Dylan Newell

Sympoiesis

The project begins from the Merri Merri—the Woi Wurrung word for ‘very rocky’. The Merri Creek and Coburg Parklands form the eastern boundary of the site, while the culturally diverse urban fabric of Sydney road contrasts this to the west. As such, the co-housing project becomes a bridge between the built and unbuilt. Achieving the Passive House standard, the dwellings have high levels of thermal comfort whilst low embodied energy construction ensures that the carbon footprint of the development is low. With multi-generational cultural diversity a key consideration, the architectural program is designed for a mix of ages, needs and family situations. Avoiding social segregation, the program is split between social housing for First Nations People and private long term leases. The street is interfaced with a workshop designed for an Aboriginal artist in residence while a central communal kitchen brings the community together. The project is a sympoiesis of architecture, organisms, geology, weather, and culture. This eclectic mix of architectural and landscape typologies recognises the importance of medium density and suburban living as a sustainable, resilient and life-affirming way to be of the earth.