CHORA - The Heart of Northcote

Coming Soon

Steeped in history, the Holy Monastery of Axion Estin (formerly the Little Sisters of the Poor Convent) has stood as a beacon of faith, social welfare and community service for generations. CHORA will honour this legacy.

Modelled on the concept of a cosmopolitan and inclusive Greek village, CHORA will restore and transform the majestic Axion Estin Monastery site into a vibrant cultural and community precinct offering and showcasing the very best of Greek culture.

It will comprise education spaces, green spaces, creative spaces, social spaces, heritage spaces, exhibition spaces and communal spaces.

It will be a connected ‘village and community of the future’ built on the legacy of the past and shaped by the present.

Platia and Church

The Heart of CHORA

CHORA will be a living space that promotes community interactivity, nurtures creativity and respects culture in a safe and accessible environment.

With the Church at its centre, the heartbeat of CHORA will be its 'Platia' or town square - a vibrant, high-quality public realm pulsing with year-round programming and activities. CHORA’s Platia will be a place where people gather, connect, and engage.

Weekends at CHORA will include a local produce market and a makers/artisans market. Featuring a diverse range of vendors, the markets in the Platia will provide an opportunity for the local and broader community to buy local and socialise.

Performing Arts

Ampitheatre

CHORA will boast a state of the art indoor and outdoor amphitheatre reflecting the Hellenic contribution to the city and providing a dynamic space for performing arts in Melbourne’s inner north. It will complement and collaborate with Melbourne’s pre-existing arts, culture, music and film festivals, as well as facilitate innovative new programming showcasing both local and international artists

Visual Arts

Galleries

The entire CHORA precinct will house works of art. CHORA’s boutique galleries as well as its majestic outdoor and indoor public spaces will be alive with curated exhibitions and installations designed to be engaging, stimulating and accessible to all.

Makers Spaces

CHORA will be home to a diverse group of artists, makers and designers. Their multidisciplinary studios will form a creative hub encouraging collaboration and driving innovation. They’ll not only work in a unique and inspired environment, they’ll also have the opportunity to exhibit their work and engage directly with the local and broader community.

Education

Early Learning

In response to research that emphasises the importance of bilingual and culture diverse learning, CHORA will create a purposely designed Early Learning Centre, including 3 year old and 4 year old kinder, based on the most up to date pedagogy in order to foster curious, creative and resilient learners.

Hospitality

Filoxenia

CHORA’s hospitality offering will be diverse and plentiful. Its restaurant, café, boutique hotel, distillery, ballroom and function spaces will ensure the precinct becomes a destination for everyone and anyone interested in experiencing the warmth and vitality of Greek filoxenia.

Residential

Apartments and Townhouses

Like every dynamic ‘village’ CHORA will have a mix of accommodation designed with sustainability, community and comfort in mind. The residences will be an integral part of CHORA linked seamlessly to the precinct by a vibrant flowing landscape designed by Jack Merlo Design and Landscape.

A Celebration of Culture

Northcote is a melting pot of vibrant cultures, embodying a rich tapestry of traditions and lifestyles that provide fertile ground for a unique precinct like CHORA. A community precinct which will showcase the very best of Greek culture.

CHORA will be celebratory, inclusive and timely. A living space that promotes community engagement and interactivity, nurtures creativity, respects culture and cultural differences and provides a safe and accessible environment.

Next Steps

CHORA is a vision for the restoration and evolution of the majestic Axion Estin Monastery. With a strong focus on community, sustainability and paying homage to the heritage significance of the site, the project team is currently working closely with Heritage Victoria, the State and Federal Governments, and the City of Darebin.

A community consultation event has been requested through the City of Darebin and will be held to involve the local community with the energisation of the site. It is anticipated that this will occur in June or July 2024.

CHORA Team

Being a community focused project, CHORA seeks to ensure that our existing and future neighbours and the wider community benefit from the project's realisation.

Due to the significant size of the precinct, accessibility has been a key consideration in the early design phase. Specialist DDA Consultants and Traffic Engineers have been engaged to ensure best practice principles are applied.

Verdant landscaping of the site has been thoughtfully considered by Jack Merlo Design and Landscape working closely with lead architects KUD in order to seamlessly connect each element of CHORA so that it can be enjoyed by all. A wider team of experienced experts have been brought on board to ensure that the CHORA vision is able to be realised in the most respectful and thoughtful manner possible.

Acoustic Engineers, Services Engineers & ESD Consultants