Assemble Macaulay Rd
Swift Walk Arcade
Type: Multi-residential, Community building
Location: Kensington
Client: Assemble Projects
Status:
Open
Swift Walk Arcade is a small civic building within Assemble’s Swift Walk development in Kensington, occupying a narrow residual site between two larger residential buildings. It explores how a constrained footprint can be reworked to support shared use and collective life within a dense urban precinct.
The building accommodates a diverse program, including a coworking space for residents, parcel collection serving the entire development, operational facilities for on-site staff, and a sheltered arcade passage connecting the street to interior courtyards. Originally conceived as an external laneway, the overshadowed site was reimagined as an enclosed interior environment in collaboration with the client, delivering greater value to the 362-apartment community through year-round utility and social potential.
The architecture is characterised by a simple repetitive glulam portal frame spanning between adjacent buildings. Working closely with ASH, the structure was rationalised into prefabricated modules manufactured off-site and craned into position. The regular 2-metre spacing establishes rhythm through the arcade and enables long-term flexibility as tenancies evolve. Skylights and large east-west openings draw daylight deep into the plan, creating a welcoming atmosphere within the compressed footprint.
Beyond conventional metrics, sustainability is targeted through material reduction and honesty. Concrete slab and blockwork walls are left exposed, prioritising thermal mass and durability over applied finishes. Custom-designed furniture provides robust adaptability within tight budget constraints. The project accepts what it is: a modest intervention that elevates overlooked space into meaningful communal infrastructure, forming a civic centre for the wider development.
Collaborators:
Executive Architect: Hayball
Collaboration Architect: Kerstin Thompson Architects
Engineering: WRAP
ESD: Hip V Hype
Builders: Hacer Group, Bluline
Curator: WILDFLOWER
Photos: Ben Moynihan
Video Credit: Gosia Sum
Published: AFASIA, AIA