Housing Evolution
Towards Better Medium-Density Design
The ability to flex, adapt and evolve is becoming increasingly vital to respond to the challenges our world is now facing – and nowhere is this more evident than in our communities. The way our towns and homes were designed in the past is no longer sustainable and we need to be smarter about the way we use our land and resources to ensure our cities are well-positioned for the future.
Housing design is evolving to address this challenge and this has given birth to exciting new urban precincts that deliver smarter density and diversity, balanced with quality-of-life benefits, including safety, connection, a greater sense of community and, importantly, affordability.
While the nature of housing is changing, the importance of homes and community remains at the core of our society. Everyone wants to come home to a place where they feel safe, connected, comfortable and free to make choices that suit their lifestyle. The neighbourhoods we shape today must provide more housing options and greater opportunity for connection than ever before.
The designs in Housing Evolution set a new bar for residential development in this state, demonstrating what might be possible when we strive to deliver good, sustainable, practical design for people and communities.
Geoffrey London is a Professor of Architecture at The University of Western Australia and a Professorial Fellow at The University of Melbourne. He previously held the positions of Victorian Government Architect (2008-14) and Western Australian Government Architect (2004-8). Among his publications are Designs on Density (with Simon Anderson, 2021), Kerry Hill: Crafting Modernism (2013), Procuring Innovative Architecture (with Leon van Schaik, 2010), and Take 7: Housing Australia (with Simon Anderson, 2008). He is an active researcher in the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities and has a long-term professional and research interest in medium density housing and forms of delivery that provide more affordability and better design.
DEVELOPMENTWA Formed through the merging of LandCorp and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (MRA) in 2019, DevelopmentWA is the State Government’s central development agency, operating across Western Australia with a diverse portfolio of industrial, commercial and residential projects. DevelopmentWA is tasked with ensuring Western Australia is ready to respond to the challenges of today and tomorrow. They achieve this by working with industry experts, emerging talent, government leaders and community groups to drive continuous evolution in housing design.
