News

Home Truth.⁠ A dialogue about housing, consumption and climate.⁠

The 2024 NGV Architecture Commission offers a compelling vision for alternative homebuilding in Australia. Home Truth is an installation that prompts reflection on how small-scale architecture can foster more sustainable, higher-quality and community-oriented living environments.

“Taking the form of a labyrinthine house-within-a-house, Home Truth by Breathe, the winning design of the NGV Architecture Commission for 2024, invites audiences to envision an alternative way of building homes in Australia. Highlighting how small-scale architecture can create homes that are more sustainable, higher-quality and community-orientated, Home Truth presents a powerful yet elegant commentary on our nation’s ranking as the country with the largest average house size on earth.”⁠as well as two commercial spaces, all designed with people and planet at heart.” 

Home Truth will be on display from 13 November 2024 to April 2025 at NGV International, in Melbourne.⁠

Architects without Frontiers believe that architecture can be an ethical tool for social change. Their mission is to improve the built environment of communities in need through facilitating the design and construction of health, education, and community projects, mainly in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. By working collaboratively with local partners, they provide interdisciplinary design solutions that address the long-term needs of these communities.

The AWF Network Partners are a community of socially conscious Australian organisations, who want to give back in a structured and considered way that aligns with their organisational interests and values.

Breathe are honoured to be a part of the AWF Partner Network and support them in continuing to deliver humanitarian projects in a sustainable way. 

You can read more about the initiative here. 

“Research shows that 80% of all climate-related challenges today are rooted in the design phase of products. Our mission is to reverse this trend and harness our collective power to effect real environmental change,” said Ben Rennie, chairperson of Design Declares Australia. 

Design Declares encourages participation from individuals and studios across various design disciplines, including industrial, digital, graphic, communication, and service design. Signatories can access the Design Declares toolkit, a curated collection of resources designed to equip designers with the knowledge and tools to implement sustainable and regenerative practices. Read more here. 

As designers working within an industry that relies on production and powers global consumption, we must acknowledge that we have had a role in bringing us to where we are now, and that we have an important role in what comes next.

Declare Emergency Now here and commit to doing something about it!

Congratulations to all the new residents at Nightingale Wurru wurru biik who recently picked up the keys to their new homes.

Nightingale Wurru-wurru, Laak, Yambook, and Ngawan are four new communities joining Albion Street, Brunswick, collectively known as Nightingale Wurru wurru biik. This site is conveniently located near Anstey train station, Sydney Road tram services, Albion Street bus services, and offers direct access to the Upfield bike path.

Designed by Breathe and built by Markscon, Nightingale Wurru wurru biik features 99 sustainable homes and 24 modern commercial spaces in the heart of Brunswick. The building’s materials and design acknowledge Brunswick’s diverse heritage and industrial past, incorporating arches, frames, brick, and concrete in various combinations to harmonise with the surrounding context.

We’d like to welcome all the residents to their new home at Nightingale Preston.

Nightingale Preston is about a moment in time. An inflection point. A fork in the road.⁠⁠

The site is on Wurundjeri Country, in Melbourne’s north, tied to three histories. A pre-colonial history of wooded grasslands, of a rich biodiverse open landscape, a post-colonial history of industry and rail infrastructure and more recently, a residential history, an island site of monocultural social housing, a failed attempt at public good. Nightingale Preston, however, looks to the future. A future that pays homage to its past, that looks to regenerate the landscape and the planet while building equity and community.⁠

Located on the southeast corner of the site. A busy road to the south, an elevated train line to the east. The building holds a tough corner, acts as an urban marker and shield to the pedestrianised laneways and streets within the broader  precinct. ⁠

The project includes 7 Teilhaus homes, 20 one bedders and 25 two bedders as well as two commercial spaces, all designed with people and planet at heart.

At Breathe, we share everything we know about carbon and importantly how a couple of easy hacks can solve the operational carbon problem effortlessly.

We are all working towards a common goal: to decarbonise our industry! We’re stronger together, and together we can create positive change.

