Shophouses

Andréanne DoyonPhD Candidate

Faculty of Architecture, Building and PlanningThe University of Melbourne

Shophouses

Shophouses are mostly two to three (but can be as high as five) storeys high, and are comprised of residential and work/retail space (and in some cases community/civic space) in one structure, usually with the workspace at the ground level and the dwellings above (Davis, 2012; Davison and Invernizzi, 2010; Roecker and McKinnon, 2006).

Melbourne Singapore Paris

San Francisco

Montréal Amsterdam

Caloundra, QLD

France

Miyajima, Japan

Shophouses

• Are mixed-use buildings that support economic life and development, and provide close proximity to home and work (Lennard, 2006; Ho, 2009; Davis, 2012).

• They support diversity and connectivity within and between neighbourhoods (Jacobs, 1961; Alexander, 1977; Gehl, 2010).

• Are compact, fine grained and human scaled (Gehl, 2010; Radovic, 2012). • Are community minded, inclusive, and have the ability to support women

and children (Jacobs, 1961). • Are adaptable, dynamic, and resilient, they support different uses over

time, as well as neighbourhood reinvention or revival (Boonthram, 2007; Schneider and Till, 2007).

• Have the ability to take on other uses such as educational, civic/community, or religious spaces (Roecker and McKinnon, 2006).

Shophouses in Melbourne?• Until fairly recently, most of Melbourne’s older

suburbs had shopping centres included buildings containing commercial and residential spaces (Bennett, 2010). – These buildings took two forms, they were either

“commercial premises with residences for persons operating businesses, including: shop keepers’ dwellings, bank managers’ residences, residences for other professional businesses… (or) flats for rental to the public as part of a commercial development” (Bennett, 2010).

Shophouses in Melbourne?

Shophouses in MelbournePlan Melbourne Direction 4.1 Create a city of 20-minute neighbourhoods• “The Strategy has Directions and Initiatives to

encourage targeted infill development of areas with insufficient population to support a 20-minute neighbourhood experience. They include the establishment of new housing and mixed-use zones and planning changes to encourage small-lot construction, infill, and mixed-use development.”

Shophouses

• Shophouses are mixed-use buildings.• Shophouses fit in small-lots. • Shophouses can be constructed in infill

locations.

Shophouses in MelbournePlan Melbourne Initiative 4.1.1 Support a network of vibrant neighbourhood centres• “Planning Neighbourhood Centres that maintain their

‘village’ character and feel, which enable a mix of goods and services… Vibrancy can also be enhanced by supporting and improving access to cafes, dining and shopping and creating village shopping strips that promote small businesses. This can include accommodating more community-based services, and shop-top housing, and by creating more open space.”

Shophouses

• Shophouses support economic life and development.– Shophouses are adaptable, dynamic, and resilient,

they support different uses over time, as well as neighbourhood reinvention or revival.

• Shophouses have the ability to take on other uses such as educational, civic/community, or religious spaces.

Shophouses in Melbourne

Why not?