LIFE Architecture and Urban Design

31/03/2026

Permit secured. Jenkins House is on its way.⁠
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This one has been a long time coming.⁠
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The site at 205-215 Queens Parade, Fitzroy North has been in the Jenkins family for generations. It carries history, it carries obligation, and now it carries a name that will stay on the building long after we are done.⁠
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Getting here wasn't straightforward. Approval came through two distinct and demanding pathways: the Department of Transport and Planning's Development Facilitation Program (DFP), reserved for projects of state significance, and a separate permit through Heritage Victoria. The complexity of that process reflects the weight of what is on this site.⁠
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At the heart of it is the 1938 Clifton Hill Motor Garage, reworked by architect J.H. Wardrop into a Jazz Moderne frontage that has defined this stretch of Queens Parade for nearly 90 years. Our response to it is the whole story.⁠
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The new podium is split at its centre, deliberately. Not to step around the heritage building, but to frame it. That gap celebrates Wardrop's original vertical pilasters over the entry, letting the composition read clearly beneath everything we have added above. The deep north-facing balconies do more than offer generous amenity. They provide privacy, passive solar shading, and a strong horizontal line that holds the podium in conversation with the heritage fabric below.⁠
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From Dummett Crescent, the tower speaks differently. A red oxide structural grid wraps the facade, its concave column panels catching and releasing light across the day - shadow and highlight doing the work that Art Deco always understood ornament should do. Curved balconies rise up the southern flank. A lighter glazed volume sits alongside. The building has presence from every direction.⁠
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Three layers. Three eras. One coherent building.⁠
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Congratulations to the full team who brought the care and expertise this project deserved.⁠
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Client: CBE Asia Pacific Pty Ltd⁠
Town Planning: ⁠
Heritage Consultant: Bryce Raworth⁠
ESD: ⁠
Wind: Vipac⁠
Traffic: ⁠
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23/12/2025

Our LiFE, This Year

As 2025 draws to a close, we’re reflecting on the progress made across the practice - settling into our identity as LiFE Architecture, welcoming 17 new voices into the studio, and advancing diverse projects that respond thoughtfully to context, community and ambition.

Across the year, our work has been marked by meaningful milestones - including award recognition, key planning approvals, the continued growth of our hospitality portfolio (more to share on this in early 2026), and the strengthening of our international presence as our Hong Kong studio took on more projects. Throughout it all, our focus has remained on delivering outcomes that support our clients and positively contribute to the communities and places our work helps shape. Read more on these milestones in our recent newsletter via LinkIn.bio 👆

As the year comes to a close, we’d like to thank you all for the shared commitment that shaped our work throughout 2025. The studio will close from the 23 December and reopen on the 12 January. We wish you a restful festive season and look forward to reconnecting in the new year - refreshed, inspired and ready for an exciting year ahead.

02/12/2025

11/11/2025

Introducing mecwacare John Hood Terrace - a new residential aged care home in Richmon designed to feel calm, warm and welcoming.

The redevelopment preserves the character of the original 1850s façade while introducing contemporary, purpose-built spaces that support comfort, dignity and community connection.

Alongside 77 private ensuite bedrooms, residents can enjoy inviting communal spaces:
• Hairdresser
• Private dining room for family visits
• Allied health therapy rooms
• Multiple lounges, reading nooks and quiet retreat spaces
• Light-filled dining areas that open to landscaped terraces

A place designed for comfort, connection and everyday joy.

Interiors:
Client:
Construction: .au
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02/10/2025

Recently completed, Elara is a private residence in North West Melbourne where the exterior sets the tone. A confident street presence is defined by textured concrete and vertical screening — a façade of rhythm, depth, and privacy that anchors the home in its suburban setting with timeless urban character.⁠
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Inside, this clarity continues. Natural stone, sculptural fireplaces, curved timber panelling, and a floating stair echo the exterior’s precision while softening it with warmth and tactility. Every element is considered, creating a residence that feels grounded in place yet elevated in experience — a crafted sanctuary, from the outside in.⁠
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Project team⁠
Interiors ⁠
Construction ⁠
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See more on this project via LinkIn.bio 👆🏼⁠
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01/10/2025

Project Update - Rising 18 storeys above La Trobe Street, the new Mercure Hotel Flagstaff is taking shape in Melbourne’s CBD.⁠
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Designed by LiFE Architecture and Interiors by SORA Interiors, the hotel will bring 350 rooms to the city within a sleek, high-density footprint.⁠
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The façade is bold and vertical, balancing durability with refined detail — while the podium opens to a vibrant hub featuring an indoor pool, gym, and the Foundry Kitchen & Bar.⁠
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More than just a hotel, it’s a new destination enhancing the street experience along one of Melbourne’s busiest CBD corridors.⁠
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See more on this project at https://lifearchitecture.com.au/project/mercure-hotel-flagstaff/
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12/09/2025

Last night, LiFE Architecture and Sora Interior Architecture & Design were proud to be on display at Radical Belonging—an exhibition hosted by Cera Stribley in partnership with Architecture With Pride.⁠
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The event celebrated diverse perspectives in architecture and design, highlighting how inclusivity and community can be embedded in the built environment.⁠
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We were honoured to showcase LifeView Marigold, our Prahran aged care project designed to foster dignity, connection, and a sense of belonging for LGBTIQ+ seniors. Featuring hotel-style amenity, curated interiors, and spaces that encourage community interaction, Marigold represents a progressive model of seniors living that embraces individuality while cultivating collective wellbeing.⁠
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The evening brought together design leaders, advocates, and community voices to reflect on how architecture can champion visibility and belonging—an ethos at the heart of Creating Architecture for LiFE.⁠
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11/07/2025

We knew this was a special project - and the recognition keeps coming.
We’re proud to share that Fellowship has been shortlisted for another award, this time in the 2025 Think Brick Awards.

A project grounded in care, community and craft, Fellowship embodies this year’s theme of Continuity - where enduring materials like brick connect people, place and purpose through thoughtful, lasting design.

Thanks to

Congratulations to our team and collaborators - and to all those shortlisted in this year’s incredible line-up. 👏👏👏

Congratulations also to all the Project Teams involved




Zynergy Property
Photography -

21/06/2025

21/06/2025

13/06/2025

We’re thrilled to share that Fellowship is a finalist in the 2025 INDE.Awards – Multi-Residential Building category!

This project was conceived as a sophisticated alternative to conventional single dwellings, with a focus on timeless design, material honesty, and deep sensitivity to its Studley Park surroundings.

The INDE.Awards celebrate the best architecture and design from across the Indo-Pacific, and we’re honoured to be recognised among this year’s finalists — an impressive group of studios and projects redefining contemporary residential living.

Congratulations to our incredible team — and in particular Mark Spraggon and Mark Gifford for their leadership, creativity, and care that brought this project to life.

Congratulations also to all the Project Teams involved






Photography -

Project: Fellowship
Category: Multi-Residential Building
Awards: INDE.Awards 2025