Global multi-disciplinary design practice GroupGSA has delivered a pioneering integrated housing model for Anglicare that successfully combines affordable build-to-sell apartments with social housing for local communities in Sydney’s western suburbs.

The three developments in Mount Druitt, Fairfield and Liverpool are believed to be an Australian-first, with most strata apartments sold out ahead of their completion in 2021. The social housing units are designed specifically for women aged over 55. 

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals that women over 55 are particularly vulnerable to homelessness. In 2021, almost 5000 women in this age group were on the waiting list for social housing in NSW alone. Meanwhile, 405,000 women over 45 were considered at risk of housing affordability stress and subsequently becoming homeless, as estimated in the ‘At Risk’ policy report by Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) and Social Ventures Australia.

GroupGSA has completed seven projects for Anglicare in the past three years, including boutique housing for women at Botany; mixed social and affordable residences at Corrimal; and a new-concept village at Minto that blends retirement living with affordable housing to support ageing in place in community settings.

“At their core, these residential builds are designed to be good neighbours – positively impacting both occupants and the urban fabric they inhabit,” GroupGSA director Lisa-Maree Carrigan said.

“Anglicare prioritised strong external engagement and GroupGSA has embraced this in terms of spatial design, the look and feel of these buildings, the interactions they cultivate and the micro-communities they engender. Larger developments have public realm interfaces and spaces that can be made available to the broader public, enhancing the community’s experience and maximising the urban fit.”

Having long recognised the increasingly urgent need for affordable and social housing for local communities in western Sydney, Anglicare became involved in the NSW Government’s SAHF initiative. The projects were delivered in a tight 2.5-year concept-to-occupation timeframe mandated by the NSW Government’s SAHF Tranche 2. The sites also achieved Design Excellence status as endorsed by the local council’s Design Excellence Program.

Anglicare development manager Daniel Jukic underlined the need for giving due consideration to the specific needs of residents when designing affordable homes – beyond creating efficient floor plans and making intelligent material selections.

“GroupGSA implemented this understanding into their design, with every decision considering ways to foster connections between people, from the design of communal spaces to the movement of people throughout the buildings. In doing so, they helped to create not just a building, but a home.”

Holistic design solutions were employed to achieve urban design, architecture, landscape design, interior design, and graphic design objectives. Ensuring best practice in passive design, solar amenity use and cross-ventilation opportunities was considered critical, in order to reduce reliance on expensive mechanical heating and cooling. Regardless of size, all projects feature exceptional external and internal communal space amenity, fostering community amongst residents.

Anglicare development manager Andreas Brohl said the sites set a precedent for what is possible in social and affordable housing.

“Through the design of these developments, Group GSA has assisted Anglicare in its mission to address the urgent need in the western suburbs of Sydney for affordable and social housing for local communities,” Brohl said.

“Anglicare social housing developments seek to address affordability while still delivering high quality homes; [these] developments are innovative in their approach to providing residents not only a modern and comfortable home, but also a supportive, connected and welcoming community.”