Creative Spaces
Go behind the scenes of Melbourne’s creative industries and discover the studios, workshops, arts precincts and workplaces where ideas take shape. From architecture and design practices to artist-led spaces and cultural hubs, this itinerary offers a rare opportunity to explore the environments that support creativity, collaboration and innovation across the city. (All programs featured in this itinerary are listed at the bottom of this page.)
Start at Gasworks Creative Precinct, a thriving home for artists, performers and creative communities. Set within a former industrial site, the precinct combines galleries, theatres, studios and parkland, demonstrating how creative activity can shape vibrant public places.
Continue across town to Collingwood Yards, one of Melbourne’s most significant creative precincts. Wander through the former technical school, now home to artists, galleries, cultural organisations and creative businesses, and experience how heritage buildings can be reimagined to support contemporary creative practice.
Nearby, step inside Everfresh Studio, where some of Melbourne’s most influential street artists continue to shape the city’s renowned public art culture. Meet the artists, explore their workspace and gain insight into the creative processes behind murals, graffiti and contemporary public art.
Explore how architectural ideas are developed at Wardle Studio, where a former paint factory has been transformed into a collaborative workplace that celebrates making, materiality and adaptive reuse. The studio itself reflects the practice’s commitment to preserving and revitalising existing buildings.
Discover a different approach to creative practice at Firestation Print Studio, Melbourne’s only 24-hour community printmaking facility. Housed within a former fire station, the studio offers a fascinating glimpse into traditional and contemporary printmaking techniques while showcasing the power of community-led creative spaces.
Head into the city to visit ARM Melbourne by ARM Architecture, where one of Australia’s most celebrated architecture practices has created a bright, energetic workplace designed to foster learning, collaboration and experimentation. Learn how research, creativity and curiosity underpin projects that have shaped Australia’s cultural and civic landscape.
At Hassell Studio, step directly into the heart of a working design practice. Conceived as a ‘worklab’, the studio reveals how architects, designers and strategists collaborate while demonstrating a commitment to regenerative design and environmental responsibility.
Nearby, Diadem at Aldersgate House offers an opportunity to explore the often unseen world of wayfinding and experiential design. Discover how research, strategy and design shape the way people navigate hospitals, transport hubs, cultural institutions and public spaces.
Visit Snøhetta, where architecture, landscape architecture, interiors, art and design come together under one roof. Set within a restored nineteenth-century warehouse, the studio reflects the practice’s transdisciplinary approach to shaping places, experiences and public life.
Continue to SOM Melbourne, located within the newly transformed 189 Toorak Road precinct. The studio demonstrates how heritage and contemporary architecture can coexist, creating a workplace that prioritises wellbeing, sustainability and collaboration.
Together, these spaces reveal that creativity is not confined to a single discipline—it flourishes through collaboration, experimentation, making and the places that bring people together.
Designing Culture: Melbourne Arts Precinct walking tour
