Celebrating Craft and Context: Brick Inlay Brings a Welcoming Presence to Geelong’s Pivot House

Pivot House: A New Landmark for Geelong

Pivot House is a prominent new addition to Geelong’s evolving cityscape. Developed by Pellicano, the 17 storey building brings together two contemporary residential offerings within one unified architectural form. The lower and middle levels accommodate 87 self contained apartments at Quest Geelong Central, meeting the region’s growing demand for extended stay corporate and leisure accommodation. The upper floors provide 63 build to rent residences at Pivot House Apartments, offering long term hotel-style living for local residents.

Designed by Peddle Thorp Architects in collaboration with RPC Architects, the development continues the hallmark qualities of a Pellicano and Quest project: comfort, practicality and a considered design expression that balances everyday ease with a refined architectural presence.

Materiality and Heritage

A key feature of the building is its carefully composed material palette. The lower levels are wrapped in a rich brick façade, while the upper levels are finished in Hebel panels. This composition ensures the building sits confidently within its urban context, responding to both the scale and the material character of central Geelong.

The decision to use brick was driven by both place and story. Brick provides a warm and grounded street-level presence, creating visual continuity with the architectural heritage of the precinct. Just as importantly, it acknowledges Pellicano’s origins. Frank and Nunzio Pellicano began their business in 1967 as bricklayers, and the continued use of brick serves as a meaningful reference to those beginnings while celebrating the evolution of the company into a leading integrated property and construction group.

Socrati Seretis, Principal at Peddle Thorp, describes the selection of materials as “a balance of aesthetic strength, functionality and durability. Brick offers warmth and welcome, and both Pellicano and the planning authorities responded positively to the approach.”

Craftsmanship and Construction

To achieve the design intent, the project combines both traditional craftsmanship and contemporary construction techniques. The brickwork at street level was laid traditionally by Lawler Bricklaying, including a distinctive hit and miss detail that introduces texture and shadow play. The upper brick expression was delivered using Brick Inlay, allowing matching Rustic Red brick tiles to be installed off site with precision and efficiency.

The result is a building that sits comfortably within its neighbourhood while reflecting the character, values and history of the people behind it. Pivot House is a celebration of materiality, craftsmanship and connection to place, and stands as a new landmark within central Geelong.

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