After ten years lying empty and disused, Link Wentworth has partnered with Penrith City Council to restore a derelict building into four prime-location affordable housing studios, which are now homes to four local, previously homeless people.
Situated in the heart of Penrith CBD, close to services, shops and transport, the studios in High Street have been subject to a total refit, including flooring, tiling, painting and new amenities. The resulting four distinct spaces have been designed to provide comfort and functionality, with features including:
• Open plan living
• Kitchen with electric cooking
• Built-in wardrobes
• Air conditioner and ceiling fan
• Fresh paint and new blinds throughout
• Large, shared yard with garden and water tank
• Plant boxes to grow vegetables
• Shared laundry
A focus on healthy living and sustainability resulted in setting up a kitchen garden and rainwater capture system.
Facilitated by Link Wentworth and Penrith City, the vivid mural along the exterior garden wall was completed by artists from local youth services, The Street University and A Place to Go. Artists were Mistery, Tamiera Donnelly (Ngemba woman from Wailwan Nation), Aaron Windon and Michael Sharpe. Young people from A Place To Go were supported by staff Reza Doaie, Amy Phillips, Mathew Gray and Anson Kuriakose.
The mural reflects the sense of hope and joy that characterises this project and its new affordable homes.
Link Wentworth wishes to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which we work and pay our respect to the Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.