while the kitchens feature stainless steel, which Sacha explains is recycled more efficiently. Every detail of the apartment has been carefully considered, from smart storage solutions to energy-efficient<\/a> heat pump hot water systems<\/a> and ceiling fans help to promote air flow.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe get some lovely views of the suburbs in the West Brunswick direction, especially in the afternoon when the sun hits it,\u201d Sacha says. \u201cIt\u2019s gorgeous.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Nightingale’s vision extends beyond environmental concerns. At its core, it’s about fostering a sense of community and belonging. “It was important to find a house that has a community aspect, because I think at the end of the day, it’s the people that you live closest to that you’re going to see the most,\u201d Dana says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Economic sustainability is another cornerstone of the Nightingale model. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
The orientation of Sky House means balconies are draped in natural light.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

By capping profits, removing marketing expenses, and implementing a resale covenant, Nightingale ensures that its homes remain affordable and accessible. \u201cI think apartment living<\/a> is the future,\u201d Dana says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt’s so important that apartments address some of the issues that we’re seeing in society today.\u201d Nightingale’s deliberate location strategy, placing properties close to public transport and amenities, reflects a forward-thinking approach to urban planning.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A lot of our family members say, \u2018When are you going to buy a house?\u2019 \u2018When are you going to move out to the suburbs?\u2019 We have no intention of doing that,\u201d Dana says. \u201cI really see the value of more apartments that are like this one that we’re living in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do Aussies feel about energy-efficient features?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In partnership with the REA Group, we\u2019ve launched the PropTrack Origin Australian Home Energy Report<\/a>, analysing the motivations and challenges for Aussies to adopt energy-efficient initiatives at home. The report<\/a> aims to help understand the sentiment of all Australians, whether they rent or own, towards energy efficiency<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Download a copy of the report today<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This article was originally published as The community-centric dwelling revolutionising urban living<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re a buyer, renter or investor, you can find your place on realestate.com.au<\/a>. As Australia\u2019s No.1 property site, you\u2019ll find the latest homes for sale, property news and real estate market data all in the one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Skye House’s sustainable, community-centric living, has been disrupting conventional residential living.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":21201,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[105],"tags":[157,46],"oe_author":[],"class_list":["post-21121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-at-home","tag-rea-partnership","tag-sustainability"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21121"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21121\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21121"},{"taxonomy":"oe_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oe_author?post=21121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}