Our buildings and how we power them have the biggest impact on carbon and climate change. There are two things we can all do to make a massive difference.

One, electrify everything, no more gas, not ever.

Two, buy 100% GreenPower.

All of us can do this, whether you are a homeowner, a renter or running a business. Little effort, big impact.

Below, watch Jeremy McLeod share everything we know about carbon and our playbook on how we try to solve for it

Read all about the solution here and access our Supplier Directory here.

At Breathe we want to understand what it means to make respectful buildings on Country.

When we actively engage with individuals regarding decisions that impact their lives, we achieve superior outcomes.

For the last 250 years, there has been a notable lack of meaningful engagement with the people who have called this land home for 65,000 years. It’s high time we rectify this situation. We must prioritise listening to the advice provided by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities on issues that directly affect their well-being.

Breathe support enshrining the Voice in the constitution. We believe this move will provide the necessary security for the Voice to offer meaningful and honest advice. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community have been carefully developing this proposal over decades and it’s been endorsed by their Indigenous Leaders. Over 80% of their community are in favour and that’s why we’ll be voting YES.

We are 250 years too late, the time is now.

Breathe have joined a cohort of industry leaders who are taking accelerated action to decarbonise the built environment and lead the way in advancing net zero through the World Green Building Councils Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment.

Read more about what we have committed to and why it’s so important for the future.

You can find Breathe’s commitment profile here.

While electrification of our building stock continues to take necessary precedence, it’s time we expand our focus toward higher performing and low resource dependent buildings, embodied carbon reduction, circularity and adaptation.

With this in mind, Breathe has launched its Sustainability Action Plan. For all new projects, our pledge is to deliver net zero ready buildings. No new gas — no question. To meet industry leading energy performance targets. To track and to taper upfront carbon toward a climate positive 2040.

We are happy to announce that we have become a certified B Corp and will join a global community of purpose-led businesses who meet high standards of sustainability and social responsibility. This affirms Breathe’s position as a force for good in the creation of spaces where people and the planet can thrive.

Key contributing elements to certification include Breathe’s unique approach to design that prioritises ethics along with aesthetics, and designing without ego, to create the best outcomes for clients and communities.

At Breathe, we’re all about progress over perfection. B Corp Certification does not mean that a company is perfect, nor that it has achieved its highest impact. What B Corp Certification does show is that we are part of a global community of businesses working collectively for economic systems of change, who are committed to this work by continuing to meet the rising standards for social and environmental performance.

View Breathe's B Corp profile here.

Four Pillars Gin Distillery 2.0 has been shortlisted for Best Bar category at this year’s Eat Drink Design Awards.

We’re proud to have helped Four Pillars become Australia’s first carbon-neutral gin business while creating an iconic hospitality destination to complement their incredible spirit.

Nightingale Ballarat has taken home the INDE.Award for best Multi-Res Building at the 2022 awards.⁠ Fossil fuel free, the entire building achieves an 8+ Star NatHERS rating, and every home is cross-ventilated with access to open-air walkways and operable windows. View the project here.

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Breathe has been awarded three accolades at this year’s Better Future Awards Melbourne. Nightingale Ballarat took home Gold in the environmental sustainability category and Silver in the multi-residential category. ANZ Breathe continued its winning streak, taking home Gold in the commercial architecture category.

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Electrifying our future is the key to tackling the climate crisis. Today, we're encouraging everyone to stop burning fossil fuels and get off the gas by creating healthier homes powered by GreenPower and the sun. ⁠⁠Simple steps you can take today:⁠⁠

Call your electricity provider and switch to 100% GreenPower.⁠

If you can, switch your cooktop and heaters to an all electric option. Our pals at Goodbye Gas make it easy to transition to an all-electric home. ⁠

Listen to this inspiring podcast with Saul Griffith about decarbonising our future.

Read about Australian architects coming together to electrify our future on The Design Files.

