SHAC Housing Co-operative

272-278 Faraday Street, in Carlton, Melbourne, is the site of a proposed housing co-operative. The terrace house is owned by the University of Melbourne and was recently occupied by Student Housing Action Collective (SHAC), who noticed that the buildings had been empty for 3 years. The group is seeking an architect through the Architects for Peace Pro Bono Referral Service to assist with a feasibility study for an upgrade of the terrace houses to suit a co-op. The study will be presented to University Council in late October.

Contact Arch-Peace Pro Bono if you are interested in helping SHAC.

SHAC's description: Student Housing Action Collective (SHAC) is a project aimed at providing student-run affordable student housing. Our pilot proposal is the conversion of the property at 278 Faraday Street, Carlton, into a student managed housing co-operative. SHAC arose in response to the current housing crisis which has seen a decline in the quantity of affordable student housing combined with an increase in rental costs. Recognising that the University is increasingly worried about the plight of local and international students both with regards to financial viability and the housing crisis, SHAC sees itself as one of numerous possible responses by providing dynamic and equitable student housing. The strength of the SHAC process is that it provides a model for active local and international student participation in the search for solutions around affordable student housing.


SHAC's request:
We require a feasibility study and costing for renovation of the site which is in line with the aims and principles of SHAC (including shower facilities, a back exit, solar power, a sprinkler system, hard-wired smoke detectors etc). We wish to present such a study to University Council on OCTOBER 20th to show the feasibility of our project.

South Sudan Education Aid Project

This project is for the design of an education centre in Southern Sudan. The centre was to be located next to an existing primary and secondary school and it’s aim was to provide adult education with a particular focus on women’s education.

Our client, the South Sudanese Australia Christian Education Aid (SSACEA), based in Fitzroy, Melbourne were linked with 2 of our members Anissa Webb (a landscape architect) and James Stewart (an architect) also based in Melbourne. Anissa and James have previously worked on a school project in Tanzania, separate to Architects for Peace.

After a few briefing meetings with SSACEA, Anissa and James have prepared a new layout plan of the education centre based on a bubble diagram and brief provided by SSACEA. This has since been taken back to the community for their comments.

More updates and images here.

Bird Hide at Westgate Park

Last year we linked the architecture firm, MAKE Architecture, with the non-profit community group, Friends of Westgate Park (FOWP), to create a Birdhide in the inner-metropolitan park under the Westgate Bridge, Melbourne.

The park is popular with bird observers and FOWP felt there was a need to build facilities to provide close viewing opportunities for park visitors, bird observers, school groups and others. When complete the proposal will benefit the environment, local birdlife as well as local communities who use the area.

MAKE originally set up this project as a summer school design studio at RMIT which was presented in February 2008.

More updates on the design work which MAKE Architecture have undertaken on the Birdhide please click here.

Past Projects

Bush Camp, Bunyip State Park

The project is for Pathways Foundation, a harm minimisation programme for youth. They have been lent land on which they are currently building ecotoilets. They have requested assistance with Design research, conceptual design, construction documentation, consultant liaison for a bush kitchen, large covered gathering space, and storage shed. Materials would mainly be timber and adobe bricks. There are no services on site.

The budget is low (under $50,000) and most labour will be volunteer. The programme is not yet confirmed. All prospective Service Providers should be Architects for Peace members.

Note: this project is not the work of arch-peace, but reflects the early stage of our team and we will always treasure the experience we earned.



Glen Park Men’s Shelter

This community centre locates within the Maroondah City Council and have formed a working party. They were looking to expand on the Men’s Shed project that that they already run.
The working group recently put a proposal into Council for some land at GlenPark to build a new Men’s Shed. Council have agreed to this in principal,but require that the group get a proposal drawn up.

Hayball Leonard Stent are offering the opportunity to mentor a graduate architect, by employing them full or part-time, to assist in this project. This graduate will receive support from other staff.

Note: this project is not the work of arch-peace, but reflects the early stage of our team and we will always treasure the experience we earned.


Youth and Community Services Complex in Warrnambool

Note: this project is not the work of arch-peace, but reflects the experience of Su Mellersh-Lucas (Architects for Peace member), in pro-bono work. This is an example of the type of work that Architects for Peace will facilitate.
Client: Brophy Youth and Community Services, Warrnambool.








The development of a new Youth and Community Services Complex in Warrnambool to house a range of pro-active future-proofing services targeted specifically at youth within a youth-friendly environment.


Art Unlimited Outdoor Removable Pergola Structure
Note: this project is not the work of arch-peace, but reflects the experience of Ellen-Mary Terril (Architects for Peace member), in pro-bono work. This is an example of the type of work that Architects for Peace will facilitate



Art Unlimited Outdoor Removable Pergola StructureThis is a verbal project summary - Art Unlimited Outdoor Removable Pergola Structure. I will follow with some images of the site.
The proposed pergola occupies a small area within the south-eastern courtyard of the Old Geelong Jail, in an area occupied by the tenants ‘Art Unlimited’, an organisation affiliated with St. Laurence who provides recreational art workshops to adults with disabilities. The purpose of this space is to provide a recreational outdoor space to the clients and staff of Art Unlimited who occupy an area facing onto this courtyard, and to utilise the ambience of the garden space.