Rivervale, an inner city suburb of Perth 5km from the CBD, requires a new housing identity that reflects the true demographic of people living here. Rather than the typical 3 bedroom Nuclear Family home that dominates the suburb, my project provides a range of studio, one & two bedroom apartments that suit the younger demographic of Rivervale. Designed as a mixed use precinct with commercial and residential functions, the project aims to bring to life the near-by strip shops and take advantage of the adjacent park. An injection of higher density living within the neighbourhood centre aims to help local businesses thrive again, whilst also offering convenience to the new residents.
Diverse Rivervale
The shared courtyard stitches a variety of public uses and green open spaces into the shopping strip street.
Level 1 Floor Plan
The ‘horseshoe’ floor plan maximises engagement between the site & the existing commercial strip & park over the road. Five levels of affordable housing sit above a commercial podium connected to a range of public and semi-public courtyards.
Typical Dwelling Plans
The project aims to incorporate standardised dwelling plans into the curved horseshoe building footprint. The floor plans use a typical layout with the studio apartment, one bedroom apartment and two bedroom apartment having a similar internal layout throughout the building. The variance in design comes from orientation of the dwelling & balcony conditions.
Central Courtyard
A copper facade articulates the commercial ground floor spaces, with the residential above being primarily precast concrete & steel mesh for the vegetation facade. The material language draws on the local masonry and mining industries in Western Australia, and aims to change the typical perception of affordable housing from ‘cheap’ to well-designed. The expense of using copper in deliberate locations is offset by simplifying the structural and service systems elsewhere throughout the building.
In the spirit of reconciliation Monash University acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
