Nightingale Launches Commercial Arm for Brunswick Village

Melbourne’s Nightingale Housing has launched a new commercial arm, Nightingale Studios, to bring 24 commercial and retail spaces to market at the base of its Wurru wurru biik development at Brunswick in Melbourne’s north. 

The mixed-use development comprises four residential buildings as well as 24 commercial spaces at the ground plane and first floor of the precinct. 

Nightingale Housing chief executive Dan McKenna said the four buildings centred on a green courtyard that acknowledged the region’s pre-colonial history. 

McKenna said the project had been given a Woi Wurrung name around the theme of the ‘sky’ or ‘wurru-wurru’, one of the six layers of Wurundjeri Country, based on consultation with Wurundjeri Elders.

“Living greenery will play a key role across all buildings and levels, from ground to rooftop and at Nightingale Wurru wurru biik,” McKenna said. 

“Level one focuses on landscape and is about building a regenerative, biodiverse and lush habitat that brings together all four communities.

“Breathe Architecture has thoughtfully incorporated a glazed and open-air landscaped courtyard on level one, providing shared amenity for the overlooking commercial spaces for the residential homes atop.

“We’re excited that these and all the other values we bring to our projects are now being extended to the Nightingale Studios idea—so like-minded businesses can also be part of what we are trying to achieve.”

▲ Nightingale Housing will be focused on activating the ground plane with a mix of retail and commercial offerings in its Wurru wurru biik development.

McKenna said Breathe Architecture had  selected materials that acknowledge Brunswick’s diverse heritage and industrial past, with arches and frames, brick and concrete interchanged in different combinations to respond to the buildings’ immediate contexts.

The commercial space ranges from 17sq m to 143.5sq m, according to Colliers agents Tom Larwill, Matt Knox and Lucas Soccio who are managing the sale and lease of the spaces. 

“Construction is due to be completed in December 2023—the commercial spaces are currently provided as a cold shell fit out, with a simple and robust material palette, providing future occupiers the ability to put their mark on the space,” Larwill said. 

“With a median age of 34 years and a population that is projected to grow by 43,000 people and 18,000 households by 2026, The City of Merri-bek is expected to experience significant change. 

“At Nightingale Wurru wurru biik, a focus is to create a vibrant community of businesses that will improve the amenity and services provided in the area.”

The retail and commercial spaces will be all-electric with solar arrays supplementing the green power. 

Nightingale Wurru wurru biik is close to Anstey train station, Sydney Road tram services, and Albion Street bus services and has direct access to the Upfield bike path, 5km from Melbourne’s CBD.