Melbourne-based architectural practice Kennedy Nolan has completed Leftfield, a residential building that is part of the Nightingale Village in Brunswick, an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Australia. Leftfield’s design prioritizes community, affordability, and sustainability, placing these matters front and center.
Nightingale is a model for triple bottom line developments that encompass social, environmental, and economic factors. Leftfield is Kennedy Nolan’s first project under the Nightingale model and was delivered with the studio in the role of developer. The residence is one of six neighboring buildings that form the Nightingale Village — each building was designed by a different architect using social, environmental, and financial sustainability principles.
Kennedy Nolan’s approach to Leftfield was, in essence, about achieving more with less. The studio set about identifying key aspects of the building and considered ways in which to ensure its design was imbued with warmth, texture, and personality. Moreover, it was important that Leftfield had an individual presence in the urban realm. “The constraints of cost and durability can be limiting in multi-residential buildings,” says Kennedy Nolan. “We looked to introduce personality and presence through texture, color, and large-scale composition — opportunities we identified as achievable within the constraints.”
Leftfield’s grey precast concrete is tinted with a warm reddish ochre. Kennedy Nolan used this to build a tonal color palette of orange-red windows, doors, and metalwork, and terracotta-colored fiber cement sheeting. These elements contrast with the building’s raw concrete. At ground level, the walls are clad in pressed red bricks, a detail that recalls Melbourne’s familiar 19th century brickwork. The western facade is decorated with a playful and large “zoomorphic composition [that is] visible from a great distance over Brunswick,” says Kennedy Nolan.
Kennedy Nolan describes Leftfield as a “complete building in the classic modernist sense [where] the interiors express the same concepts as the overall architecture.” There is a particular focus on making use of color, texture, pattern, and composition to elevate the residential experience. Communal areas and apartment interiors feature warm and muted reddish tones and graphic elements; the design embraces an array of soft, tactile materials, including timber, cork, terrazzo, and brass.
Leftfield comprises 28 differently-sized dwellings that range from compact 34-square-meter (366-square-feet) studios to more generously proportioned 80-square-meter (861-square-feet) two-bedroom apartments. The building incorporates design elements that are common across all Nightingale projects. External vertical circulation, for example, is a way of encouraging movement and informal interactions, helping to build a sense of community. “At Leftfield, our stairs are open to the beautiful long western views and are enlivened by super graphics and deep shadows,” says Kennedy Nolan. Another common design element is the availability of rooftop communal facilities, including a laundry, vegetable gardens, and space for residents to gather. A roof oculus is an especially notable design feature.
The building is described as “an exemplar in sustainable design” with a 7.5 star NatHERS thermal rating (the Australian Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme). Leftfield’s energy operation is 100 percent fossil fuel-free — energy is supplied by renewable resources. A photovoltaic array and battery storage offsets communal energy use. The building’s envelope and material selection ensures an effective thermal mass. Rainwater is harvested on-site and reused to irrigate the gardens. The majority of apartments have a dual aspect, providing natural ventilation and abundant light. Heat pumps are used for domestic hot water and hydronic heating. There is no private car parking — instead, a shared basement provides space for 15 car-share vehicles and the building includes 63 bike spaces. There is a voluntary 20 percent allocation of homes to an affordable housing provider.
“This is a building designed with community involvement in mind — a community that is diverse, cohesive and connected,” says Kennedy Nolan.
