The Design Files: A home designed to create shared community spaces

By
Lucy Feagins
July 10, 2019
Pino and Georgie. Artwork by Dorothy Napangardi. Kate Jones ceramic planter. Artwork by Brendan Huntley from Tolarno Galleries. Styling: Annie Portelli Photo: Caitlin Mills

Who: Pino Demaio (Matters Journal and Local Peoples), partner Georgie Cleary (co-founder and creative director of alpha60) and their children Wren (six) and Mae (three).

What: Off-the-plan family apartment in community-focused development

Where: Clifton Hill, Melbourne

Mae and Wren’s shared bedroom, with objects gifted by friends and family. Styling: Annie Portelli Photo: Caitlin Mills

At 122 Roseneath Street is a community of apartments and townhouses, in a converted brutalist building in a leafy pocket of Clifton Hill, in Melbourne’s inner north.

Designed to create shared community spaces and high-quality urban living, the project was delivered by Assemble, Wulff Projects and Icon Developments.

Pino was a co-founder of Assemble and Assemble Papers, and worked with Wulff Projects and Icon Developments to create 122 Roseneath St. Photo: Caitlin Mills

Pino Demaio, a co-founder of Assemble, put his stamp of approval on the project by moving in with partner Georgie Cleary and their children. Demaio now runs design studio Local Peoples and is editor-in-chief at Matters Journal, and his interests in placemaking, sustainable cities and urban density are equally reflected in his work and his home.

The Roseneath site was once a combination of old factory warehouse spaces and a “really cool brutalist-style concrete office space” which Demaio says is his “favourite architectural style”. The new development carries half of the brutalist building into the new design, and introduces shared gardens, a communal workshop, and community spaces.

Shelf/desk wall designed in collaboration with and made by AKWT. Photo: Caitlin Mills

In addition to Demaio and Cleary’s deep alignment with the philosophy of the development, what drew them to purchase an apartment was the glowing morning light, the daily view of the local bats flying past, its proximity to Dights Falls, and the “lovely community around us”.

The family have been in the apartment since last August, and have quickly transformed the off-the-plan residence into a home.

A clever sliding door opens up another living space. Photo: Caitlin Mills

Demaio describes their aesthetic as “hopefully creative” and “practical and not fussy”.

Starting with a clean slate, the couple did feel a mild compulsion to fill the house with unnecessary “stuff”, but have now taken on a discerning approach, aiming to be “thoughtful about what we do and don’t need, and trying to reduce as much as we can”.

Looking out over Clifton Hill. Styling: Annie Portelli Photo: Caitlin Mills

Unsurprisingly, given both of their incredibly successful creative pursuits, their home is filled with art, ceramics, furniture and design from local Melbourne creatives.

In sharing their stunning home, Demaio hopes to highlight the beauty, functionality and strong sense of community that can emerge from high-density living.

Even the kids’ dining area is chic! Cooking pot from Hub General Store. Styling: Annie Portelli Photo: Caitlin Mills

“We’re expecting the population of urban settings globally to grow by 3 billion people over the next 30 years, so it’s crucial we tell stories that highlight the challenges and possible solutions of this growth,” he says.

Share: