Project Description

In collaboration with the Queensland Government, this project was a unique opportunity to challenge the conventions of social housing, and a more create more liveable, forward-thinking model. Our aim was to employ small design moves that could have a big impact, and offer a more efficient alternative to single dwelling living without sacrificing the amenity offered by freestanding homes. The backyard of the freestanding home continues to hold considerable significance in the ‘great Australian dream’. Despite this underlying ideal, yard and garden areas have largely been omitted from more dense Australian social housing to date.

Our approach began with research, and involved a series of design workshops with current social housing tenants- which ranged from young families to aging residents living alone. Tenants revealed a clear desire to ‘nest’, and belong to the wider community, yet maintain their sense of autonomy. Furthermore, residents agreed that a communal garden could provide the setting to develop relationships with neighbours and help them to feel safer in their homes. 

In response to our research, we developed 8 underlying principles for the project: 

• A village of small-scale homes with clear, well-defined public and private space. Multiple private entries offering choice and independence.
• Residential street frontage responding to the neighbourhood. Pedestrian orientated site with multiple modes of access.
• Threshold spaces to mediate community interaction Lightweight, affordable buildings that respond to climate, and local context
• Dwellings clustered around a central garden space with large shady trees.
• Central garden space overlooked by all units, enhancing amenity and passive surveillance.

The resulting development strives to make a positive contribution to the neighbourhood. Local contextual studies informed the design aesthetic and reference the once prolific, mid-century coastal shacks. Prioritising pedestrian street frontage (rather than carports and driveways) helps foster goodwill and connection between residents and neighbours. Single-level homes are located along the street edge, and two-storey residences to the rear, minimising any perceived impact of the new built form.

A shared garden space to the rear of the site enables privacy from the neighbourhood at large, but fosters community within the precinct. Working closely with landscape architects, the garden design caters for the varied demographics common in social housing settings, offering spaces for multiple uses- gardening, children’s play, communal eating, and relaxation.

Entrance points to the communal garden spaces are carefully located away from congregation areas. Residents can choose to engage with the communal spaces on their own terms, facilitating autonomy and independence. 

Critical to the brief was construction cost, in addition to longevity and sustainability- qualities aligned with the project’s socially responsible intentions. Humble and durable materials are used creatively, and passive design techniques employed to achieve an outcome without the need for a/c.

Beyond the functional requirements of social housing, the design of Anne Street Garden Villas aims to facilitate a sense of ownership and personal connection for residents. It is our hope that in turn, this prototype will contribute to a sense of pride in the broader community.