Novus on Spencer
- Crest
- Byron Bay Hotel
- Novus on Spencer
- Drift
- Brisbane South State Secondary College
- International Recovery Centre
- Tawarri Hot Springs
- Uniting Charlestown
- McCall Community Hub
- Scape Kensington
- R.Iconic + R.Evolution
- Invicta House
- Perth Airport Sensory Room
- Luna Burleigh
- NOMA Residences
- Noho Lakeside Hotel
- Port of Auckland
- The Pacifica
- QV1
- Viridi
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- Studio 33
Past Foundations.
Future Living.
Future Living.
Novus on Spencer, in West Melbourne, carefully weaves together an industrial past and contemporary living.
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LocationWurundjeri Woi-wurrung + Bunurong Boon Wurrung COUNTRY
West Melbourne, VIC
City of Melbourne -
ClientKanden Realty + Development, Novus
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Discipline
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SectorBuild to Rent, Adaptive Reuse + Heritage, Mixed Use, Residential, Wellness, Workplace
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StatusDESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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Height20 Storeys, 63 m
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ScaleGFA: 17,894 sqm, site: 1,683 sqm, 195 apartments
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CostConfidential
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Certificationtargeting 7-star NatHER rating, 5-Star Green Star rating and net zero emissions
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Photography + RendersPlus Studio
VISION
A historic former bakery on the corner of Spencer and Batman Streets. A desire to maintain a piece of Melbourne’s history while creating new build-to-rent living above. Novus on Spencer stands as a creative example of how cities can evolve with the needs of their people, without destroying the very fabric that lend them texture. The design contrasts original brickwork with a minimalist, late modernist-inspired form. The sleek 20-storey tower sought to respond to its setting by shielding residents from city bustle, while simultaneously capturing views to the city.
SOLUTION
Maintaining the site’s heritage and reinterpreting it for modern uses took careful consideration. We worked meticulously to preserve the bakery’s masonry facade, chimneys and historic ovens, while adapting the interior voids to house new communal wellness spaces, co-working areas and ground floor retail. The tower above accommodates 190 high-end apartments that use strategically placed floor-to-ceiling glazing to open each residence to skyline views.
“Heritage isn’t a constraint. It’s a starting point for context-driven design.”
Jessica Liew, Principal
Jessica Liew, Principal
This is a story of contrast. Heritage and modernity, city pace and neighbourhood ease, refined design and everyday comfort. A project that delivers for people, while preserving a strong sense of place. Connecting, protecting and evolving with the city around it.
This is the kind of thinking we bring to every project. Get in touch and let’s talk about what you’re planning.
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