An 18-storey residential development in Redfern, NSW offering 160 social and affordable housing units is now ready for occupation.

Located on Gibbon Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of Redfern, the residential tower is one of the largest social and affordable housing projects in all of NSW.

The project is being delivered by St George Community Housing (SGCH) as part of the NSW Government’s $1.1 billion Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF), and has received financing through the Federal Government’s National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC).

The $85 million Redfern development forms part of SGCH’s 560-property portfolio being delivered through the SAHF program.

Designed by DKO Architecture, the Gibbons Street building offers 40 social and 120 affordable housing units in one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts as well as retail on the ground floor. Keeping in mind the significance of the location to the Indigenous community, 25 percent of the housing units have been allocated to Aboriginal households.

The property is centrally located and offers its residents easy and quick access to transportation and shopping. There are no carparks in the building, which has an 8.3-star rating under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme.

DKO’s design takes inspiration from the built and cultural history of Redfern as well as elements from the surrounding streetscapes including delineation and varied heights in podiums.

“The design varies in materiality and footprint with vertical breaks introduced to break down the massing of the block into slender compartments to create a visually inviting facade and an appropriate overall proportion. Classic brickwork in the podium grounds the lighter concrete tower with darker concrete indents to create strong definition and contrast,” DKO says.

Community spaces including a rooftop garden will provide amenities for families and children living within the complex. In response to the site’s historical and cultural context, the development also integrates the work of Indigenous artist Joe Hurst.

Lendlease Building CEO Dale Connor says Lendlease is focused on supporting governments to solve the challenges of social and affordable housing.

"Gibbons Street is our first project of scale in this space and will set a precedent for what social and affordable housing can look like in Australia.”

Image: Gibbons Street, Redfern by DKO Architecture (Photo: Simon Anders)

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