Call for Entries: NSW Housing Pattern Book International Design Competition.

Arkadia Apartments by Breathe, DKO and Oculus. Photography: Tom Ross.

Arkadia is an award-winning development for Defence Housing Australia that sets the benchmark for sustainability in multi-residential living. Photography: Tom Ross.

The New South Wales (NSW) Government has announced an exciting opportunity for architects and students worldwide—the Housing Pattern Book Design Competition. This initiative seeks bold and innovative ideas for terrace houses and mid-rise apartment buildings for the 21st century.

The competition will support the development of a pattern book of endorsed housing designs that will guide the creation of new low- and mid-rise housing in NSW.

This global competition presents a unique opportunity for architects and designers to contribute to shaping Sydney’s future housing landscape, ensuring a more diverse and sustainable urban environment.

Shaping Sydney’s Future Housing

Sydney faces a significant housing and affordability crisis, ranking globally among the least affordable cities. The market’s emphasis on detached homes and high-rise apartments has neglected the ‘missing middle’ housing types—terraces, townhouses, and small apartment blocks. The competition seeks to address this gap by supporting the development of diverse, affordable, and sustainable housing designs suitable for different life stages.

The competition is led by Government Architect NSW and will be supported by several NSW Government organisations, including Homes NSW, Landcom, and the Sydney Olympic Park Authority. Up to five sites across Greater Sydney will serve as locations for constructing the winning designs as built prototypes. This initiative aims to alleviate the housing crisis and promote innovative design solutions tailored to Sydney’s unique climate and urban character.

This Yellowtrace Promotion is supported by the NSW Government (DPHI). Like everything we do, our partner content is carefully curated to maintain the utmost relevance to our audience. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Yellowtrace.

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Competition Process and Participation

Led by the Government Architect NSW (GANSW) and endorsed by the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA), the competition unfolds in two stages. The first stage, an Expression of Interest (EOI) phase, is open until 5 pm on 9th August 2024. Participants can submit their EOI here.

Shortlisted candidates will advance to Stage 2, where they will receive a fee to develop and submit detailed designs in their chosen category. These designs should provide affordable, liveable, and replicable housing solutions that reflect Sydney’s climate and character.

Shortlisted candidates advancing to Stage 2 will receive a fee to participate and submit detailed designs in their chosen category. These designs should reflect Sydney’s climate and character, and offer affordable, liveable, and replicable solutions.

Winning designs will be included in the NSW Housing Pattern Book and refined for potential construction on government-owned sites.

Competitions like this are crucial for fostering innovation and addressing the pressing issue of housing affordability in Sydney. By inviting global participation, Team Yellowtrace hopes to contribute to reaching a local and global pool of talent and gathering a diverse range of ideas that can significantly impact the future of urban living in NSW. We hope to see your contributions!

For more details on the NSW Housing Pattern Book Competition, please visit planning.nsw.gov.au/pattern-book-design-competition or email [email protected].

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Millard Place Terraces by WMK Architecture. Photography: Richard Glover.

Left: Portman Street Terraces by CO-AP Architects respond to the Victorian terrace typology of its neighbours in form while referencing the site’s industrial provenance in its materials. Photography: Ross Honeysett. Above: Darlington Brickworks Chippendale Apartments by Glyde Bautovich, a multi-residential project that creates a sense of place using a terrace form that reflects the building’s context. Photography: Brett Boardman.

[Photography credits as noted.]