Jeff Provan, founder and design director of Neometro, the Melbourne/Naarm-based developer, has an uncommon – and amusingly Australian – approach of describing his trade: ‘All sausages sizzle, however they do not all style the identical on the finish.’ In different phrases, all builders construct buildings, however there’s a large distinction in how gratifying their houses are to dwell in. The metaphor is typical of the accessible approach that Neometro’s administrators, Provan (whose dwelling, Mori Home, was featured in Wallpaper* in 2024), James Tutton and Lochlan Sinclair, talk about their work and trade. It additionally hints at why their 40-year-old firm sees itself in a different way from different builders.
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of Neometro)
An interview with Neometro
‘I believe builders get a nasty fame – usually for very legitimate causes,’ says Tutton, who joined Neometro as a co-director in 2012. Lochlan Sinclair, Neometro’s third director, is equally cautious: ‘There have been some missteps by our trade which have resulted in buildings that the town will take years to heal from, they’re like scars.’
This shared scepticism probably stems from the crew’s unconventional backgrounds. None got here from property improvement, finance, or actual property. As an alternative, they arrived by way of politics, philosophy, psychological well being work, and structure. Tutton believes these backgrounds assist them ‘take a look at issues by means of a unique lens, in all probability a extra design-orientated lens, a extra cultural lens, a extra neighborhood oriented lens.’
57 Martin Road Thornbury
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of Neometro)
Studying from residents – a brand new e-book
Regardless of their scepticism of the event trade at giant, they’re agency advocates for the constructive affect it might probably have when completed properly. At a time when housing crises are resulting in denser cities internationally and the price of dwelling is more and more which means individuals are dwelling in smaller areas, it’s encouraging to see builders who’re rigorously asking questions on what it means to dwell properly in smaller areas.
Neometro’s new e-book Metropolis Residing: Neometro Residents and Works (Uro, 2025) is a compelling learn on this topic, and means that dwelling densely doesn’t imply compromising or dwelling to a decrease commonplace. In reality, it suggests the other – that you would be able to dwell properly in an easy-to-maintain, well-designed, smaller dwelling, surrounded by neighborhood.
Metropolis Residing: Neometro Residents and Works (Uro, 2025)
In contrast to most structure books that present empty or sterile interiors, this one paperwork residents in houses stuffed with character. The pictures present bookshelves with in all probability a number of too many books on them, caps hung from specifically mounted railings above a settee, pillows piled in cosy corners, and a white cat in search of consideration in a inexperienced backyard. It celebrates the tales and personalities of a lot of Neometro’s residents, a few of whom have been dwelling of their houses for many years.
Take Michael, an architect who has lived at Neometro’s Inkerman Road in St Kilda for twenty-four years. Or Amanda, an anthropologist, has lived within the transformed Dow Road warehouse since 2015: ‘We spend a number of time in our dwelling, and for me it is all the time been an actual haven,’ she says within the e-book.
‘The e-book is an unbelievable testomony to what we have completed in addition to the truth that we grasp round lengthy after the constructing’s completed, getting lived expertise from individuals who have been in our items for 15 years.’ From these lengthy relationships, Neometro learns how their areas tackle wants over time, or the place that could possibly be improved.
(Picture credit score: Neometro)
The crew handled the making of the e-book as a chance to glean extra insights. ‘It was an unbelievable piece of studying for us.’ One other space of studying that has been invaluable to the corporate is that each Sinclair and Tutton dwell or have lived in Neometro buildings – one in a townhouse with a younger household, the opposite in an house in a transformed warehouse. ‘Finally, Neometro exists to create residences and townhouses which we’d be pleased dwelling in,’ says Tutton.
57 Martin Road Thornbury
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of Neometro)
Designing for top density
146 Union Road Brunswick, a undertaking due for completion in 2027
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of Neometro)
Unusually for a developer, Neometro may be very open with its learnings and design approaches – partly to construct belief with potential patrons buying from a plan and partly within the hope that different builders will start to implement them. In consequence, prior to now 5 years or so, the crew have observed ‘a brand new breed of extra design-oriented builders in Melbourne’, says Tutton. Moderately than seeing this as competitors, they welcome the shift: ‘Now we have had, and proceed to have a very constructive affect on the evolution of improvement and design on this metropolis, and that is a very good factor,’ Tutton says.
Of the various classes Neometro’s crew have gleaned from their work since 1985, they share three they’ve discovered to persistently enhance liveability and differentiate what they contribute to the event trade.
57 Martin Road Thornbury
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of Neometro)
Three classes from Neometro’s expertise
Take design dangers. Whereas most builders replicate what has traditionally offered properly earlier than, Neometro is able the place it might probably experiment. Tutton cites the double-height void volumes which can be in a number of Neometro’s newer tasks. ‘Builders aren’t doing that for the time being, however we’ve had a tremendous response.’ They had been additionally making mixed-use buildings which included workplace, retail, hospitality and business areas alongside houses within the 2000s, when it was a lot much less fashionable to take action than immediately, and which helped remodel total neighbourhoods.
49 Walsh Road South Yarra for Neometro, by MORQ, due for completion in 2026
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of Neometro)
Go for architectural collaborations with consideration to element. A part of the rationale that Neometro’s buildings are so properly realised is their observe report of collaborating with famend architects, lately together with Morq, Version Workplace, and Kerstin Thompson Architects. Sinclair describes the method of working with architects as ‘a bit like a recreation of tennis’ – Neometro identifies and acquires websites, making the primary serve, then a design evolves by means of a back-and-forth.
Tutton explains that Neometro brings their lived expertise about seemingly small issues – resembling the place a garbage chute is positioned, or how a motorcycle or pram will be navigated by means of a courtyard and entrance – to the desk. ‘Our job, to a sure extent, is to relay our learnings and mental property to the architects,’ whereas they take a look at an even bigger image. Of the contributions of every crew, he says, ‘I believe if buildings had been a product of selections made solely by builders, it will be an terrible world. And, if buildings had been the product of solely the pondering of architects, it will not be as terrible, however it will be a… difficult world.’
49 Walsh Road South Yarra
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of Neometro)
Construct numerous communities. Lastly, they perceive that the design of a constructing straight impacts how communities kind. ‘Communities are richer when there’s a broader spectrum of demographics slightly than being simply quasi-retirement villages or transitional housing for younger adults,’ says Tutton. As such, Neometro deliberately builds in various sizes of residences and townhouses, attracting completely different folks with completely different existence.
For example, its 97 Alma Street undertaking, which is presently promoting earlier than building commences, contains 40 residences and 20 townhouses. Designed in collaboration with Kerstin Thompson Architects and Myles Baldwin Design, it options one-, two- and three-bedroom items, three-bedroom townhouses, areas with double-height ceilings, and ground-floor residences with gardens.
‘In all probability one of many actually fulfilling elements of what we do is that we’re constructing buildings, however we’re additionally constructing communities,’ Sinclair concludes.
Supply: Wallpaper
