• News

Aussie designers lead the way in resilient timber home design

The WoodSolutions Resilient Timber Homes Design Competition invited submissions for potential new home designs that showcased the positives of building with timber – particularly the ability to withstand increasingly adverse weather events and natural disasters. The added incentive? A total prize pool of $100,000 to be shared between the two winning entries!

The core objective of this innovative competition was to boost the importance of resilience in timber home design to provide improved safety for building occupants, as well as increased value for investors and the whole community, right across Australia as its climate continues to change.

Resilient Timber Homes Program Manager Paolo Lavisci said that in a world where climate change and sustainability are paramount, the WoodSolutions Resilient Timber Homes Design Competition has successfully demonstrated the capacity for innovation amongst the nation’s designers.

“This competition was conceptualised to provide a valuable opportunity for the design community to showcase how its talents can be harnessed to create a better and more resilient future for Australian houses and the families who occupy them.

“We were particularly looking for innovative home designs that use wood to help withstand the impacts of natural disasters, including fires, floods and high winds,” Lavisci said.

“The competition aimed to offer a platform for design excellence to resonate through better homes, prosperous investments and a brighter future for communities, which is a pivotal step toward shaping a more sustainable and resilient Australia.

“With the standard of entries received, entrants certainly rose to the occasion.”

Entrants were invited to tackle two distinct briefs, each based on modifying an existing building design to be used as a benchmark, and presenting a challenge that would push the boundaries of current practices.

Entries were evaluated against key performance requirements, cost premium offset, carbon footprint, practicality of construction and other criteria chosen by a distinguished jury made up of experts in timber design and construction from across Australia.

The jury had the challenging task of identifying the most inspired, practical and transformative designs that aligned with the competition’s objectives. Following detailed review and deliberation, the jury landed on a unanimous outcome for the winner of each brief.

Brief A asked that the entry withstand a slow-moving riverine flood lasting one week and reaching a height of 1 m, with only minor damage and easy recovery.

Chris Gilbert’s design submission for Brief A is a testament to ingenuity and sustainable construction. His pioneering approach seamlessly integrates modular prefabrication and flood-resistant features, ensuring both speed and durability.

In his design, Chris employs cost-effective solutions including blower door equipment for accelerated drying, and moisture-removing graded bottom plates. His design sets out a blueprint for eco-friendly architecture, introducing the transformative ecosystem, Candour, which simplifies timber construction across diverse Australian regions.

Developed by Australian company Archier, known for creating engaging architectural spaces and bespoke products, Candour is already making a real-world impact, streamlining workflows, and enhancing timber design and resilience.

The design utilises a new approach to prefabrication that improves every aspect of design and construction, simplifying timber projects across diverse Australian regions.

Brief B requested entries that resisted a Severe Tropical Cyclone (Category 5), followed by a riverine flood like in Brief A, with minor damage and easy recovery.

Michael Croft’s submission for Brief B, titled The Floodable Queenslander, was selected as a shining example of innovation in sustainable architecture. It harmoniously blends efficiency with passive design principles, optimising solar orientation, natural light, and ventilation.

Beyond a home, it is a socially and environmentally conscious structure that adapts to its surroundings. Its unique feature is its adaptability, offering occupants a flexible framework for sustainable modifications. With innovative timber construction techniques and resilience against floods, the entry stands out as a remarkable showcase of future-focused sustainable design.

“We would like to congratulate Chris Gilbert and Michael Croft on their outstanding design submissions for the Resilient Timber Homes Design Competition,” Lavisci said.

“The winning entries featured innovative solutions like flood-reversible designs using prefabricated open-wall cassettes, moisture management systems and advanced timber construction methods.

“These designs demonstrate the potential of timber-based construction in flood-prone areas.

“This competition has highlighted the importance of sustainability and adaptability in modern architecture, providing valuable insights into future building practices that address environmental challenges while promoting resilient housing solutions.”

The winners were officially announced on Friday 1 September, with a celebratory presentation event held on Tuesday 12 September at Crown Promenade Melbourne on the final night of the 2023 Timber Offsite Construction 2023 Conference and Exhibition.

The great news is the journey of the winning projects does not necessarily end with this competition. The Resilient Timber Homes Program research partners Frame & Truss Manufacturers Association of Australia and OneFortyOne retain the rights to commission the winners to develop full construction drawings and accompanying reports, with a view to potentially building these homes and ensuring the designs will make a lasting impact on the way Australian timber homes are conceptualised and built.

You can continue to follow the journeys of the winners and the competition by clicking here.

Based on the overall high quality of the entries, and the jury’s analyses and feedback, WoodSolutions also issued two special commendations to:

  • Brief A Special Commendation: Lee Yang Yang, Amanda Lau, and Edmund Limadinata. An elegant design with practical solutions for flood resilience including strong cross ventilation, removable finishes, and durable materials.
  • Brief B Special Commendation – Emily and Jane Arnolda. Simple, clever features including the round corners, water height marker, and lifting beds, which will build better resilience not only for the house, but also the family who lives in it.

WoodSolutions extends special thanks to the Resilient Timber Homes program partners who have supported this competition with funding, knowledge and dedication, as well as the judges and advisers, for their invaluable contribution and diligence.

“WoodSolutions is fully aware of the extraordinary talent, creativity and ingenuity that exists amongst Australian home designers,” Lavisci said.

The competition was based on the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) Model Conditions for an Architectural Competition, and was run in a single stage, with two briefs for entrants to choose from.

More on the Resilient Timber Homes Program

The competition formed part of the Resilient Timber Homes Program – an exciting FWPA initiative designed to support the construction of more resilient homes across Australia, using timber.

The second part of the program is the Resilient Timber Homes Design Guide, developed with builders and architects in mind, to provide expert advice relating to the role timber can play in building more resilient homes.

Timber has long been a popular building material thanks to its myriad of well-known benefits but is less widely recognised as a resilient option.

With this guide, builders and architects will have access to the latest timber-focused knowledge and resources to support the creation of homes that are not only beautiful, affordable, and sustainable, but are also fortified against damage as a result of natural disasters. The guide is due to be released early December 2023.

Posted Date: November 22, 2023

Related Resources

Wood Solutions Timber Futures Seminar
  • WoodSolutions
  • News

FWPA members are invited to join our upcoming WoodSolutions Timber Fu…