Jury citation
Habitat on Juers is an innovative, human-centred solution to social and affordable housing on a deep site in the southern Brisbane city of Logan. The project incorporates 16 accessible and adaptable dwellings, conceived as a village-like development close to public transport, schools and shops. The clever spatial planning keeps the cars to the side of the site, separate from the units. This enables generous and activated shared courtyards with barbecue areas and play equipment, without disregarding the need for private entries and drying courts. The language of the architecture is engaging, while the scale and character remain sympathetic to the context. Slightly offset, the staggered units are constructed from black and white lightweight mass timber and anchored by brick fire walls and entry courtyard bases. This layering of spaces and materials, and the integration of communal landscaped areas, creates non-institutional forms and an interesting visual rhythm that gives each dwelling a unique identity. Habitat on Juers pushes the envelope on typical housing typologies and is a role model in demonstrating good social and affordable housing design for the Australian context.
Habitat on Juers is located in Kingston, Queensland, on Turrbal and Jagera Countries.
Project credits
Architect: Refresh Studio for Architecture; Project team: Erhard Rathmayr, Llewellyn Griggs, Monika Obrist; Builder: Bryant Building Contractors; Structural engineer: NGS Engineers; Fire engineer: Holmes Fire ; User research and human-centred design consultant Public Research and Design; Landscape consultant Laudink; Hydraulic consultant H Design; ESD consultant Integreco Consulting.
