The City of Monash will soon welcome its first-ever Build to Rent development in Oakleigh South, comprising of residential apartments, retail and coworking spaces.
Designed by Australian practice i2C Architects, in a global alliance with international design firm Ryder Architecture (i2C|Ryder) for award-winning developer Pellicano, the 7-storey Fieldworks House offers 171 high quality apartments supported by various indoor and outdoor amenity spaces, including a private health and wellness rooftop retreat overlooking views of Oakleigh South. In addition to 12 retail spaces on the ground floor, the development will also include a dedicated coworking space for residents.
While Fieldworks House is Pellicano’s first outing in the Built to Rent sector, the development is one of hundreds across the globe for i2C|Ryder, who are considered experts in the space.
“The past 18 months we’ve seen an increase in people who are choosing a more flexible work/lifestyle balance and opting to spend more time within their local neighbourhood. This change in lifestyle has called for a fresh consideration in mixed-use and multi-residential apartment design,” says associate and residential lead at i2C Architects, Marcus Greening.
“Flexible coworking spaces are balanced with high quality indoor and outdoor recreational facilities providing residents a choice in how they live, work and play in their community.
“The goal with Build to Rent is to create a vertical neighbourhood that encourages and enhances the social experience for residents and the wider community alike,” he adds.
Elaborating on the decision to engage i2C|Ryder for the project’s design, Pellicano managing director Nando Pellicano says, “We know that i2C|Ryder are experts in the Build to Rent space, which prioritises community and amenities, so it was a simple decision to collaborate once again to bring the Oakleigh South community a new hub. The neighbourhood has a strong sense of culture and place, and the architectural response incorporates this as much as possible.”
The development will pay homage to its community by incorporating locally inspired artwork on the building’s exterior.
Additionally, exposed brick will be used throughout as a nod to the strong bricklaying history and industrial aesthetic in Oakleigh South while the geological history of the area, which used to be a sand quarry, will be represented through the use of earthy tones and textures.
