Stories: IGLU

IGLU redefines student living with residences in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne that balance independence with community.

Each space is designed to respect privacy while fostering connection, creating an environment where young people can live well, learn well, and belong. More than accommodation, IGLU is a considered framework for growth, a place where tomorrow’s heroes are supported to thrive.

The heroes of this story are students and community leaders who embody IGLU’s vision of independent living within connected, supportive communities. Through each of their journeys we found a unique perspective: Hai in Sydney, Nadia in Brisbane, and Amy in Melbourne. Guiding the process, Clinton Toepfer and Reece Underhay shaped the creative direction and cinematography, while Shaun Aldwell refined the narrative in post-production. IGLU’s brand story is built through lived experience and craft, a collaboration between the people who call IGLU home and the team entrusted to translate that into film.

Hai’s story centres on movement, fitness-focused, social, and always active with friends. His narrative captures the vitality of IGLU Redfern, where independence is shaped by energy and community. Nadia’s arc is quieter and more reflective: shopping with a friend, music in private, and time in the park. Her perspective reveals IGLU Brisbane as a place of balance, space for connection and solitude in equal measure. Amy embodies determination and rhythm: lifting weights, walking the city, and collaborating in study groups. Her path highlights IGLU Melbourne as a hub of focus and community at the heart of the city.

For IGLU, this approach was deliberate. “We wanted to show real students and leaders from within our community, the people who make IGLU what it is,” reflects Lisa Fuller, General Manager Brand & Communications. Marketing lead Chloe Mahon adds, “Our students led the story, and Sprinkler Media brought it to life with craft and care.” The results speak to this authenticity: more than 284,000 views across YouTube and a body of work that today carries a production value in excess of $100,000. As Clinton Toepfer observes, when lived experience meets considered storytelling, a brand reveals its truest self.