Melbourne Affordable Housing Challenge

Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria, Australia, and holds the title of the country’s fastest-growing city. Melbourne had a growth rate of 2.7% from 2016 to 2017, seeing an increase of 125,000 citizens. Experts predict that in order to keep up with the growing population, Melbourne will need 1.6 million new homes to be constructed over the next 35 years, with estimates putting the population over five million by 2021, and over eight million by 2050.

This dramatic increase in demand, combined with only incremental increases in supply, has resulted in a massive jump in housing prices, with families being hit the hardest by the lack of affordable housing in the city. The average house price in Greater Melbourne is around $836,000, and properties of 105m2, a size suitable for families, cost roughly $614,000, putting them out of reach for most families.

The Melbourne Affordable Housing Challenge is the next competition in the Bee Breeders Affordable Housing series, in partnership with ARCHHIVE BOOKS. For this competition, participants are tasked with creating solutions to Melbourne’s affordable housing problem. Designs should be flexible enough to accommodate a variety of inhabitants, from single professionals to couples and families, allowing for each solution to meet their various requirements.

Design solutions should be applicable to locations throughout Greater Melbourne and, as there are no specific requirements on size, location, or facilities, participants are encouraged to be as creative as possible. The jury will be looking for projects that challenge the typical idea of housing, design, and community as a whole, while at the same time offering practical solutions that could potentially see these designs realized.

JURY:

Ben Van Berkel, UNSTUDIO
Winy Maas, MVRDV
Karen Alcock, MAArchitects
Tristan Wong, SJB Architecture
Linda Cheng, ArchitectureAU
Alan Pert, Melbourne School of Design

Find out more here - Melbourne Affordable Housing Challenge

PRIZES 

3 winning proposals, 2 special awards and 6 honourable mentions will be selected. Bee Breeders will award a total of 6,000 €  in prize money to competition winners as follows:

• 1st Prize - 3,000 € 
• 2nd Prize - 1,500 € 
• 3rd Prize - 500 € 

ARCHHIVE Student Award - 500 € + 50 € gift card at ARCHHIVE BOOKS 
Bee Breeders Green Award - 500 € 

+ 6 honourable mentions 

COMPETITION SCHEDULE 

• Final Registration: SEPTEMBER 9 – NOVEMBER 3 

• Closing date for registration: NOVEMBER 3, 2020
• Closing date for submission: DECEMBER 8, 2020 (11:59 p.m., GMT) 
• Announcement of the winners: FEBRUARY 16, 2021

Find out more here - Melbourne Affordable Housing Challenge