The team at Shift were thrilled recently to be asked to assist furnishing a very different type of project in Hobart’s CBD.

Over the years since Shift by Design started, we have been fortunate enough to have worked in family homes, spec built homes, penthouse apartments and new apartment complex developments, but we had never been asked to work on a scale like this before.

The project in question is Common Ground Tasmania’s Goulburn Street development which aims to bring to an end to chronic homelessness in Tasmania through the provision of quality and affordable housing to those that are homeless or in low-income jobs that prevent them from securing ongoing accommodation.

Supported through Tasmanian business leaders and the Tasmanian Government, Common Ground Tasmania is based on a methodology used in London, New York and Vancouver (and more recently in Australia at sites in Adelaide and Melbourne).

At the heart of the methodology is a desire to see the long-term homeless with a roof, bed and working amenities at their disposal in a quality residential complex that allows for socialisation, support networks and training to assist get people back on their feet and back as part of the community.

With a number of key Tasmanian business leaders on the board driving the concept, the Goulburn Street complex is one of two currently in development with the second located in Campbell Street. Each complex provides just under 50 studio units and one bedroom units complete with wheelchair and universal access. Overall, $24.5 million has been spent on the projects to make them a reality and aid getting people off the street.

Through the Board, Shift by Design was approached to provide rental furniture and installation time to create as much space as possible in a Studio Unit. Our brief was to integrate a bedroom, lounge room and dining room in a 5.5m x 4m space! What a great challenge!

This sort of scale requires planning, it’s certainly much easier to furnish bigger open spaces in homes than create distinct “rooms” within a space the size of an average lounge room. But the process was rewarding and it challenged us to rethink how we work and look at how to maximise space while incorporating vital features.

It also made the team realise the importance of having a space to call your own and how many of us take for granted what we have.

The results of the installation were pleasing. We managed to create enough room for a double bed, a dining space for two and a zone to relax and read or watch TV while being able to put your feet up. The design meant that the resident would be able to have a guest over for a meal, have enough seating to sit and watch TV and to be able to show that the unit could house a couple living the in property.

Overall flexibility was the goal and in the words of Common Ground Tasmania General Manager, Liz Thomas the result was “unbelievable”.

“We wanted to show that the units were functional and not restrictive. We wanted to be able to highlight the benefits of the units and their versatility to house one or two people comfortably.”

“What Shift by Design have done is prove what we knew would work, they have bought our hard work, visions and goals to life in such a beautiful way. We can hardly wait to start showing people through now.

Shift by Design Director, Adam Luttrell said “It’s great to be asked to participate and be involved in these community driven projects and it is thoroughly rewarding for Shift by Design to be able to give back to the community in some small way.”

“The donation of our time and furniture is nothing compared to the hard work the board have done in developing such key opportunities for Hobart, but we are very glad to have played a small part in the project. We also have to thank our removalists, Move It, for their donation of their time to get the stock to the property.”

Shift by Design wishes Common Ground Tasmania well for the launch of the projects and for their end goal to reduce the chronic homelessness on Tasmanian streets. Click here to visit the Common Ground Tasmania website to find out more about this important project.

Watch the Common Ground Tasmania video below to find more about the aims of this project: