Urban renewal projects often promise transformation but deliver sameness — generic towers stacked above formulaic retail, wrapped in the rhetoric of community without the substance. R.Evolution, the final stage of Plus Studio’s nine-year masterplan for R.Corporation’s R.Iconic precinct in South Melbourne, takes a different approach. The 40-storey tower, currently under construction on Normanby Road, concludes a landmark story of urban renewal grounded in materiality and sustained commitment.
Together with the award-winning Stage One tower completed in 2023, R.Evolution forms a sculptural dialogue — two confident forms separated by a 20-metre void that introduces light, openness and long views through the site. The towers deliver a combined total of over 800 apartments, yet the project’s ambition extends beyond residential product. With Plus Studio leading architecture and interiors across the entire precinct, R.Evolution operates as holistic design — where every scale, from masterplan to bathroom tile, speaks the same language.
Located at 253–257 Normanby Road, the development sits on a once-industrial corner of the city fringe now transformed by significant government investment into new parks, bike paths and traffic infrastructure. R.Evolution delivers 419 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, premium sub-penthouses, and four townhouses above a five-level brick podium that references South Melbourne’s industrial heritage without slipping into nostalgia.
“Nostalgia arises when designers copy rather than understand the language of history and context,” explains Plus Studio Director Ian Briggs. “Through analysis, we identified why South Melbourne’s industrial context looks as it does, then used that as our starting point.” The result is a podium that extends the material and spatial language established in Stage One — warm brick rhythm that grounds contemporary form while integrating new retail and hospitality at street level, including a Coles Local and Liquorland, with additional hospitality venues in development.
The 20-metre void between towers is more than a gesture toward light and views. “The void replicates spacing seen across the precinct’s towers, creating a rhythmic quality at street level — a calm backdrop to the activated ground plane,” Briggs notes. It’s a spatial strategy that allows each tower to breathe while framing uninterrupted sightlines to Port Phillip Bay and the city skyline.
Nine years between Stage One and R.Evolution allowed Plus Studio to learn from observation. “R.Iconic prioritised apartment efficiency and individual amenity, while R.Evolution shifted focus to shared spaces and community connection — larger communal areas, winter gardens as social thresholds and ground-plane activation that extends liveability beyond private dwellings,” Briggs explains. Watching how residents occupied the first tower reinforced the importance of well-designed communal spaces in making density feel liveable.
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One specific evolution emerged around work-from-home spaces. “During Stage One, there was strong focus on providing study and work spaces within apartments. Over time, with high-quality co-working spaces introduced, demand for dedicated study areas within apartments has reduced — residents now preferring to use these spaces for storage or more premium uses, such as home bars,” Briggs observes. It’s the kind of insight that only emerges from sustained engagement with a project over time.
R.Evolution delivers more than 45 lifestyle amenities and facilities. The fifth level forms the precinct’s green heart — a one-acre landscaped rooftop by Paul Bangay OAM featuring lap pool, magnesium spa, saunas, outdoor gym, BBQ areas, dining pavilions and children’s play space. Wellness-focused spaces include infrared therapy rooms, yoga and reformer Pilates studio, and a sensory reset room. Additional amenities include communal living room, co-working areas, library, café, wine cellar, cinema, golf simulator, 24-hour concierge and dedicated dog spa.
Expansive glazing draws daylight deep into apartments, reflected across pale timber flooring and crisp white joinery. The material palette is deliberately restrained to allow views prominence, while generous proportions and detailing enhance calm and openness. Every residence is designed for long-term liveability — intuitive layouts, ample storage and quality finishes that endure.
Sustainability was embedded from inception. “After establishing overall massing on day one, environmental sustainability became the next consideration on day two — working closely with environmental consultants to model performance before design development,” Briggs explains. The project targets carbon-net-zero operation and a 7-star NatHERS rating, with every façade element serving both aesthetic and environmental purpose. “This integrated approach from the start, rather than retrofitting sustainability, allowed us to exceed minimum standards while maintaining design integrity.”
Plus Studio’s control of architecture, interiors, and wayfinding across the entire precinct enabled complete coordination. “Design the big vision and the small details with complete coordination—from initial masterplanning through to bathroom tiles,” Briggs says. “Residents experience a coherent design language at every scale, without the typical disconnects that emerge when these disciplines work in silos.”
The civic ambition is clear. “R.Evolution alongside its sibling R.Iconic form a central anchor for the emerging neighbourhood — the village market, civic hall, and high street destination for locals and visitors alike,” Briggs notes. “Large projects like this create civic anchors that orientate and activate their surroundings.” Achieving this required close partnership with R.Corporation, who shared Plus Studio’s ambition for genuine place-making rather than residential product alone.
“The strong demand for R.Evolution highlights Melbourne’s appetite for design-led, community-focused living,” adds Andrew Crichton, R.Corporation Director of Sales & Marketing. “Together with Plus Studio, we’re delivering the next evolution of city life — premium homes that prioritise amenity, wellbeing, convenience and a genuine sense of belonging.”
Under construction by Maxcon Constructions, R.Evolution is scheduled for completion in 2027.
