Melbourne-based Kerstin Thompson Architects (KTA) has unveiled designs for a $250 million mixed-use development in Forestville, in Adelaide’s inner south-west, envisioned by the firm as “a catalyst for urban regeneration” of a former industrial site. For the building systems and interiors sector, the 3.6-hectare scheme demonstrates how residential, short-stay, retail, and education programs can be unified through materiality and shared amenity. A media communique from KTA notes that the project, named “Forestville” after its suburb, has been developed in collaboration with Commercial Retail Group and Renewal SA, and designed by a multidisciplinary team including Nelson and Koo, RN Architecture, Studio Gram, Designinc, Matter Engineering, Lucid Consulting, Future Urban and Ellara. Wellness Framework
According to KTA, the design draws on the principles of global “blue zones” – geographic regions identified by researchers as places of human longevity and wellbeing – embedding opportunities for social connection and walkability. For interior planners and landscape consultants, blue zone principles translate to active edges, shaded circulation, accessible stairs, and communal kitchens that encourage daily interaction. KTA notes that the project has been “anchored in principles of wellbeing, connection and sustainability … creat a place where daily life is supported through thoughtful design and diverse community amenities.” The focus on walkability and social nodes influences unit planning, lobby design, and FF&E selection for durability and cleanability in high-use zones.
Architectural Massing
The architectural massing consists of three distinct forms: a mid-rise short-stay accommodation building fronting Anzac Highway; two apartment buildings in the centre, and a collection of terraces along the eastern boundary. Consistent materiality and datum lines are intended to unify the scheme. For façade and building envelope teams, the distinct forms allow differentiated responses to solar orientation, noise from Anzac Highway, and cross-ventilation for apartments. Datum lines help coordinate window heads, balcony soffits, and shading devices across typologies, simplifying MEP routing and waterproofing details. The corner hospitality venue anchors the precinct edge, creating an active streetscape interface.
Housing Mix
Located at 501 Maple Avenue and bordered to the west by Anzac Highway, the 3.6-hectare proposal replaces an existing furniture store, which was demolished prior to the South Australian government’s acquisition of the site in 2020. The project comprises a mix of 71 medium-density townhouses, which began construction in 2024, 245 apartments across two buildings and a six-storey short-stay accommodation building. For interior designers, the mix demands varied fit-out palettes: robust finishes for short-stay units, flexible storage in apartments, and family-oriented layouts in townhouses. Shared services cores and plant rooms must support domestic hot water, HVAC, and fire systems across residential and hospitality uses without compromising acoustic separation.
Sustainability Infrastructure
The various housing components will be situated alongside retail, education and community infrastructure for the area’s existing and future residents, including a sustainability-focused “urban green school” and a 3,600-square-metre productive rooftop farm to be operated by Youth Inc., as well as food and beverage, hospitality and entertainment offerings. The scheme includes a sustainability-focused “urban green school” and a 3,600-square-metre productive rooftop farm. For MEP and landscape consultants, rooftop farming introduces structural loading, waterproofing, irrigation, and drainage requirements at scale. The urban green school provides an educational interface for circular systems, composting, and water reuse that can be integrated into precinct-wide services and resident engagement programs.
Public Realm Strategy
At its centre, Forestville includes a market hall space, dubbed the “agora” in reference to traditional civic gathering spaces, alongside two external public realms conceived as “plateia,” a Greek term for communal meeting places. “Together, these elements establish a strong social core, encouraging interaction, connection and a shared sense of place,” the communique notes. For interiors and lighting designers, the agora and plateia require durable flooring, acoustic control, and adaptable furniture systems for markets, events, and daily use. Wayfinding, weather protection, and service access for F&B tenancies will shape ceiling heights, bulkheads, and back-of-house planning. The public realm links housing, school, and farm, creating programmatic overlap that supports all-day activation.
Delivery Timeline
Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2026. For consultants and suppliers, the timeline allows coordination of façade systems, modular bathroom pods, and prefabricated joinery suited to mixed-use delivery. With KTA’s first built work in South Australia, the project sets a precedent for integrating wellness metrics, productive landscapes, and medium-density housing on post-industrial land. The combination of townhouses, apartments, and short-stay accommodation creates a testing ground for shared infrastructure, from waste management to energy monitoring, that informs future urban regeneration briefs.
Image Courtesy: Architecture AU
