Wilam Ngarrang Residence

Jan 28

Written by Omar Dahabra

Location: Melbourne, Australia
Year: 2023
Architects: Kennedy Nolan Architects
Photography by: Eve Wilson

The key intention of this project is to create a financially replicable model of a low environmental impact retrofit that reduces operating costs for inhabitants. More broadly, the project is a prototype to explore and investigate the social and financial benefits of retrofitting existing apartment blocks in Melbourne's inner city.

The completed project is a minimal-intervention retrofit of a 1970s apartment block in Fitzroy concentrating on improving thermal performance, extending the lifespan of the building and increasing amenities for tenants. Importantly, there is also an emphasis on creating a sense of domestic comfort, on making places for people which are warm, welcoming and beautiful, in their own modest way. The design of the project was a partnership between Kennedy Nolan and Finding Infinity, regular collaborators on a diverse range of projects.

Wilam Ngarrang is a modest construction project with an emphasis on retaining and re-using existing fabric. In the end, only the doors and windows were replaced but when combined with an airtight lime-based paint, this allowed us to massively improve air-tightness. Other initiatives included rooftop rainwater collection, roof and wall insulation, the implementation of efficient water fittings and fixtures and the installation of a 33kW solar system on the rooftop of the building. A heat recovery ventilation unit was also installed in each of the apartments. It is estimated that the reduction in bills for tenants as a result of these inclusions will be 80% or more.

Our work also includes elements to support a sense of community within the building and even contribute to wider society. On the site, the landscape was privileged and augmented and included a shared vegetable plot and composting for the building. The communal laundry was elevated into a social space, and a large shared table provided an armature for being together which provided an opportunity to build fellowship amongst the predominantly single-person households. Wurundjeri artist Alex Kerr has painted a mural that leads residents down to this communal space.

The building was named Wilam Ngarrang by the Wuundjeri Land Council and is "Paying the Rent" to first nations organizations and through partnering with the organization Home Ground, two of the apartments are being rented out at below-market rates to assist those who are struggling to enter the rental market.

Wilam Ngarrang represents a cost-effective solution to making major cuts in greenhouse gas emissions with the important additional benefits of low embodied energy, speed of delivery, minimal disruption to existing neighborhoods and is cheaper than an equivalent new building with similar performance. When these benefits are combined with positive social outcomes and a committed design approach, it is possible to see how existing buildings can have a new life functionally and aesthetically – combining a significant reduction in energy consumption with good quality, even beautiful domestic space. It is hoped that this project demonstrates how Architects can make a positive impact in new ways by deploying their unique understanding of the possibilities in all buildings and how modest intervention can make a big impact. Text description by the architects.

Source: www.archdaily.com + www.kennedynolan.com.au
Area: 702 m²

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