Adaptive Reuse City Housing Initiative​

Transforming spaces, unlocking housing potential.

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Could your vacant or underused property be transformed into city housing?

The Adaptive Reuse City Housing Initiative (ARCHI), aims to create new homes in underused buildings in the City of Adelaide. 

By repurposing existing structures, we can diversify housing options, unlock revenue potential, improve building performance and revitalise Adelaide’s streetscapes.

ARCHI, brought to you by the City of Adelaide and the Government of South Australia, addresses housing shortages, promotes sustainability, and preserves our city’s unique architecture.

The ARCHI Incentives Scheme is available for projects located in the City of Adelaide involving a change-of-use to residential through adaptive reuse.

To unlock opportunities, we have expanded the program to provide enhanced support for residential adaptive reuse projects. Building categories now include:

  • Shop-tops: Buildings up to four storeys in height.
  • Commercial to residential: Buildings five storeys and above.
  • Heritage: Adaptive reuse of heritage listed buildings to residential.
  • Major Projects: Projects delivering 20+ dwellings.

Let’s transform spaces and unlock potential together.

ARCHI Incentives Scheme

The ARCHI Incentives Scheme has been established by the City of Adelaide with support from the State Government of South Australia to provide grant funding towards the cost of developing and delivering residential adaptive reuse projects.

Available support for eligible projects includes:

  • Access to a dedicated adaptive reuse case management service at no charge.
  • Feasibility assessment, professional advice and documentation
  • Residential adaptive reuse construction works

FIND OUT MORE AND REGISTER YOUR INTEREST


ARCHI Incentives Scheme applicants can access corresponding City of Adelaide grants and incentive schemes for heritage, sustainability and noise management. These include:

ARCHI shop-top adaptive reuse series of guides

This series of guides offer insights into the advantages and processes of residential adaptive reuse, along with practical advice for initiating and navigating adaptive reuse projects.

  • Adaptive Reuse for City Housing: An introductory guide to adapting spaces into homes
  • Single Shop-top Dwellings: A guide for adapting spaces above shops into homes
  • Multiple Shop-top Dwellings: A guide for adapting buildings into apartments
  • Heritage: A guide for adapting heritage buildings into homes
  • Retrofitting: A guide to adapting spaces to homes with enhanced building performance
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Introductory guide
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Heritage guide
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Retrofitting guide
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Single-dwelling guide
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Multi-dwelling guide

The process flow chart outlines the steps of the process.

Other ARCHI activities

Since ARCHI was established in October 2023 a range of key tasks have been undertaken to promote adaptive reuse. These include

  • Case management service – We have implemented a free case management service to help building owners navigate the adaptive reuse process, including approvals and funding options available through Council run incentive schemes. Contact the ARCHI case manager at [email protected]
  • City-wide building audit – We are auditing existing building stock to better understand the potential for adaptive reuse and identify shop top adaptive reuse opportunities.
  • Regulation review – We are engaging experts to better understand the barriers to adaptive reuse, and investigating what measures can be implemented to ease the development pathway.
  • City of Adelaide grants and incentives – We have revised our incentive schemes for heritage, sustainability and noise management to include residential adaptive reuse projects.
  • Case studies – We are reviewing local and interstate adaptive reuse case studies to better understand the adaptive reuse process.
  • Engagement – We are engaging with the community and industry to understand their needs and expectations for city-based properties.
  • Capital City Committee Adaptive Reuse Forum – In May 2023 a forum was held with key industry leaders to explore and discuss housing supply and opportunities for converting vacant office and above-retail spaces in the CBD into residential accommodation. Find out more about the Capital City Committee Adaptive Re-Use Forum.

Need more information?

Contact the ARCHI case manager if you have any questions.