⁠⁠Because people and the planet matter.⁠⁠⁠

We could not be more delighted to announce the promotion of Bettina Robinson to Director of Interiors at Breathe. Bettina has been part of the fam since 2013, killing it designing incredible interior spaces that are beautiful and liveable. Affectionately known as “Baby B”, Bettina is a force, working tirelessly to achieve meaningful work and encouraging her team of interior architects to deliver exceptional outcomes for all. Bettina also established Breathe’s Family Policy that we’re all super proud of. A natural leader, Bettina wanted Breathe parents to feel supported, encouraged and empowered to return to work on their own terms after the birth or adoption of a child, in whatever way is right for them and their family.

Breathe is thrilled to announce the promotion of Shannon Furness to Associate and Head Of Technology, BIM & Innovation. After completing his studies in Wellington, Shannon joined the Breathe team in our Melbourne office. He broke all our hearts when he decided to move back to his home in NZ but we lured the legend back and Shan’s been knocking it out of the park, working from Wellington, since 2019. His easy nature, excellence in documentation, technology and the way he’s always ten steps ahead make him a natural leader at Breathe. Well deserved Shan! ⁠⁠

Say hello to Breathe’s newest Associate, Simon McDowell! A passionate advocate for the architecture profession, Simon is details-driven and future-focused. With a sense of humour to boot, “Simmo” will stop at nothing to ensure a positive built outcome for people and planet. We're so proud to have him on the team.

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‘ANZ Breathe’ has won The Allan and Beth Coldicutt Award for Sustainable Architecture at the 2022 Victorian Architecture Awards. Huge congratulations to our clients, ANZ, for their commitment to a net-zero economy and for putting their values into action! Thanks also to builders, Lendlease, and collaborating firms, Scatena Clocherty Architects, Greater Group, and i2C for making the rollout happen, nationwide.

We're proud to have delivered a nationwide branch solution that sets a new benchmark for commercial fit-out design that isn’t just about being carbon neutral in operations. ANZ Breathe offers a new approach to branch design that reduces its overall carbon footprint: its kit-based design contributes to a circular economy, with many parts of it being able to be reused and repurposed rather than tossed in landfill when a branch changes over time. View the project here.

We’re proud to be a founding signatory for This is Not Normal. Over the past three years, unprecedented climate disasters have ravaged our country. Climate change is the biggest challenge we face as a community.

The good news is that Australia has an opportunity to be a world leader in the transition to a low carbon future. But our government needs to listen to the science to take meaningful and urgent action now. There is a lot of noise out there right now, but on May 21, we all have an opportunity to make our voices heard on the biggest issue of our time. And we can do that by ensuring our vote aligns with our values. Because we believe when it comes to action on climate, we need a new normal. For more information, visit www.thisisnotnormal.wtf

Congratulations to Fireside House for just having been shortlisted for the 2022 Houses Awards! Fireside House is an elegant renovation in Northcote, VIC, for a busy family of four and their dog, Peppa. Fireside House is just the latest of a range of Breathe projects recently added to award shortlists.

It’s been an absolute joy working with the Four Pillars Gin crew on their new gin haven: a world-class venue that triples capacity and gin-making space while acknowledging the brand’s origin, their history and their deep connection to the place where it all began — beautiful Healesville. ⁠

A sight to behold, the project is carbon neutral in operations, with zero gas being used, including the fully electric commercial kitchen. Just one of many sustainability moves that saw Four Pillars named Australia’s first certified carbon-neutral gin distillery.

Explore more photos of the project here, then go ahead and book a table.

We are proud to announce Nightingale Ballarat has been shortlisted in three categories at this year’s AIA Vic Awards: Multi-Residential, Regional and Sustainability.

ANZ Breathe has been shortlisted in both the Commercial and Sustainability categories.

Stay tuned for the awards being announced on June 17.

Director of Houses, Madeline Sewall, joins host Bec Durous in the latest episode of Open Homes Australia on 9Life to tour Inside Out House — a beautiful, sustainable family home in Melbourne. Catch the episode here.

Huge congratulations to Four Pillars Gin, the first gin distillery in Australia to achieve carbon-neutral status via Climate Active, one of the most stringent carbon-neutral programs worldwide.

