Sun. Sep 7th, 2025

monolithic apartment complex contrasts with verdant fitzroy streetscape in melbourne

edition office and neometro UNVEIL monolithic apartments

At 450 Gore Street in Fitzroy, architecture studio Edition Office and development group Neometro are building a complex of 18 monolithic apartments. Rising from one of Melbourne’s leafiest inner suburbs, the concrete project establishes a striking presence against its green streetscape, while aiming to deliver durable and sustainable residential spaces. Scheduled for completion in early 2026, the building explores how density can be accommodated in established neighborhoods without compromising livability.

edition office neometro design monolithic apartments in leafy fitzroy 1
all images courtesy of Edition Office and Neometro

 

 

concrete forms house adaptable, human-scale dwellings

In shaping the development, Melbourne-based architecture studio Edition Office consolidated the program into a sculptural and enduring form, while development group Neometro focused on embedding human-scale qualities within the living environments. The collaboration reflects both practices’ shared commitment to rigor in design and their long-standing relationship with Fitzroy’s urban context.

The apartment mix includes one, two, and three-bedroom configurations, designed with an emphasis on daily rituals and adaptability. Kitchens, dining areas, and living spaces are carefully proportioned to support cooking, entertaining, and social life, while loft residences feature five-meter-high ceilings that heighten a sense of volume and atmosphere. Inside, the monolithic shell gives way to softer, more intimate interiors designed to accommodate changing needs over time. Concrete, chosen for its durability and capacity to register the passage of time, defines the project’s material identity. The robust, structuralist language of the exterior contrasts with the leafy surroundings, while interiors are sensitive and adaptable. This use of ‘material honesty’ is intended to anchor the building within Fitzroy, a suburb where historic layers and contemporary additions coexist.

monolithic apartment complex contrasts with verdant fitzroy streetscape in melbourne
the project establishes a striking presence against its green streetscape

 

 

integrating energy efficiency with Fitzroy’s urban landscape

Environmental performance is a key consideration. The project targets a 7.5-star NatHERS energy rating and incorporates fully electric services, high thermal insulation, and a long-term carbon-neutral power agreement. Many apartments also benefit from dual-aspect layouts, opening onto views of Fitzroy’s backstreets, neighboring suburbs, or toward Melbourne’s CBD.

For Neometro, which has been active in Fitzroy for almost four decades, the project continues a legacy of residential development in the suburb. Combined with Edition Office’s architectural approach, the Gore Street complex presents a model for contemporary urban living: monolithic in presence yet designed with sensitivity to its context and residents.

edition office neometro design monolithic apartments in leafy fitzroy 3
concrete is chosen for its durability and capacity to register the passage of time

edition office neometro design monolithic apartments in leafy fitzroy 2
loft apartment interior

edition office neometro design monolithic apartments in leafy fitzroy 7
inside, the monolithic shell gives way to softer, more intimate interiors

edition office neometro design monolithic apartments in leafy fitzroy 4
interiors designed to accommodate changing needs over time

edition office neometro design monolithic apartments in leafy fitzroy 8
the living space contrasts with the leafy surroundings

edition office neometro design monolithic apartments in leafy fitzroy 6
interiors are sensitive and adaptable

edition office neometro design monolithic apartments in leafy fitzroy 5
bathroom interior

 

 

project info:

 

 

name: 450 Gore Street
architects: Edition Office | @editionoffice

development group: Neometro | @openjournal_neometro
location: Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia

 

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