Melbourne Affordable Housing Challenge

Housing De-Railed is a development suggestion for utilizing the air rights over the VicTrack railway system (VicTrack owns Victoria's transport land, assets and infrastructure). The result is a well-conceived and articulate solution for a transit-oriented green belt, comprising a layer of commercial and office space beneath a swath of open green space onto which residential programs are organized. The jury praised the submission as a “flexible and layered solution for railway corridors, made possible by creating 'new land',” and commended it for recognizing that “over-track developments could offer an enormous boost to the city centre.” The scheme puts affordable housing in the heart of the city and the proposed prefabricated module structural system, which allows owners to adapt and change over time, has the potential to create vibrant neighbourhoods. The jury suggests that the project has missed some architectural opportunities to break from a dominating organizational module, which could be studied should this project be further developed.

Bleacher Housing proposes a prefabricated timber modular system of housing units of various typologies, which amass and link to existing forms of Melbourne’s transit infrastructure. The modules are stacked and organized in a stepped pattern so that numerous rooftop terrace gardens and green roof conditions have the potential to be realized. Of the submission, the jury writes, - “The project is beautifully imagined and presented. This proposal is both innovative and strikingly conceived of. However, its complex construction is possibly at odds with the requirement for 'affordability'.” It commends this submission for demonstrating an interesting approach to land - use, as well as structure, its bold and imaginative use of existing infrastructure, and its strong urban and architectural gesture, all of which lend to producing an interesting new urban typology. The jury recommends that further scale studies be done to assist in finding a more refined massing in relationship to the site.

Highline Topia suggests a solution for topping Melbourne’s tram tracks with a new form of housing infrastructure, focusing on a linear site alongside the Yarra River in the city centre as a case study. The jury cites the project as an innovative response, which has the capacity to be imagined in some locations within Melbourne, yet suggests that its vision perhaps outweighs its practicality and feasibility. The jury writes, - “This proposal really encourages 'thinking outside the box' and consideration of those parts of land (or air rights) that could be better utilised.” The images and sections clearly and succinctly describe a scheme that breaks away from the typical fixed-unit typology. The jury further commented that the “suggested materialization is fitting for the small scale. Furthermore, the public rooftop amenity is evidence that even ‘affordable’ new developments could positively impact neighbourhoods.“