THE/03

Life Complex

Ellen Kwek

Studio Description

YIMBY Melbourne’s website outlines a ‘signature recommendation—a new Missing Middle Zone—would enable six-storey, mixed-use development on all residential land within 1 kilometre of a train station and 500 metres of a tram stop...’

This studio asks you to examine and test (or modify) YIMBY Melbourne’s ideas and create a proposal for housing on infill sites in Melbourne's inner urban areas (https://www.yimby.melbourne/missing-middle). Consider whether the solution is as simple as setting the maximum height at six stories.

Choose a site that fits the report’s criteria of a location within 1km from a train station or 500m to a tram stop and design high amenity compact housing or a mixed-use complex to a maximum of 6 stories (including lower height as appropriate). Sites are to be currently under-utilised, vacant or capitalise on existing structures for retrofitting and extending. The site footprint is to be between 800sqm and 5000sqm plus an area of public open space. Note: this could comprise several smaller lots.

• Keep your ideas open to hybrid typologies, communal and intergenerational living, and contemporary household types.
• Consider the micro-footprint unit alongside a mix of housing types and scales.
• What social dynamics come from variety in community?
• Design open space and landscape as a salve for compact living

This is a semi-open studio and you are to have a clear idea of your project direction in line with the parameters above.

Studio Outcomes

The design output is self-directed but the suggestion is to:

1. Design an urban scale scheme OR a systematic approach to a prevalent smaller scale situation
2. Additionally focus on a further detailed area of particular interest for example (but not limited to) a repeatable module or a variety of combinable unit types
3. Refine the detailed design for a particular occupant group, progressive use of a sustainable material, or the re-use existing built fabric.

This studio will include opportunities to interact with outside practitioners, site visits to built examples, discussion and analysis of student-led investigations and informal presentations.

The students will engage with precedents/ideas of interest via research. Analysis, critique and understanding of housing typologies will be key. Experimentation with concept models, diagramming and sketching are expected processes.

Cultural elements of the design are self-directed, but students are encouraged to find time to extend beyond traditional architecture into other areas of interest.

Studio Leader

Ellen Kwek is an architect and interior designer who has had widely varied experience working in Melbourne and Tasmania for Liminal Studio, multiplicity, Peter Elliot Architects and Six Degrees Architects. Previously she worked as a research assistant and Design Thesis studio leader for the University of Melbourne.

She and her partner, Michael Frazzetto, were featured in 'Never Too Small' video documentary web series Designing Happier Living: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnbqhyUYL-M

She works as a freelance designer and is interested in multidisciplinary design. Most recently involved in a production for Dancenorth (QLD): https://dancenorth.com.au/works/still and as a volunteer at Linden New Art gallery.

In 2023 she was a finalist in the Tapestry Design Prize for Architects:
https://tapestrydesignprize/org/finalists/liminal-studio-ellen-kwek

Readings & References

Kohler, Alan. (2023). The Great Divide Australia’s Housing Mess and How to Fix It. Quarterly Essay 92.

https://www.quarterlyessay.com.au/essay/2023/11/the-great-divide/extract

Hayden, Dolores. (1984). Redesigning the American Dream: The future of housing, work and family life.

Maak, Nikas. (2015). Living Complex: From zombie to the new communal. Hirmer Verlag GmbH.

Nelson, Anitra. (2018). Small is Necessary: Shared living on a shared planet. Pluto Press.

Schedule:
Tuesday 10:00am-12:00pm in MSD 139
&
Friday 9:00am-1:00pm in MSD 139

Off-Site Activity:
Thornbury Housing Example

Contact Handbook