Make Room

Make Room Housing is a re-purposed heritage CBD Archive building providing 50 apartments for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness with 24/7 wrap-around services.

LOCATION

Boon Wurrung/ Wurundjeri Country | Melbourne Victoria

APARTMENTS

50

CLIENT

Unison Housing

YEAR

2024

STATUS

Complete

BUILDER

Harris HMC

PHOTOGRAPHY

Dianna Snape

The current housing crisis demands collective action to create meaningful change

This groundbreaking project, a partnership between the

City of Melbourne

,

Unison Housing

, the Victorian Government, and the philanthropic sector, aims to tackle chronic homelessness in Melbourne. Collaborating with

cohealth

,

i2C

Architects, builders

Harris HMC

, and corporate funders, the project innovates in service models, architectural design, funding, and construction partnerships, incorporating Unison’s social enterprise into its design.

Completed in October 2024, the $24.9 million Make Room project provides tailored, short-term supported accommodation and onsite wraparound services to transition people experiencing rough sleeping and chronic homelessness into sustainable housing. It repurposes a City of Melbourne owned building into specialist accommodation for 50 residents at a time and creates a rooftop garden space.

Make Room not only meets immediate acute housing needs but is also designed to be replicated, potentially benefiting communities nationwide. This is the first known adaptive reuse project in Australia to use a Council asset to deliver supported housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness. As a pilot project for the City of Melbourne’s Adaptive Reuse Guidelines, the project has far-reaching impact.

i2C

is proud to be working with the Make Room partners on this ambitious project that will help people break the cycle of homelessness

Make Room honoured with four Apartment Awards for Excellence

July 2024

Make Room, a re-purposed heritage CBD Archive building providing 50 apartments for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness with 24/7...

Make Room wins National Apartment Awards

October 2024

Make Room, a re-purposed heritage CBD Archive building providing 50 apartments for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness with onsite wraparound Support services, won...