Editor’s Letter

“For over two years, Australia’s home builders were commencing more new projects than they had been completing,” says HIA Senior Economist, Tom Devitt.

“There were only 29,153 detached houses completed in the September quarter 2022, just 2.5 percent up on the same time the previous year. The number of homes reaching completion remains no higher than those being commenced with 29,177 new projects started in the September quarter,” says Devitt.

“Over 104,000 houses are still under construction across Australia, almost double the pipeline that existed in mid2020,” he says.

In other words, supply is down while demand is up, or at best, steady as before.

Now some would think this is good for the design and build sector, but in reality, it’s not. Supply shortages coupled with labour issues means creativity, innovation and sustainability take a back seat.

What ultimately comes to the fore is cost-cutting, mediocre outcomes, and economic survival.

At a time when Australia’s residential house building sector should be going through a design renaissance in terms of both lowering energy use and material waste output, we are seeing an industry that is treading water and fearing what may or may not be just around the corner.

As architect Tone Wheeler wrote in this very magazine not that long ago: “In the past, progressive architecture was often in the hands of governments.”

Today, it’s more likely to be in Adam Smith’s “invisible hand of the market”.

But all is not lost.

Speaking to several architects and designers over the past few months, it’s clear that the concept of passive house is increasing in popularity in Australia – not just for homeowners but certifying authorities as well.

Then there is the issue of the NCC and the intrepid NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler, who’s making updates and improvements to our national building code with the same zeal and fervour as that of a tent revivalist preacher.

Lead free plumbing products, energy efficiency, condensation mitigation, and liveable housing provisions are set to become standard as of October this year.

There is more potential in the wind. As Wheeler notes, “Architects can play a key role in addressing the current inequality. Crucially they can advocate for federal programs in housing, schools and hospitals that follow in the footsteps of the innovations of the three previous post-war Labor governments, and improved Government Architects Offices (GAOs)”.

As we know, nothing determines inequality in Australia like home ownership.

So, there we have it – our next 12 months and what we need to do to fix our current malaise is clear as day.

And we can’t forget the climate also – sooner or later, like with transport, agri-business, and mining, lowering our emissions will become a central focus.

It’s going to be a big year.

ON THE COVER The High Street Apartments is Gardiner Architects’ first high-rise multi-residential project. Located in Thornbury, Melbourne, the project is a mixed-use building, with thirteen apartments above a ground floor carpark and restaurant fronting High Street.

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EDITOR Branko Miletic branko.miletic@architectureanddesign.com.au

ASSISTANT EDITOR Jarrod Reedie jarrod.reedie@architectureanddesign.com.au

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Stephanie Stefanovic

Tone Wheeler

Matthew McDonald

Hamish McDonald Alessandro Antoci

Trivess Moore

Nicola Willand

Prue Miller

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