Founder of HIP V. HYPE, Liam Wallis, is a creative entrepreneur who believes in the power of design thinking to resolve intuitive solutions to project delivery and value creation. He is passionate about cities and is driven by a desire to achieve better outcomes. Since establishing HIP V.HYPE in 2002, Liam has refined a design led approach to business that seeks to shape and enhance the social, environmental and economic fabric of our cities through informed, responsive and collaborative design and development solutions.
Project Name: North Street
Studio Name: HIP V. HYPE
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Photography: Tess Kelly
Completion date: 2013
Building levels: 2
Liam designed and built 1 North Street as an opportunity to test a number of design concepts and construction details first hand. The result is a contemporary yet respectful townhouse style project completed in 2013. The project comprises a 3 bedroom, 1 car townhouse with a roof deck to the corner of Albion Street and North Street with a smaller 2 bedroom, 1 car townhouse fronting North Street.
The concept at the heart of the project was to utilise a restrained design lead approach to increasing density on a typical 300sqM Brunswick block. The challenge was to strike a balance between efficient use of the site, user-centered design, integration with the street and affordability.
Selling the rear smaller townhouse during construction enabled the project to be financed and resulted in a more affordable home for Liam and his partner Katya Crema. The following is an excerpt from an interview with HIP V. HYPE Founder Liam Wallis.
