This is the largest purpose-built refuge for Hope Street Youth and Family Services, and beyond providing accommodation, is also the base for the charity’s Youth Mobile Outreach Service which attends Melbourne’s northern growth corridors. This First Response Youth Refuge is a place of safety, care, and transformation, offering a supportive environment for young people in crisis. The project aligns with the client’s unique service model to meet the nuanced needs of its users.

This development is not a typical multi-residential development. It’s comprised of a Communal Living Building (Class 3), semi-detached family residences (Class 1a) and a dedicated support centre that provides onsite wrap-around services to occupants. Together these buildings form a cohesive, trauma-informed complex that is embedded in Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country, to deliver long term social and environmental resilience.

The scale of the facility has intentionally been kept in line with that of a residential building, as has the materiality. The facility fosters a sense of home and comfort, with landscaping promoting connection to nature. A tree protection zone is established at the front of the site, for the ancient River red Gum, and the landscaping design has incorporated a majority of native and indigenous species to heal country and support local wildlife.

The design of the buildings enhances the charity’s service through spatial strategies that prioritise comfort, accessibility and inclusivity with biophilic and passive design principles, to promote mental well-being and reduce stress, further supporting the occupants recovery.

The refuge extends its impact through sustainable features such as renewable energy systems, passive design strategies, and rainwater harvesting, which ensure environmental responsibility while reducing operational costs. These efficiencies enable the client to direct more resources towards other care and outreach programs, amplifying Hope Street’s positive outcomes within the community.

Photography by Marnie Hawson