Jury citation
The provision of public housing is highly politicized. The renewal of existing estates is based on an economic model that looks to demolish, displace and privatize public land. Retain, Repair, Reinvest sets out to challenge this model.
Not-for-profit design practice Office has employed a powerful advocacy tool that demonstrates the economic benefits of the retention and reuse of the existing buildings at the Ascot Vale Estate. Research, investigation and consultation resulted in simple and pragmatic interventions that provide amenity and maintain a sense of dignity and permanency for the occupants.
The jury congratulates Office for successfully implementing a robust strategy that brings a strong and compassionate voice to a very real issue. This proposal recognizes the important role that architects can play in advocating for change through social and economically sustainable models for living.
Architect’s description
In March 2022, Melbourne was ranked the fifth-least-affordable city in the world, with median house prices sitting at 12 times the median household income. At the same time, demand for homelessness services and assistance in gaining access to stable housing continues to increase, with more than 66,000 Victorians in urgent need of housing. Despite this, the state government’s current approach to public housing estate renewal is a costly process of demolition, relocation and construction of new buildings that house fewer people in need.
Retain, Repair, Reinvest is an alternative strategy that responds to Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) position that estate refurbishment is not a viable option – despite no feasibility study being available to the public. This site-specific approach, which provides opportunities for improved economic, environmental and social outcomes when compared to the current model, has three key objectives: retain existing communities by not relocating residents; repair existing buildings to reduce carbon emissions; and reinvest savings to improve comfort and upgrade public housing.
The Ascot Vale Estate was designed by renowned modernist architect and public housing advocate Best Overend in the 1940s and consists of 57 three-storey housing blocks. The whole estate will be redeveloped over the next 15–20 years as part of the Homes Victoria Ascot Vale Public Housing Estate Renewal project. Despite their heritage significance, 80 residences that were previously part of the estate have already been demolished because they were “run-down, had high ongoing maintenance costs and no longer met the needs of tenants.”
Office conducted a series of community engagement sessions with residents, who stated a strong desire to remain on the estate. The Retain, Repair, Reinvest proposal brings the existing housing block up to contemporary standards of living through refurbishment – in line with DHHS objectives and environmental standards – while retaining both the existing community and buildings. The strategy is designed to be applicable to other housing estates and can be used to advocate for the retention of existing public housing and the communities that inhabit them, upholding housing as a basic human right.
