Property developer Obaid Naqebullah sees benefit in blending residential and commercial developments. Blending spaces is a way to offer the ultimate lifestyle benefits for residents, with units and apartments serviced by retailers, restaurants, fitness studios and medical services as the ultimate one-stop location shop where you live.

When it comes to urban developments, mixed use that blends residential, commercial, cultural and entertainment purposes into one space creates an integrated community to meet everyone’s needs.

Obaid Naqebullah says by blending spaces we create urban settings that are physically and functionally integrated to service people across the life cycle, from young families to retiring downsizers.

“The benefit of blending residential and commercial developments is that you’re gifting residents with the ultimate ‘work, rest, play’ proposition. If where you live is connected to where you work, shop, relax, and socialise then that offers convenience, reducing the need to travel as we seek to live more sustainable lives.”

As Melbourne expects to increase its population to 6 million by around 2030, the urbanisation of the city demands smart use of space including providing residential and commercial activity hubs that put amenities including childcare facilities, supermarkets, chemists, cafes, bar and green spaces in the vicinity of new apartment buildings.

A mixed-use building is part of the trend to maximize space and promote efficiency as we seek to create ‘walkable’ neighbourhoods that reduce car travel, traffic congestion and pollution. That vertical integration in residential and commercial developments can provide retail shops on the ground floor, office spaces on the upper levels, and residential apartments on the top floors – with the potential to move away from the need to be in different locations for home, work and recreation.

At the Moor Apartments in Moorabbin, the space is blended to puts residents on the doorstep of the Woolworths supermarket, food outlets, medical services and fitness studios including 24hr Pilates.

“Moor perfectly caters for the rise of mixed-use development. You’re so close to everything, including being just 300m to Moorabbin train station, that you could enjoy life without the need to drive or own a car. Blending spaces allows people to simplify their lives, it frees them up to enjoy more down time without being stuck in gridlock or having to pay the high costs of owning and running a vehicle,” says Moor developer Obaid Naqebullah. 

Designing office space to blend with retail and hospitality space makes perfect sense for the modern lifestyle. Shopping villages like Station St offers bars, live music and trivia nights at popular blended institutions like Grape ad Grain which manages to be both a bottle shop and an entertainment venue.

It’s a symbol of merging worlds, which will only grow to become more diversified with investment in the Moorabbin Activity Centre.