Breathe Architecture’s Nightingale apartment development has finally received approval from Mooreland City Council and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) and can now begin its first stages of demolition.

The story of the architect-led apartment development at 6 Florence Street in Brunswick, Melbourne has been widely covered, not because of the scale of the development—it’s only five storeys high and has 20 apartments—but because of its unique development model which focuses on delivering sustainable, triple-bottom line apartments at a reasonable price.

The price point is reduced by forgoing expenditure on car parking, air conditioning, multiple bathrooms and private laundries, as well offering a comparatively smaller return on investment for the building’s investors.

The idea is that a smaller financial return frees up money for investment in apartment sustainably and liveability, something not so convincing for the VCAT who previously rejected Breathe’s project on the account of it not having any of the mandatory on site car parking.

But you’re not done reading about Nightingale just yet. Just as Breathe’s Nightingale 1.0 project received approval, news about the Nightingale 2.0 hit the press, and it was good on all accounts.

The five-storey Nightingale 2.0 has been designed by Six Degrees Architects for a long-dormant site next to Fairfield train station. It will have 20-apartments and ground-floor retail but it won’t have car parking, second bathrooms in apartments, air conditioning or private laundries.

The long-dormant Fairfield site. Photography by Eddie Jim/The Age

Four identical floor plans on levels 1 to 4 show three 2 Bed +1 Bath apartments, one 3 Bed 1.5 Bath apartment and a smaller 1 Bed 1 Bath apartment. Image: Six Degrees

The reduction in amenity hasn’t stopped the interest of 180 buyers who have already registered to purchase one of the apartments without it having been approved by Darebin Council for approval.

Before it receives approval, the Council will have to consider 30 objections to the project, some of which, according to The Age, come from nearby traders concerned residents will take parking away from potential customers.

Director of Six Degrees Architects, James Legge told the age that demand for the Fairfield apartments had been immense.

“We've got far more buyers than apartments - there will be a ballot to decide [who can buy one]," he said.

Nathan Johnson

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