Fitzroy Neighbourhood House

This project is less a conventional architectural commission than a case study in how professional experience can be used to be genuinely helpful, particularly within our own local community.

It began with Director Mike Macleod volunteering at Fitzroy Neighbourhood House (FNH), then Fitzroy Learning Network, supporting children with homework and assisting community members to access services alongside staff and volunteers. In 2018, FNH secured a grant to renovate its deteriorating premises, but an uncooperative landlord stalled the project, prompting a search for a new home and a way to retain the funding. Kennedy Nolan stepped in to support this process.

Led by FNH’s leadership – particularly board chair Jeannine Jacobson and CEO Jane Tonkin – numerous feasibility studies and partnerships were explored. Kennedy Nolan contributed pro bono advice, drawings and consultant introductions, demonstrating how familiar architectural tools can unlock opportunities for organisations with limited access to design expertise.

A lease was eventually secured in a ground-floor space at Atherton Gardens through a partnership with the DHHS. The former community space, neglected during Covid, required careful planning to deliver warmth and welcome within a tight budget. With bureaucratic hurdles navigated, a committed team of consultants and supporters came together, culminating in the appointment of Wilderness Building Company.

With the future demolition of the towers in mind, the project prioritised circular design. Modular durra panel walls, exposed services, adaptable joinery and reused furniture allow the space to be dismantled and reused over time.

The new home for FNH was as joyful in process as it is in completion, a great outcome grown from trying to be helpful.