From day one, sustainability has been at the heart of Four Pillars Gin’s production and business and it’s been an absolute pleasure working with their team on the creation of Distillery 2.0. The new distillery incorporates new sustainable outcomes, such as saving 29 tonnes of glass per year on-site by piping gin directly from the distillery to the beautiful new bar. And that's just the beginning.

We can't wait to share more detail about this project when the new distillery opens — soon!

Visit the project page.

‘Shape a world where people and communities thrive’ is the driving notion behind ANZ’s nationwide 100% carbon-neutral-in-operation new branch design and rollout known as ANZ Breathe.⁠
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ANZ set out to create a future that’s not just about returning money to stakeholders, but is also based sincerely around three important values: environmental sustainability, secure housing and financial wellbeing for all.⁠
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Breathe delivered on these values by creating an elegant and sustainable branch design solution, demonstrating ANZ’s commitment to doing business responsibly in the 21st century. Importantly, ANZ Breathe has set a bold new benchmark for corporate Australia, one that considers the environmental impacts on community and planet first. ⁠
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Visit the project page.

Sparkkle dives into the creative minds behind architecture, design and social action. This week, Sparkkle chats with Breathe’s wonderful directors, Fairley Batch, Bonnie Herring and Madeline Sewall. These inspiring women discuss their relationship to risk, making change, their favourite projects and their goals for the future. Read the full interviews here.

“It was an honour to be involved in the Interior Design Excellence Awards as the inaugural sustainability judge. Recognising the twin crisis of climate change and biodiversity loss — the sustainability award is future focused and a great opportunity to spotlight impactful ideas that might inspire or shift direction to elevate the built environment. The field of 22 shortlisted projects across most categories were assessed against brief, performance, materials, innovation and performance with special attention given to projects that are fossil fuel free, consider material lifecycle, human, cultural and environmental health. At very different scales, each of the awarded projects demonstrated industry leadership for their aspirational carbon reduction initiatives and powerful connections to the natural environment. They are optimistic, elegant, innovative, inspiring and future focused. Congratulations to all the winners.” — Bonnie Herring, Director of Architecture at Breathe and IDEA’s 2021 Sustainability Judge.⁠

Congratulations Ona Coffee Melbourne, winner of the Editor’s Medal at the 2021 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA)! ⁠

“The decision for this year’s Editor’s Medal was not made on aesthetics alone. For me, 2021 was a year of retrospection. Like a lot of Melburnians, there was plenty of time for reflection on where Australian design stands and where it should be headed if we are to truly be responsible and ethical practitioners. Beauty for beauty’s sake and ostentation at the abandon of everything else are not the only things that should drive us. Which brings me to Breathe.⁠

One of Australia’s first hospitality projects to be completely carbon neutral in operations, Ona is exceptional. The Canberra-based roaster makes its Melbourne debut in an understated Brunswick warehouse conversion that is as inviting, humble and personal as it is beautiful, touching lightly on its site with raw and recycled materials and a multilevel amphitheatre that, in time, will run wild with greenery.”

Thank you, Australian Design Review.

We spent a great day on site at the soon-to-be-completed Four Pillars Distillery 2.0 in Healesville. It was such a wonderful taste of what’s to come. We enjoyed the gin masterclass with Cameron Mackenzie and Stu Gregor, gin snacks by Matt Wilkinson, and a tour of the sparkling new spaces with Breathe Project Lead, Camilla Carmichael. We can’t wait for the official opening! ⁠Visit the project page for more snapshots.

Introducing Fireside House, an elegant renovation in Northcote, personalised for a family of four that enjoys nothing more than to share their love of food, cooking, and entertaining with pride of place being the figurative fireside, created by the open kitchen and dining pergola, centred around the recycled red-brick pizza oven.⁠
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Gas-free and powered by a mix of solar and 100% GreenPower, the front of the house was preserved and celebrated while the extension is an extrusion of the double gable form of the existing roof, bringing light and volume to the new open kitchen, living, and dining spaces.