Part of PDG’s QVM Munro precinct, narrm ngarrgu sits adjacent to the historic Queen Victoria Market and features a host of community facilities, including: a library, family services centre, creative makerspaces (sewing machines and sound studios), a rooftop terrace, and event spaces. As a key civic feature within this revitalised precinct, the community hub sets a new standard for how design can positively impact the way people live, gather, and thrive.

Designed by Six Degrees Architects, constructed by Hamilton Marino Builders, and developed by PDG, narrm ngarrgu blends modern architecture with deep respect for the market’s enduring legacy. The design team anchored the hub in principles of sustainability, health, and community connection, creating a space that not only supports diverse local activities but does so with a clear focus on the wellbeing of all who use it.

Achieving WELL Core and Shell Gold Certification is no small accomplishment. The WELL Building Standard, which was developed over the last decade and is grounded in scientific research, recognises spaces that advance health across ten core concepts: air, thermal comfort, light, community, mind, movement, water, sound, materials, and nourishment.

By meeting rigorous benchmarks in each of these areas, narrm ngarrgu has joined a prestigious group of over 22,000 WELL-certified and rated projects spanning more than 40,000 locations in 126 countries. Notably, it remains one of only 500 projects in Australia to have attained WELL certification, underscoring the exclusivity and significance of this achievement.

Since its completion in 2023, Stage 1 of PDG’s QVM Munro precinct has been met with strong public approval and industry recognition, winning the 2024 AIA Awards for the Melbourne Prize and Public Architecture as well as a finalist at the 2024 Melbourne Awards for City Design and The Urban Developers Awards for Development of the Year.

These honours underscore PDG’s commitment to city-shaping design and community wellbeing, making the QVM Munro precinct not only a hub for the people of Melbourne, but setting a benchmark of urban innovation on a global scale.