Living Together at Nightingale Evergreen

Nightingale Evergreen is part of the Nightingale Village in Brunswick, located on Wurundjeri Country in Melbourne’s inner north. This precinct of six architect-designed buildings follows Nightingale Housing (NGH) principles to support social, environmental, and financial sustainability.

Completed in 2022, Evergreen was designed by Clare Cousins Architects and, with only 27 apartments, is the smallest building in the village. Instead of individual laundries, the building includes a communal rooftop laundry and washing lines. This idea, which is seen across NGH projects, aims for more sustainable operation and creates more space within individual homes. It also brings together residents informally during their day-to-day activities. Other shared resources include a rooftop garden, productive vegetable garden, dedicated bicycle parking, and access to shared vehicles at the car-free village.

We sat down with residents Andy Fergus and Katherine Sundermann to hear what life is like at Nightingale Evergreen, giving us a sense of their home and commons spaces at the project.

Development Name: Nightingale Evergreen
Designer: Clare Cousins Architects
Developer: Nightingale Housing

Film produced by: RMIT PlaceLab Brunswick’s Living Together Research Project
Narrated by: Rebecca Roke
Interviewees: Katherine Sundermann & Andy Fergus
Filming and Video Production: Matt Quattro

#RMITPlaceLab #Brunswick #LivingTogether #CollectiveHousing

Further resources:
Nightingale Housing - Evergreen
Clare Cousins Architects – Nightingale Evergreen
Australian Institute of Architects – Nightingale Evergreen

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Living Together Research Project.

Living Together is one of the research projects currently taking place as part of RMIT PlaceLab.  

The Research Project explores collective (deliberative) housing – a model focused on sharing and living together – as an alternative approach to housing that has emerged in Melbourne in the last 10 years. This research investigates the future potential for deliberative development and how it might address issues concerning affordability, sustainability and urbanisation. Throughout the project, conversations about the research will be shared through design studios, public discussions, exhibition and publication.

Shaping Brunswick’s Future Together.
RMIT PlaceLab is a new urban initiative to connect community, shape place, and take a radically different approach to doing research.

Pairing RMIT academics with the local community, RMIT PlaceLab addresses vital urban challenges and opportunities, aimed at shaping a more liveable, adaptive and inclusive future.