Make Room is an innovative project that repurposed an under-utilised commercial building into 50 studio apartments for people experiencing homelessness.

This ambitious, adaptive, re-use project was delivered through a unique partnership between the City of Melbourne, Unison Housing and Cohealth, to address the needs of people experiencing primary homelessness in the City of Melbourne. The project is funded by the City of Melbourne, Victorian Government and philanthropic organisations and is at the forefront of affordable housing, demonstrating the potential of transforming commercial spaces into social housing.

Make Room was conceived to rehabilitate an underutilised and aging City of Melbourne asset, provide affordable housing coupled with wrap around supports in the CBD and support residents transitioning from sleeping rough to stable lives and independent housing.

Beyond providing housing, the development also features three ground-floor tenancies for onsite support services, as well as a rooftop garden and BBQ area, fostering a sense of community and enhancing the residents’ quality of life.

The judges believe that this groundbreaking solution should be implemented in every major city.