The H.I.V.E. (Hybridized Interlocking Vertical Environments) x Five is a group of live-work dwellings nestled within an existing shop shell in Melbourne. Design studio Megowan Architectural punctured the existing roof of the existing retail spaces to create units, and opened the house to the outside with a rooftop deck that overlooks the city skyline.
On the street front, a live/work unit sits behind the shop facade, extending up four stories. Four additional dwellings are tucked into the space, each with its own car stacker in the rear. By introducing skylights, the team allowed natural light to penetrate deep into each unit. An airy courtyard helps illuminate and ventilate the double-height kitchen, living and dining areas. Megowan Architectural designed the space to take full advantage of the existing structure, showing that adaptive reuse and urban consolidation can work to deal with the challenges of urbanization.
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The design approach focused on providing flexibility, with a mobile kitchen island that allows the living room to have multiple configurations and a multi-purpose mezzanine loft above the kitchen in the middle units. The north-facing windows overlook Melbourne’s city center and provide plenty of light.
