Redefining the Australian Dream

Ideas - by Open Journal

Illustration by Alice Oehr.

Neometro’s friends at Assemble are taking an active lead in the public debate on apartment living. Released earlier today, Assemble’s Small Footprint Living Survey is a national test of Australian living attitudes that aims to understand what factors contribute to successful medium and high density housing environments. The findings will provide an insight into how we live now and how we’d like to live in the future, a litmus test to shape both the public and private sector approach to housing outcomes in decades to come.

Assemble’s Small Footprint Living Survey follows the release of ‘Better Apartments, A Discussion Paper’ by the Victorian Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne MP, on 14 May 2015 – a fresh start to the discussion following the leak of the proposed Victorian Apartment Design Standards in July last year.

“The quarter-acre block we once aspired to is no longer affordable for most Australians, nor does it match up to our 21st century vision for well-connected, culturally diverse, sustainable and smart cities,” says Ben Keck, “To live better in cities, we need to live smaller. However, the capacity to do so is necessarily affected by government regulation. The Victorian and NSW governments are currently reviewing policies that will have a significant impact on the way we live in years to come, and we have a chance to be part of the process.”

“Our hope is not only to influence policy-making, but also to provide a useful resource to assist decision-making by home-buyers, renters, developers, planners, architects and city-lovers alike,”says Keck.

“This is a vital, complicated and passionate debate for our cities. There don’t appear to be any silver bullet solutions. Close consultation between government and the property, planning and architecture communities will be necessary to strike the delicate balance of encouraging new and affordable apartment supply and a high standard of living for current and future generations.”

Take the survey here

For Giuseppe Demaio, the more design-oriented owner-occupier is expected to remain a strong buying force, regardless of the property market’s next cycle.

“I’d like to be optimistic and think that better designed apartments are attracting a new audience of own-occupiers. They are attracted by excellent locations, relatively affordable price points (compared to existing homes) and the opportunity to live in a well designed and built modern home.

Planning with a better articulated design goals posts could actually help speed up the development process depending on how apartment standards might apply. Of course if they are applied in a prescriptive way then it could also add a layer of work for councils who are already swamped.”

“I’m a big believer in market forces and once people can see the opportunity, they will demand the quality. Developers must have the confidence to invest in delivering a superior product, knowing that future residents are happy to invest in turn.”