Learn more about the expression of interest phase of the Pattern Book Design Competition.
The NSW Government is launching an international design competition to seek housing ideas to support the development of a pattern book of endorsed housing designs to guide the creation of new low- and mid-rise housing in NSW.
Architects from around the world will be invited to compete to design terrace houses and mid-rise apartment blocks for 21st century Sydney.
The competition, led by Government Architect NSW, seeks designs that are liveable, buildable, replicable, cost effective, sustainable and that meet the needs of the industry and local communities.
The submissions will help inform the types of designs to be included in the Pattern Book to be launched in mid-2025.
The competition will be run as a 2-stage process, starting with an open expression of interest (EOI), followed by shortlisted entrants submitting a detailed pattern design in Stage 2.
EOI selection criteria will be based on demonstrated capability, portfolio, methodology and entrant profile. In Stage 2, shortlisted candidates will be asked to submit detailed pattern designs in their chosen category with the winners announced later this year.
The EOI phase is now open and closes at 5pm on 9 August (Australian Eastern Standard Time).
For more information, read the NSW Housing Pattern Book Design – Expression of interest brief (PDF, 3.2 MB).
Read the EOI terms and conditions (PDF, 134 KB).
Registrations can be entered via 2 categories:
- The professional category is open to registered architects and architects eligible for registration in NSW.
- The student category is open to anyone enrolled in a recognised architecture degree course globally.
From these applications, 15 professional and 6 student finalists in the low- and mid-rise categories will be selected to participate in stage 2. In this stage, finalists will prepare designs ahead of final judging and winners being announced.
The shortlisted 15 professional and 6 student teams will be paid a fee to participate in the Stage 2 Design Competition.
Expression of interest can be made at Pattern Book Design Competition.
The competition opens on 2 July 2024. To apply, registered architects and students must express their interest (EOI) by 5pm on 9 August 2024 (Australian Eastern Standard Time), before a jury will shortlist finalists to participate in Stage 2.
Winners will be announced in October / November 2024.
The 5-person jury chaired by the NSW Government Architect, Abbie Galvin, will be made up of recognised design and housing experts, and endorsed by Australian Institute of Architects.
The shortlisted 15 professional and 6 student teams will be paid a fee to participate in the Stage 2 Design Competition, and the competition winning architects (professional category only) will be eligible to build their design as a demonstration project in collaboration with GANSW and NSW Government organisations.
Up to 5 sites across greater Sydney are being committed by Homes NSW, Landcom and Sydney Olympic Park Authority for the development of built demonstration projects.
Competition winners will also have the opportunity to work with GANSW and be paid to refine their designs into patterns for inclusion in the Pattern Book.
A jury will choose up to 5 winning professional designs (a winning design for each demonstration site) for public exhibition and design development. One student category winner will also be selected.
Winners will be chosen based on evaluation criteria explained in the Stage 2 Design Competition Brief.
The community will also have an opportunity to vote for their favourite competition design when finalists are announced later this year.
In the context of housing development, a pattern book is a collection of building designs, design elements, and development principles that can be used to guide the creation of new housing.
It serves as a reference resource for developers, architects, building designers, planners, and community members, providing a common design language, construction methodology and set of guidelines for creating high-quality, sustainable, and context-sensitive housing.
It can provide consistency in design and certainty of cost and built outcomes, significantly reducing the time and effort required for the design and planning stages of housing projects.
The pattern book will lead to faster development. Pre-designed solutions cut the time and effort needed for the design and planning stages of housing projects.
Developers who use the endorsed pattern-book designs will have an accelerated approval pathway. This means builders can get on site faster, and people can move into new homes sooner.
The pattern book will also lead to more flexibility. Pattern book developments are often easier to maintain and adaptable to changing needs. This is because the design intent and building typologies are well-defined.
A pattern book can promote consistency in design, but developers can also adapt patterns to meet a specific community context. This could include:
- adjustment of the room sizes and numbers to suit user needs
- considering environmental factors
- choice of material and roof form to suit neighbourhood character.
The development of the Pattern Book will involve the community in the design process, to ensure housing designs meet the needs of NSW diverse communities.
It also offers sustainable, cost-effective design, encouraging:
- the use of energy-efficient materials and construction methodologies to minimise energy bills
- green/passive building techniques to naturally heat and cool homes
- water-conservation measures
- reduced wastage in construction.
The pattern book will include both low- and mid-rise housing – known as the missing middle. We need more low- and mid-rise housing to fill the gap between detached homes and high-rise apartment buildings to suit people's changing lifestyle needs.
The contemporary home designs will be suitable for NSW’s climate, allow for natural light and aim to include community spaces for shared meals and neighbourhood activities.
Low-rise housing
Low-rise housing is 1–2 storey buildings that include dual occupancies (2 dwellings on the same lot), terraces, townhouses, and manor houses (low-rise apartment buildings).
Mid-rise housing
Mid-rise housing is 3–6 storey apartment buildings or mixed-use buildings with ground floor shops and apartments above.
Our households are changing, and we need to build more housing to meet these changing needs.
We’re focussed on supporting the development of homes where people want to live. Building up, rather than out, not only saves money but it helps create housing supply – which promotes affordability.
We need more well-designed low- and mid-rise housing to fill the gap between detached homes and high-rise apartment buildings to suit people's changing lifestyle needs.
Building homes in well-located areas, close to transport hubs and town centres, can help reduce the cost of living by improving access to walkable amenities, cost-effective transport options, and a variety of housing and employment opportunities.
The low-rise housing pattern book will be available in mid-2025.
More information about the Pattern Book Design Competition can be found in the EOI brief (PDF, 3.2 KB) or by emailing [email protected]