Anouk Darling, CEO of Scape Australia, discusses what sets Scape apart for students, the key drivers behind its remarkable growth, the biggest developments she has witnessed, and her vision for the next five years.
Anouk is renowned as a disruptive thinker, strategically conceptual and highly creative. She has a global outlook and commercial creativity that has seen her transform brands and companies in luxury retail and publishing. Anouk joined Scape Australia as CEO in 2020 at the highly “unprecedented” time, navigating the company through a global pandemic and advocating for the return of international students to Australia. Anouk is also Chair of Australia’s Student Accommodation Council.
Scape launched in Australia in 2014 and has since become the biggest PBSA owner and operator. Today, Scape is home to over 18,500 beds in 38 buildings across Australia’s four key educational precincts – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide – as well as 10 buildings in planning and development, which will bring the portfolio to 23,000 beds by 2025.
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GSL News: What do you think sets Scape as a company and Scape’s properties apart for students
At Scape, everything we do is driven by our purpose—to shelter and shape the minds of tomorrow. We’re not just providing a place to stay; we’re creating an environment where students can truly thrive. Our ambition is big—we want to be The Earth’s Best Living Company. That means we don’t just build student accommodation; we build communities, experiences, and opportunities that make a real impact.
We currently have over 18,500 beds, and with new developments, we’ll be at 23,000 in just a few years. That’s a huge responsibility because the majority of our residents are between 18 and 24—a formative stage in their lives. We take that seriously. Our spaces are designed to be more than just rooms; they’re places where students feel supported, connected, and inspired.
From a sustainability perspective, we live by our values. We don’t just talk about ESG; we embed it into everything we do. Take our circular economy initiatives—we recycle mattress protectors into terrazzo-style surfaces that come back into our buildings, and we turn plastic bottle caps into everyday items like planters and mini bins for student rooms. These aren’t just sustainability projects; they’re ways we educate and empower students to understand their impact.
But what truly sets Scape apart is the experience. We host over 2,000 events a year to bring students together, foster friendships, and create moments of connection. We know that loneliness is one of the biggest challenges students face, so we design everything—from our communal spaces to our events and support programs—to combat that. Our Wellbeing Index, built with a third-party partner, actually measures the wellbeing of students living with us compared to those living outside, so we can continuously improve and refine what we do.
Safety is another non-negotiable for us. We have more CCTVs across our portfolio than in the entire city of Melbourne, and we underwrite a safety app called Sonder, which offers everything from multilingual counseling to real-time check-ins if a student is feeling unsafe.
At the heart of it all, Scape is a second home. With over 140 nationalities across our portfolio, we’re creating a global community where students can feel safe, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential. We’re not perfect, but we’re committed to the journey—and to making sure every student who chooses Scape gets an experience that goes beyond four walls.
GSL News: Since you took over as CEO of Scape Australia you’ve led the company through a period of remarkable growth. What do you think has been the key to that success?
It all comes down to people. Scape has always been founder-led, with two incredibly ambitious and hands-on founders who have set a bold vision. When I stepped in as CEO, we had that North Star, but we were in the middle of lockdown. Borders were closed, students weren’t coming, and we had to completely restructure to weather the storm. But the moment borders reopened, we didn’t just restart—we sprinted.
Our success since then has been about building and empowering an incredible team. I have the privilege of leading some of the most passionate, driven, and talented people in the industry, and that energy fuels everything we do. We move fast, we challenge the norm, and we back big ideas. Having a direct line to the founders means we can take a concept—like our Home for Good program, which commits over 100 rooms every year to students in crisis, on scholarships, or from Indigenous backgrounds—and bring it to life quickly. During lockdown, we extended that support further, working with AMES to house 3,500 Afghan evacuees fleeing Kabul. That’s what happens when you have a culture that truly gives a sht*—we act.
Culture is at the heart of everything. Investors walk through our buildings and feel the Scape difference—it’s in the energy, the purpose, the way our people show up. But we’re also unapologetically high-performing. We never did work-from-home because our work is about community, connection, and being in it together. That’s not for everyone, and that’s okay. What it has done is create a workplace that has been named one of Australia’s Best Places to Work and recognized as an Inclusive Employer—proof that our values aren’t just words; they drive us.
Speaking of values, they’re what set Scape apart. We’ve built values that are us—authentic, real, and maybe a little disruptive. We Give a Sht* isn’t just a tagline; it’s a promise. Open Minded, Good Vibes is about choosing strength and kindness, and Alphabet Soup is our way of saying everyone’s welcome. Rocket to Mars captures our ambition—we’re not here to play small. We hire by these values, live by them, and reward them. That alignment between purpose, culture, and people? That’s the key to our success.
GSL News: What are the most significant developments that you’ve witnessed in your time with Scape?
There have been some huge shifts since I joined Scape, but a few moments stand out.
The pandemic was a defining one. When the former Prime Minister told international students to go home, our buildings emptied overnight. We were literally on our knees. Unlike other sectors, we received no government support—we had to rely entirely on our incredible shareholder partnerships to survive. We knew where we needed to go, but without the budget to execute immediately, we had to be strategic, agile, and relentless in our focus. Coming out of that and seeing the rebound has been one of the most significant transformations.
