The New South Wales Government is developing a "pattern book" of endorsed housing designs, eligible for fast-tracked approval, to guide the creation of new low-rise housing and mid-rise apartment buildings in Sydney, Australia.
The best architectural minds from everywhere in the world are invited to participate in the NSW Housing Pattern Book International Design Competition to create great designs for Sydney and contribute to the diversity and depth of the Pattern Book.
Shaping the Future of Sydney’s Housing
Sydney stands at a pivotal moment, facing a housing crisis that has placed it among the top three least affordable cities for property ownership for the last 15 years. For too long, Sydney's housing market has been dominated by either detached homes or high-rise apartments, neglecting the "missing middle"—terraces, townhouses, and small apartment blocks—the type of housing that is affordable and creates walkable and sustainable neighborhoods.
To meet this challenge to create more affordable, inclusive and sustainable housing options in Sydney, the NSW Government is calling for bold, innovative design solutions that capture the imagination and will help build the vibrant communities of Sydney and NSW.
The Pattern Book Design Competition seeks to engage the international design community, architects, and students from around the world, inviting them to explore bold ideas and develop creative concepts to reimagine housing in Sydney and NSW for the 21st century. The competition is looking for homes that are modest, sustainable, adaptable, affordable, and beautiful—homes that meet our needs through all stages of life, from raising children and working from home to aging in place.
The Pattern Book Design Competition Will Deliver More Than Just Good Ideas
This competition is more than just a call for creativity; it’s an opportunity for architects across the world to see their vision for housing come to life and be constructed as built prototypes. Supported by NSW Government organizations including Homes NSW, Landcom, and the Sydney Olympic Park Authority, up to five sites across Greater Sydney will be dedicated to developing the innovative designs of competition winners into real, built projects.
The Competition Process
The NSW Housing Pattern Book Design Competition will be run as a two-stage process, led by the Government Architect NSW (GANSW) and endorsed by the Australian Institute of Architects. The first stage is an Expression of Interest (EOI) phase, where architects and students can register their interest without submitting design work. The second stage will shortlist entrants who will receive a competition fee to develop their ideas further.
The competition will establish a global design-led exploration of housing ideas to support the development of a NSW Housing Pattern Book of pre-approved designs for two key housing typologies: the terrace house and the mid-rise apartment (up to 6 stories). These designs will be responsive to Sydney’s unique climate, character, and cultural heritage, offering affordable, liveable, buildable, and replicable solutions.
Competition winners will also have the opportunity to work with GANSW to refine their designs for inclusion in the NSW Housing Pattern Book.
How to Participate
The initial EOI phase opens at 9:00 AM AEST on July 2, 2024, and closes at 5:00 PM AEST on August 9, 2024. