A new design competition invites Australian designers to develop Code+ home designs with timber structures that are resilient enough to stand up to the impacts of Australia’s rapidly changing climate.
Launched by WoodSolutions, the competition seeks new home designs that best showcase the advantages of building with timber, particularly, the material’s ability to withstand increasingly adverse weather events. Part of the Resilient Timber Homes Program that supports the construction of timber homes designed with a resilience-focused Code+ approach across Australia, the competition offers a total prize pool of $100,000.
Australian designers, architects, engineers, developers and builders have long preferred timber for its myriad of benefits, including strength, durability, aesthetics, affordability, versatility, and sustainability.
The WoodSolutions Resilient Timber Homes Design Competition aims to demonstrate how Australian homes can be designed for resilience using timber, delivering improved occupant safety and wellbeing, alongside increased value for investors and the community.
“At WoodSolutions, we are continually impressed by the talent, creativity, and ingenuity that exists amongst Australian home designers,” said Resilient Timber Homes program manager, Paolo Lavisci.
“This competition provides a valuable opportunity for the design community to showcase its talents and work together to create a better and more resilient future for Australian houses and the families who occupy them.
“Specifically, we are looking for innovative home designs that use wood to help withstand the impacts of natural disasters, including fires, floods and high winds,” explained Lavisci.
Based on the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) Model Conditions for an Architectural Competition, the competition will be run in a single stage, with a choice of two briefs.
Entrants will be required to prepare their final designs for assessment by Friday 23 June 2023, after which a jury comprising leading design and build experts from across Australia will pick two winning entries, with each winner taking home $50,000.
Following the competition, the program’s Partners may commission a full set of construction drawings from the winners, while WoodSolutions will work to support further R&D work based on the competition’s ideas.
Enter The WoodSolutions Resilient Timber Homes Design Competition.
Image credits: Level-ak | Photographer: John Gollings
