brougham street, eltham

The Brougham Street co-housing community is a unique heritage site on the edge of Diamond Creek. The existing character of the landscape is respected and enhanced in the new design, stretching across a 7000-square-metre block, in admiration of the ‘Eltham style’ – a valued component of Melbourne’s 20th century cultural heritage. 

The landscape design works with this existing character while providing the space and functions required for the new community. Central to the site will be a communal heart, nestled between the existing heritage cottage to the south and the studio to the north. This provides a central organising space for the community to meet, dine and celebrate together in the shade of tree canopies.

Integral to the landscape is its ability to produce food for the community. A productive garden utilises the full-sun available, where raised veggie gardens sit alongside in-ground fruit trees and other perennial edibles. Food
production is also incorporated throughout other parts of the garden and private outdoor space, giving residents the opportunity to share their harvests and cultivate
relationships.

As the community settles and evolves there is opportunity to both expand the productive gardens and enhance the ecologies of the site further. This landscape is seen as a framework for the community to grow along side with.