Children's cubbies designed by architects and designers are being auctioned off at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) to raise money for the nearly 45,000 homeless and at-risk young people in Australia on 24 March.

The five architects involved in the project are: Gunn Dyring Architecture, Urban Design & David McDonald Builders, Positive Footprints, Smith Madden & Harris HMC, Porter Davis Homes, Maddison Architects & Stonehaven Homes.

Called the Cubby House Challenge, not-for-profit organisation, Kids Under Cover, engaged the architecture firms to each design and build cubbies - with creative architectural designs including a cubby which has a secret retractable central pillar which raises an upper storey green canopy roof; a mezzanine level which can double as an outdoor sleep out; hideaway tunnels, escape poles, communication ports, telescopes to seek out intruders and solar panels to generate LED lighting.

Grand Design presenter and architect Peter Maddison designed a cubby last year (below) which was sold and then the person who bought it gave it back again to be auctioned off this year.

Gunn Dyring designed his cubby using slate cladding for the entire exterior which can be used as a giant blackboard and therefore providing versatility to the cubby.

The cubby form was designed from Moo’s sketches (a four year old design consultant). These included crooked walls, bird-like form, unevenly placed windows, a little door and somewhere to keep plants. A lot of the timber materials were off-cuts from the timber yard minimising material wastage.

Gunn Dyring's cubby design

The organisation said that the cubbies are worth thousands of dollars just in material alone and all of the money goes to help homeless youth through mentor programmes, scholarships and to help build them homes.

To donate, bid on a cubby or want to find out more, click here.

"The Zimmer" by Porter Davis Homes

"Storybook Hollow" under construction and completed by Smith Madden & Harris HMC

"Mini Giant" by Maddison Architects & Stonehaven Homes

"Enchanted Tree" by Positive Footprints