[+] Living, Working, Creating: Art Drives Evolving Precinct Trend

The deft and dexterous hand of cultural urbanism is shaping Australia’s cities in new and creative ways but it’s not just art for art's sake. As the late English author Simon Raven’s extension to the old adage says, it is also a matter of “money for God’s sake”. And perhaps never more so, given the impact of the ongoing construction crisis and prevailing economic uncertainty. On opposite sides of the country, two mixed-use projects are expanding the palette of innovative and transformative urban development. Both designed with an arts focus, they integrate residential and creative industries components to provide a commercial anchor and viability. “If you think back to like Soho in New York in the 1960s you always had artists or creative production and residential mixed together,” says Tom Payne, a partner with placemaking and design consultancy Hoyne. ▲ A render from the long-awaited plans for the old Taubman’s paint factory at Yeronga in Brisbane’s inner-west. “But, essentially, it was illegal in planning terms … so even though it feels like we’ve come full circle, it’s actually super innovative.” In Brisbane, long-awaited plans have been lodged for the redevelopment of the old Taubman’s paint factory at Yeronga in the city’s inner-west. The application is seeking a zone change and preliminary approval for the first stage of The Paint Factory Arts Village earmarked for a 3.43ha site at 115 Hyde Road. It sits within the 12ha Hyde Road Industrial Precinct, one of 14 underutilised sites identified to transition away from historic industrial land uses to modern mixed-used residential developments as part of Brisbane City Council’s suburban renewal initiative. Taubman’s established a paint factory on the site in 1952. It was acquired in 2005 by Akzo Nobel, the maker of Dulux paint, and subsequently decommissioned a decade later. Since then, it has become a renowned creative hub and home to a collective of internationally recognised and celebrated artists who have inspired the vision to shape the site as an arts village. Works created and produced on the site have been exhibited and viewed globally at events and destinations including the 59th Venice Biennale, Tate Modern in the UK, the Art Institute of Chicago in the US, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney and the Asia Pacific Triennial. ▲ The masterplan comprises buildings ranging from four to eight storeys—including five residential buildings. It also has been the setting for music videos, Netflix shows and was selected as a filming location for the adaptation of Brisbane writer Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe . According to a town planning report, the arts village masterplan comprises buildings ranging from four to eight storeys—including five residential buildings. “The vision for the proposed development is for a vibrant mixed-use community, comprising artist studios, art gallery, artistic training, catering, food and drink outlets, event space, office space, performance space, green space and communal zones, as well as residential uses that support the creative arts,” it says. “The development proposal will unlock a significant suburban renewal opportunity at Yeronga. “Elements of the former paint factory building will act as a foundation in the precinct’s redevelopment and regeneration, amid a range of sustainability initiatives and design outcomes.” Incredible creative vision The Paint Factory development director Paul Hey says the proposal is an Australian-first precinct catering both to those who work in the creative industries and those keen to make a home in an arts-focused community. “It’s an incredible creative vision that will put Brisbane on the map,” he says. ▲ Kanaal in Wijnegem, Belgium was built in 1857 as a distillery and malting complex In 2017, the industrial brick warehouses and concrete grain silos were transformed into modern living and working spaces. Hey says it has taken inspiration from other local and international projects, such as the Brisbane Powerhouse, Carriageworks in Sydney, the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne, Alte-Spinnerei in Germany and Kanaal in Belgium, that have reimagined redundant sites. “The Paint Factory steps that vision forward by incorporating a residential component,” Hey says. “This will allow artists, art galleries, event spaces and facilities for visual artists and other creative professionals to live and work alongside artists-in-residence and retail tenancies.” Three years in the planning Meanwhile, across the other side of the country at Fremantle, the port city 20km south-west of Perth in Western Australia, after three years in the planning the first stage of the 1.4ha Artisan Place residential and arts precinct is scheduled to start construction next year. Muse at Artisan Place will comprise a mix of 77 high-end and affordable apartments and is being delivered by Edge Visionary Living and Development WA. It was approved late last year and was recently launched to the market. Overall, the Artisan Place precinct at 19-25 Burt Street, East Fremantle, will include four buildings with 265 residences as well as six live-in artist studios, art galleries, a performing arts centre, gym and cafe. Delete Designed by Subiaco-based Hillam Architects, it is surrounded by buildings mostly occupied by creative industries enterprises—including Fremantle Arts Centre and John Curtin College of The Arts. Planning documents say the development will deliver “significant new facilities for the arts community in Fremantle in addition to expanding the available accommodation offering”. “Adoption of creative and imaginative design elements—reflective of Fremantle’s arts presence and culture—provides variety, articulation and high-quality building outcomes that will provide an overall positive contribution to the amenity of the area,” the documents say. Hoynes’ Tom Payne says such innovative developments are “the future of placemaking”. “To mix it all together like this, there aren't many new precincts in the world that have done this. “In a sense I think we’ve lost the theatre of precincts with development that just has a bit of retail on the ground floor and residential above, and all the manufacturing is off in the periphery of the cities. “Often artists are out of sight in large warehouse spaces in light industrial zones. “If you put that kind of creative production back into neighbourhoods it adds interest for the people who live there as well as opportunities for employment and education. “It's a true mix of uses that creates a lot of value for the neighbourhoods and brings people together. It’s a win-win for everyone … it’s a sustainable economic model, we just need a precedence. “We need to bring that life back into our cities that we’ve lost because of our contemporary black and white zoning models. We need a bit more of a grey area … it's a new generation, people want to live in exciting, creative neighbourhoods and precincts, not boring residential enclaves.” You are currently experiencing The Urban Developer Plus (TUD+), our premium membership for property professionals. Click here to learn more.

Infrastructure
Phil Bartsch AND Jessica Moloney
Tue 08 Aug 23

[+] Living, Working, Creating: Art Drives Evolving Precinct Trend

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InfrastructurePhil Bartsch AND Jessica MoloneyTue 08 Aug 23

[+] Living, Working, Creating: Art Drives Evolving Precinct Trend

Get the full story.

‘Faster than HDA’: Newcastle Slashes DA Approval Times in Half

Sunset Clauses Under Scrutiny as Class Action Costs Developer Millions

Perth Steel Dynasty Bets Big on Brisbane Pipeline

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In conversation with Paul Salter | Managing Director, Salter Brothers

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2026 Hotel Developer Summit | Panel | Nigel Greenaway & Letitia Vitale

25Hours Hotel, The Olympia | Tim Greer | Director, TZG

Conflict, Construction Costs Squeeze Housing Accord Gains

Developer Starts Up with Two Projects in Same ACT Suburb

Sentinel Fights Off Challenge to 350-Home Melbourne BtR Plan

Consolidated Properties Puts Forward Third Fortitude Valley Development Tower

Residential Developer Summit 2026

Adelaide Developer Symposium

Urbanity-26 Conference

The Urban Developer Awards for Industry Excellence

‘Faster than HDA’: Newcastle Slashes DA Approval Times in Half

Sunset Clauses Under Scrutiny as Class Action Costs Developer Millions

Perth Steel Dynasty Bets Big on Brisbane Pipeline

Backyard Density Could Fast-Track Australia’s Housing Supply

Expectations Shift as Apartment Buyers Rewrite the Rules

Infrastructure
Phil Bartsch AND Jessica Moloney
Tue 08 Aug 23