Another game-changer has been our digital transformation. When I first joined Scape, our record sales week was a couple of hundred bookings—now, with our tech enablement, it’s easy to do 100 bookings a day. In Australia, our leasing process is more complex than in the UK because we sign under the Residential Tenancies Act, and yet we have the capacity to sign up to 2,500 leases in a single week. Our revenue has grown and technology has been a massive driver of that. But we’re just getting started. AI and productivity enhancements are the next frontier, and I’m incredibly excited about where we can take it.
Beyond digital, our advocacy work has been one of the biggest shifts. Scape has become a major player in government conversations. Craig Carracher AM, one of our founders, has led the charge in government relations and media, and I’ve stepped in too—joining the Property Council of Australia board and chairing the Student Accommodation Council. This wasn’t just about Scape; it was about creating a unified voice for the entire sector. We pioneered the establishment of a council that could represent PBSA on a national level, ensuring we’re in the room where key policy decisions happen. I truly believe a rising tide lifts all boats—by strengthening the sector, we create better outcomes for students, operators, and investors. A key focus now is getting Australian super funds invested and securing industry recognition at the highest levels.
Sustainability has also been a space where we’ve led the way. We secured the first sustainability-linked loan in our sector, where ESG targets are directly tied to debt performance—something that had never been done in PBSA before. We also became the first in Australia’s PBSA sector to achieve a 6 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia for our Leicester Street building in Melbourne. These milestones aren’t just about ticking boxes; they’re about setting new standards for how student living can be done responsibly.
Looking back, the journey has been intense, fast, and full of firsts—but every challenge has pushed us to build something bigger and better. And we’re nowhere near done.
GSL News: Scape has achieved so much, but is there one thing that you are most proud of?
Honestly, I still get teary about the fact that we are able to provide shelter to those families that were caught in the Afghanistan conflict and have had to flee Kabul. How privileged were we to have been able to do something that actually helps humankind?
These were people who had lost everything, arriving in a foreign country with nowhere to go. We didn’t just give them a room—we gave them safety, dignity, and a chance to rebuild. The effort from the team was incredible. They went above and beyond, sourcing clothing, books, and essential supplies. We even employed some of the Afghan evacuees, and today, a few of them are still part of our facilities and maintenance teams. That, to me, is what it’s all about—using our platform to do something that truly helps people.
Beyond that, I’m incredibly proud of how we’ve transformed Scape—not just as a business, but as a brand and as a leader in the sector. I’ve always said I’m the most unlikely CEO of a real estate company. I don’t come from a traditional property background—I’m a brand builder. But that’s been our strength. We’ve shaped Scape into something more than a student accommodation provider. We’ve built a company that stands for something bigger, a company that sets the standard for what modern living should look like.
Setting the vision to be The Earth’s Best Living Company wasn’t just about ambition—it was about giving us a framework that drives our decisions every single day. Whether it’s being a good neighbour, making choices that are better for the planet, supporting our residents and team, or delivering value to our shareholders—it all ladders up to that bigger purpose. And seeing that vision come to life in the work we do? That’s what makes me proud.
GSL News: What are your goals for Scape Australia for the next five years?
Scape has always been more than just a student accommodation provider—we’re a living platform. And that platform gives us the ability to expand into new spaces, whether that’s student living, rent to live, or even new models of affordable living. The key for us is always looking at things through the customer’s lens, not just the industry’s. That’s why we call it rent to live rather than build to rent—it’s not about us building something and making people rent it; it’s about creating rental environments that enable people to live their best lives.
We’re already making this a reality in Sydney’s Inner West (Marrickville), where we’ve acquired 2.2 hectares to build around 1,200 dwellings, including a proportion of affordable apartments. Just like we disrupted the student accommodation space with our focus on experience, design, and community, we’re going to do the same for rent to live. The goal is to redefine the rental experience—providing access to beautifully designed, community-driven, and high-value living environments.
This Marrickville precinct is something I’m really excited about. We’re opening it up to the public with green spaces, creative hubs, and spaces for artists. We’re extending our Artist in Residence program, which is something I personally started when I joined Scape because I believe in supporting the creative class. We’ve already worked with amazing Indigenous artists like Otis Hope-Carey (La Trobe, Melbourne), Noni Cragg (Kingsford, Sydney), and other local Australian talent like Nathan Nankervis (Carlton & Swanston, Melbourne). In Marrickville, where a lot of creative spaces have been displaced, we’re bringing them back—offering recording studios, creative workshops, and spaces for artists to work and collaborate.
Beyond that, the precinct will have parklands, rooftop clubhouses, public spaces, and incredible amenities. It’s going to be a game-changer for how people experience rental living in Australia.
But that’s just the beginning. In five years, I see Scape expanding further—more adjacencies, more impact, more disruption. We’ve set the benchmark in student accommodation, we’re now shaking up the rental sector, and I have no doubt that we’ll continue to evolve into new spaces. Whatever comes next, the focus will always be the same—building living environments that inspire, support, and elevate the people who call them home.
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This interview originally appeared in Unlocked, the magazine residential living didn’t know it needed – until now. Unlocked is the new voice of residential living—sharp, global, and unapologetically ambitious. Created for those who are shaping the future of the sector, Unlocked delivers powerful perspectives, cutting-edge market intelligence, and stories that challenge the status quo. It’s not just about keeping up; it’s about staying ahead. Whether you’re investing, building, operating, or transforming the student and residential living landscape, Unlocked is your must-read for what’s next.
Part 1 of our interview with Anouk appeared in GSL News in March 2025, visit: Leading by example: Anouk Darling CEO of Scape Australia
