Northbourne flats design competition winner announced

A dramatic remodelling of the Northbourne flats providing more than 900 homes is the winner of a national competition to redesign the major public housing complex, ACT Minister for Community Services Joy Burch announced today.

Ms Burch said the competition Jury was unanimous in its decision to award first prize to Melbourne-based firm John Wardle Architects for its design titled “Weave”.

“The entry more than trebles the number of units currently on site while incorporating features that help it retain an open feel and also be sympathetic to its surrounding environment,” Ms Burch said.

“Just as important as its urban design quality is the fact that the proposal is a practical one that the panel judged was eminently achievable.”

The entry proposed retaining some of the existing buildings and extending them. As well as adding to the number of homes to bring the total to 905 from 248 currently, there are also proposals for retail outlets, a cafe and child care facilities.

Weave incorporates gardens inside the complex, including a community vegetable garden. Among the extensive sustainability features are photovoltaic panels for the rooftops of all buildings, solar orientation of buildings, a mini wetland to assist passive stormwater treatment and the use of materials to reduce carbon emissions associated with the project.

“It is obvious that this competition has met with a great deal of interest in the architectural community and I am sure that the Competition Jury had to work hard to reach its decision.

“In selecting John Wardle Architects as the winner, the panel has chosen a firm that has won numerous awards from the Australian Institute of Architects including the prestigious Sir Zelman Cowen Award for public buildings in 2002 and 2006.”

Ms Burch said the ACT Government would now sit down with John Wardle Architects to start the process of turning the entry into reality.

“While there is much work to be done, including resolving the heritage issues, I am confident that by the second half of next year we will see the commencement of work on site.

“At the same time Housing and Community Services will start meeting with the tenants of the Northbourne Flats to talk to them about what this outcome means to them. I would like to make clear that they will remain Housing ACT tenants, and that a percentage of the units will be retained for public housing.

“Housing ACT will start work with the tenants shortly to understand their needs and the most appropriate location for them.”

The Competition Jury awarded three second prizes and commendations. Second prizes were awarded to DC8 Studio for ‘packed:unpacked’; Koichi Takada Architects, for ‘Canberra Wave Gardens’; and Antoniades Architects Pty Ltd for its design.

Commendations were awarded to John Henry Architects and dKO Architecture. Meanwhile, Koichi Takada Architects also took out the “People’s Choice” category, with more than 70 members of the public voting during the exhibition of the entries last week.

The winning designs along with a selection of other entries can be viewed online at http://www.dhcs.act.gov.au/hcs/public_housing_design_competition

The designs of 40 architectural firms received in the competition are on exhibition in a shop front in the Garema Court building on City Walk. The exhibition is open from 12 pm to 3pm until 11 November.