Building Better Neighbourhoods: Lessons from Nightingale Village, Melbourne
As part of a recent study tour to Melbourne, UDIA member Nic Williams visited Nightingale Village—one of Australia’s most recognised examples of community-focused, sustainable apartment living. Reflecting on the experience, Nic shares four key lessons for creating more liveable, inclusive and successful urban neighbourhoods.
Inclusionary zoning is a superpower. The genuine, lasting affordability in Nightingale Village is anchored by its 10% to 15% inclusionary housing provision.
Build-to-Rent-to-Own (BTRTO) is mature and moving. Victoria’s advancement in BTRTO models offers residents an authentic pathway to long-term equity.
The market has an appetite for community. While Nightingale is a distinct brand that sets an incredibly high bar, other stellar Melbourne developers like Neometro and Milieu are proving that high-density design can thrive commercially. While they may focus a bit more on private amenity over the purely communal, they prove that great shared spaces are no longer a design luxury—they are a market expectation.
Great streets matter. As apartment dwellers generally spend more time in the public realm, streets and parks that include better qualities than a back yard are an essential co-requisite to apartment living.
Read Nic’s full reflections and insights from the study tour in the article below.
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