Architect Victoria
Architecture Award Small Project Architecture
Habitat 21 Adaptable House
Antarctica + MAS
Habitat 21 Adaptable House by Antarctica and Monash Architecture Studio is a joint venture collaborating on a sustainable and affordable house design for Vic Urban. It is a new typology in suburban fringe housing for a concentrated, diverse and growing population.
A seemingly unconventional small footprint for a thre bedroom home, seven star energy rating, low-impact materials and flexibility through spatial adaptation mark the characteristics of this unique response, achieved through rigorous budget constraints yet with architectural integrity.
Exterior and interior spatial relationships are defined through material detail and refined in scale through the adaptation of the ordinary for more efficient living spaces. There is a strong relationship between the communal and private living spaces where materiality also offers hints for multi-purpose spaces. Furthermore, Habitat 21 Adaptable House was achieved for a square meter budget comparable to a suburban development.
The resolved building transfigures the ordinary quietly with conviction in materiality and detail, to serve as a worthy contribution towards a 21st century typology for a home.
Architecture Australia – Habitat 21
Extracts from article by Shelley Penn
“There was an abundace of motivation, passion and commitment, and I remain inspired by a vast majority of individuals I enountered on the project. The architects were both tenacious and responsible,”
“Habitat 21 produces fice seven-star houses, at an average of 150 square metres each. Each house is accesible with wide passageways and bathrooms, and each has a level of adaptability, flexibility to suit various household types. All are well designed, with spatial and formal development not typical of houses this efficient. They all offer generousity and delight despite their compact size and some conservative market imperatives, which are remarkable achievements at around $1300 per square metre.”