Introduction: Redefining Urban Densification Through Design

In an era defined by rapid urbanization, limited land supply, and rising environmental consciousness,
Newburgh Light House in Melbourne’s Auburn Village emerges as a paradigm of sustainable, high-density residential architecture.
Conceived by Splinter Society, this ten-storey urban infill tower responds astutely to the growing need for compact yet livable housing in inner-city areas — not through compromise, but through inventiveness.
On a sliver of land tucked behind a train station with no street frontage, this project threads together architectural elegance, modular construction, and environmental resilience.

Historical Context and Urban Infill: Unlocking Opportunity on “Unbuildable” Sites

Urban infill development has become a crucial strategy for responsible city growth across developed regions like North America, Australia, and Europe. Small, overlooked lots once considered unconstructible are now viewed as valuable opportunities for low-impact densification and revitalization.

Newburgh Light House demonstrates this shift with surgical precision. Set on a 150 m² block bordering VicTrack land and adjacent to the Auburn railway station in Melbourne, the site’s limitations—zero street frontage, irregular boundaries, proximity to active rail lines—posed formidable challenges for traditional construction techniques.
This seemingly “unbuildable” plot required a bold reimagining, one rooted in inventive planning, modular assembly, and clarity of design intent.

Design Principles: Verticality, Light, and Living Comfort

One of the most striking aspects of Newburgh Light House is its rejection of conventional form and layout. Its verticality is not just a spatial solution—but a core design philosophy.

Vertical Stacking

Accommodating 21 residents across ten full-floor apartments, each dwelling spans the entire footprint of its respective level. A space-efficient vertical core houses a single elevator, which opens directly into each residence—a method that eliminates the common corridor and maximizes privacy and space utilization.
This configuration recalls residential towers such as the Pencil Tower Apartment in Sydney, offering a similar solution to land-starved urban cores.

Modularity and Prefabrication

Modular construction played a decisive role in overcoming the logistical challenges of the site. Prefabricated panels and components were strategically used to minimize construction time and site disturbance, especially critical for a location with limited delivery access and close proximity to functioning railway infrastructure.
This mirrors techniques found in European cities like Amsterdam and Vienna, where prefabrication is key to building within dense urban fabrics.

Light, Privacy, and Acoustic Comfort

Addressing the dual priorities of comfort and sustainability, the building’s north and south façades are clad in translucent glass block panels. This material allows natural light to penetrate deep into apartments while providing visual seclusion, acoustic insulation, and inherent fire resistance.
In comparison, the east and west elevations use finely detailed metal cladding, enhancing tactile interest and weather durability.

Public Realm Activation

Ground-level interaction is often an afterthought in vertical infill projects. Not so here. The base is anchored by an in-situ concrete shell, durable enough to withstand train-related incidents, and home to a small café that fosters pedestrian engagement.
Bluestone pavers continue the visual language of Melbourne’s laneways, emphasizing permeability and public integration—a principle increasingly common in European neighborhood-scale developments.

Technical Specifications and Construction Detailing

Project Summary

• Location: Auburn Village, Melbourne, Australia
• Site Area: 150 m²
• Height: 10 storeys
• Apartment Count: 10 single-level apartments (up to 21 residents)

Core Planning and Circulation

The central vertical core is highly streamlined, containing only a lift that delivers residents straight into their apartment via private lobby. Core efficiency limits wasted circulation, with each apartment benefiting from full-floor occupation and access to light from dual aspects.

Structural and Material Systems

• Ground Floor: In-situ concrete base for robustness near the train line
• Structure: Modular, prefabricated construction panels
• Façades: Glass block walls on north and south; metal cladding on flanks
• Floor-to-Floor Zoning: Acoustic insulation and minimized inter-floor impact

Interior Finishes

The interiors are carefully crafted in a palette that is both tactile and resilient. Ceramic tiles, natural stone, and vertical timber panelling adhere to a clear architectural grid, maintaining continuity and enhancing material legibility.

Exterior Elements

Glass block façades serve dual purposes of light admittance and thermal moderation. The metal side cladding adds resilience and detailing, while the bluestone paving at grade introduces a pixelated pattern that reinforces pedestrian rhythms.

Sustainability Features: Design for Climate, Comfort, and Efficiency

Daylighting and Energy Conservation

Thanks to the strategic use of translucent materials, natural daylighting penetrates all ten apartments, reducing dependence on electric lighting during daylight hours. This passive lighting strategy mirrors solutions used in celebrated projects like Moriyama House in Tokyo.

Thermal Performance and Privacy

The glass block façades also function as thermal barriers, reducing heat gain in summer while retaining warmth during Melbourne’s colder months. This dual-function envelope design allows for both thermal comfort and privacy without resorting to blinds or shading systems that interrupt façadal coherence.

Waste Reduction via Modular Construction

Modular prefabrication inherently reduces on-site waste through precision assembly and reduced material excess. The system also shrinks overall construction timelines, a particularly valuable benefit on constrained infill plots in populated urban centers.

Public Interface and Ground-Level Activation

A small café and public seating at the building’s base introduce permeability and social interaction—progressively blending private development with civic realm influence. This aligns Newburgh Light House with housing trends across Scandinavia and Germany, where hybrid use and pedestrian-first ground planes are standard in infill residential design.

Comparative Case Studies: Contextualizing Innovation

Recognition and Reception

Newburgh Light House has garnered considerable acclaim within Australia’s architectural community and beyond. It was shortlisted for several prestigious awards, including:

• The National House Awards – ‘Apartment or Unit’ category
• Australian Interior Design Awards
• Australian Institute of Architectures Awards – Residential Multiple Housing

These accolades reflect the project’s unique ability to marry aesthetic grace with technical precision, exemplifying multidimensional excellence in urban housing.

Architectural Takeaways and Guidance

For architects, builders, and homeowners navigating the complexities of infill housing and compact site utilization, Newburgh Light House offers valuable insights:

• Vertical Living Requires Strategic Circulation: Eliminate communal hallways where feasible through direct vertical access.
• Use Light as a Design Tool: Translucent materials can satisfy multiple performance goals simultaneously—natural light, fire protection, and acoustic control.
• Modularity Boosts Urban Viability: Prefabricated construction enables efficient, low-impact urban building in tight or inaccessible lots.
• Public Realm Integration Is Essential: Even the smallest residential footprint can engage the city meaningfully through thoughtful ground-level programming.