Lake Macquarie City Council has announced the shortlisted teams in a $40,000 competition to design innovative housing.
Dubbed “dWell,” the competition challenged architects, building designers and students to conceive a new type of urban housing that focused on wellness, innovation, affordability and sustainability.
Entrants were asked to explore ideas of the future of housing and deliver passive cooling without the need for air condition while considering planning controls around density, scale and sizing.
The shortlisted professional teams are: Elk Design (Wade Fairley, Tim Graham, Peter Golema, Clint Stephenson, Ayrton Di Paolo and Daniel Hadley); Ben Berwick (Prevalent Architecture), Brooke Jackson (Informal Architects/University of Technology Sydney), and Arianna Brambilla (The University of Sydney); and Curious Practice (James Ellis, Warren Haasnoot, Greg Lee, Luke Grey).
The shortlisted student teams are: Natalie Keynton, Riley Sherman and Robert Snelling (all from the University of Melbourne); Matthew Hurley (University of Newcastle); and Jacob Bucci Ainsworth and Hugh Roberts (University of Sydney), and Hugh Beale (University of Melbourne).
In stage one, entrant were asked to submit an expression of interest and a description of their intended design for a vacant, council-owned site on Ocean Street in Dudley. The shortlisted entrants will now create detailed submisions in stage two.
“The overall standard of entries has been excellent,” said David Antcliff, manager of property and business development at Lake Macquarie City Council.
“The leading entries have extended beyond traditional urban housing models and taken into consideration how dwellings could be thought of and used in the future.
“From exploring different financial models behind a development to broadening a home’s ability to adapt to the needs of its occupants and the community, the concepts submitted have been brave and exciting.”
The entries were judged by Chris Tucker (University of Newcastle’s School of Architecture and Built Environment); Juliet Grant (Planning Institute of Australia NSW president), Steve Mann (Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW CEO) and Karstan and Maxine Smith (former The Block contestants).
Stage two will be judged in February and March 2021 and winners will be announced on 22 March.
The council will consider building the winning design on the hill-top site in Dudley.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
