SHAPE Melbourne has completed a pro-bono refurbishment for Launch Housing’s long-term supportive housing, Elizabeth Street Common Ground, with the support of generous subcontractors, suppliers and consultants. The project is SHAPE’s third for Launch Housing, following the completion of the two refurbishments of the Southbank Crisis Centre in 2023.
SHAPE has been a corporate partner of the Melbourne-based housing and homelessness organisation since 2021.
To make the refurbishment possible, SHAPE Melbourne hosted an inaugural Charity Soccer Day in November 2023, raising money and pledges of time, tools, and materials from subbies and suppliers. With more than 140 attendees present, the team raised a market value equivalent of $250,000.
Launch Housing’s goal was to reconnect their residents with the common spaces within the building, providing a safe and welcoming environment for gathering and connection. SHAPE collaborated with its generous design partners to conduct several workshops to understand, interpret and document Launch Housing’s unique requirements.
Over eight weeks, starting in September 2024, the SHAPE project team partnered with participating subbies and suppliers to demolish and refurbish several areas. This included a breakout space, gaming room, counselling room, library, cinema room, and roof garden. Working in a live and sensitive environment, the team painted walls and ceilings, installed new carpet and vinyl, modified existing joinery and added new joinery bookshelves and a new teapoint. They also installed new feature lighting and air conditioning and undertook plumbing works, as well as replaced external bench seating with sustainable eco-timber on the rooftop garden.
In addition, the rooms were refurnished with donated furniture from suppliers and salvaged furniture from our demolition sites. The cinema and gaming rooms were fitted out with new donated TV screens, AV equipment, speakers, and a gaming console.
Adam Head, General Manager – VIC at SHAPE, expressed pride in supporting Launch Housing, stating, “Partnering with Launch Housing to create lasting change and end homelessness is a privilege. After seeing the impact we were able to make at their Southbank Crisis Centre, we were eager to create these welcoming and refreshed spaces for the residents at Common Ground.
“This achievement was made possible by the generosity of our entire SHAPE community. We thank our subcontractors, suppliers, consultants, the organisers of our Charity Soccer Day, and the dedicated project team who rolled up their sleeves for a great cause.”
Roslyn Stewart, ESCG Service Manager at Launch Housing, said, “We can’t thank SHAPE and all the subcontractors enough. Common Ground provides long-term housing for people who have experienced homelessness, with communal spaces designed to encourage social connection and a sense of community. Over time, these areas had become tired and underused, but the recent transformation has been incredible. The spaces are now bright, cheerful, and inviting. We’re already busy planning movie nights in the new cinema room, and summer BBQs in the refreshed rooftop garden. Thank you so much to everyone involved for helping us bring these spaces to life again.”
The spaces are now bright, cheerful, and inviting
We would also like to extend out thanks our wider subbie network who donated cash towards the project:
We would also like to thank our industry design partners Woods Bagot, Evolved Engineering, and Steve Watson for their work in documenting the project and getting us underway with a building permit.
Thank you to Launch Housing’s landlord, Unison, for facilitating the works and to Launch Housing’s philanthropic supporter who donated generously towards the furniture for the project.
A massive thank you to Elle Holtham and Roslyn Stewart and the whole team at Launch Housing who have been patiently and enthusiastically working with us to make this happen.
Lastly, a huge thank you to the SHAPE team who made this possible, including Andrew Bray, Annie Jaros, Simone Lockley, Tom Price, Aiden Barnes, Katherine Kelly, Karmella Soudah, our Charity Soccer Day committee and our wider group of project managers who strengthened existing relationships with subbies and suppliers to garner donations for the project.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land, sea, and skies. We’re grateful to those who have cared for, nurtured, and protected Country for future generations, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.
