The project demonstrates the economic and cultural value in the adaptive re-use of heritage buildings at the scale of the individual dwelling, the residential complex and the broader neighbourhood. It also demonstrates how our built history can be reworked and stringently value managed to meet current building codes while maintaining links with our past in ways that enrich living opportunities for today. The redevelopment introduces a mixture of residential, community and retail use into this substantial brick building.

Working closely with the original character of the building the project achieves a range of dwelling types and contributes a major public courtyard as well as access routes to this neighbourhood. The Wertheim factory operates as the gateway and primary address for the Studio Nine precinct (which includes the apartment towers currently under construction to the west). In retaining this significant and highly valued piece of Richmond heritage a more sensitive interface is enabled between the surrounding community and this major development of a new residential precinct in inner Melbourne.