Demonstration social housing projects

The department is delivering demonstration projects in partnership with the Office of the Queensland Government Architect and private sector architects, building on ideas that came out of the 2017 Density and Diversity Done Well competition.

These projects demonstrate best practice design and challenge typical approaches to social housing design. They explore better development or what is called the ‘missing middle’ (i.e. the housing that sits between high-rise, high-density living and the freestanding suburban house).

The ideas and lessons we learn from demonstration projects help inform future projects. They have been informed by our Social housing design guideline (PDF, 7.8MB).

Read more about our demonstration projects. Some are complete, while others are in various design and construction stages.

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Garden Villas, Southport

View from the street, showing low-set, lightweight dwellings in white and grey, with pastel-coloured features – a distinctly Gold Coast aesthetic.
View from the central, landscaped courtyard to the balconies of the 2 upper-level homes.

Seven compact, 1- and 2-bedroom homes are organised in a village-like group around a central, communal courtyard. All units overlook the courtyard, providing amenity and a sense of safety for residents.

Architect: Anna O’Gorman Architects  
Builder: Nano Constructions
Images: Christopher Frederick Jones

Compact apartments, Labrador

View from the steep street to the white brick fence and light-coloured, multi-level building, with dark-coloured accents.
View from the internal landscaped courtyard to the5-storey section of the development.

Three distinct buildings are located around a central, communal courtyard, above resident parking. The building steps up in height from the street – from a neighbourly 2 storeys at the street up to 5 storeys at the rear. Many of these 20 x 1-bedroom apartments are north facing, with the stepped height allowing sun into the homes and courtyard. Breezeways allow air in and around each home.

Architects: Cox 
Builders: Bryant Building Contractors
Images: Christopher Frederick Jones

Supported youth accommodation, Fraser Coast

View from the street of the low-scale, red brick building, which has the appearance and scale of a house to fit in with the rest of the street.

This award-winning project provides accommodation—as well as care, support and a stable environment—for young people at risk of homelessness. Both the low-scale, domestic form of the building and the choice of materials ensure that the project fits in well with the streetscape, while providing privacy and amenity for its young residents.

Architects: Push Architecture 
Builder: Win Constructions
Images: Christopher Frederick Jones

Ipswich CBD apartments

External view of the building, to the sky and mountains beyond.
External view of the building, showing the basement carpark and street awning.

These 20 apartments over 5 storeys are all accessible for people with varying mobility levels. The building is located in the Ipswich CBD’s Primary Commercial Zone and includes an awning at street level. A community organisation occupies office space on the ground level and supports some of the building residents.

Architects: Conrad Gargett 
Builders: Bryant Building Contractors

Green laneway homes, Holland Park

An artist’s rendering of the landscaped walkway through the centre of the site.

This development is easy to move around in. Resident parking is centralised and located at one end of the site, leaving the site centre as a green pedestrian laneway. This internal laneway allows breezes to flow freely through the development – maximising passive cooling while encouraging incidental social interaction among neighbours.

Architects: Arkhefield 
Builders: BLD Building and Legal Development Pty Ltd
Images: Arkhefield

Healthy homes, Inala

An artist’s rendering of the exterior of the development. 

This design uses scale and dispersed building massing to create connections to the neighbourhood. It offers a model for increased diversity near a high street and incorporates a second laneway. The landscaped areas provide common gathering space for residents and visitors.

Architects: Baber Studio
Images: Baber Studio

Diverse dwelling mix, Zillmere

External view of the site, showing the steel cladding and render, with dark-coloured feature awnings.

This mix of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments is spread across 3 storeys.  A pinwheel arrangement around a central courtyard provides passive ventilation, and the building sits comfortably within the surrounding street.

Architects: Gresley Abas 
Builders: BLD Building and Legal Development Pty Ltd
Images: Kate Mathieson Photography

Affordable home, Lawnton

External view, showing the 2 distinct buildings linked by walkways.
Interior view, showing the neutral-coloured kitchen with timber-look features, and large sliding doors and louvres looking out onto a generous balcony.

These 27 homes make the most of the site’s north-facing aspect. Residents access their homes via external, covered walkways from the south. The car park is behind the building, and part of the driveway connects the communal garden to the development’s central green corridor.

Architects: Ko and Co Architects 
Builder: Kane Constructions
Images: Kate Mathieson Photography

Homes for the dry tropics, Mundingburra

View from the street, showing the townhouse-style apartments with feature colours and breeze blocks.
View to 1 of the larger dwellings in the development, also showing a pedestrian gate and stairway to the upper level.

This project provides 2- and 4-bedroom homes that are designed for the hot, dry tropics of Townsville. A large, landscaped space sits at the heart of the development, and the home designs capture south-east and north-east sea breezes.

Architects: Counterpoint Architects 
Builder: Ellis Constructions
Images: Andrew Rankin

Townhouse-style apartments, Logan

View of the generous communal space, showing concrete bench seats, covered area, and a swing. View of the townhouse-style apartments behind. 
View from the street, showing the front townhouses and brick fences, and the carpark to the side.

This 2-storey development is arranged around garden spaces and organised to allow for north–south orientation and good ventilation into all homes. The design fosters a sense of community and creates opportunities for casual interaction between residents.

Architects: REFRESH* 
Builders: Bryant Building Contractors
Images: Scott Burrows

Master-planned, supported housing, Eight Mile Plains

Artist’s impression of the 2-storey development showing covered communal seating area, with 2-storey buildings behind.
Artist’s impression of the 2-storey development, showing landscaping, pathways and breezeblock screening to upper level.

This project replaces a long-established crisis housing and support service on the site. It includes 33 social housing dwellings and an ancillary hub space that will provide services and support to residents. The master plan includes the demolition of an existing hostel and a new internal road reserve that connects the development to existing social housing dwellings.

Architects: Deicke Richards
Builders: Adco Construction
Images: Christopher Frederick Jones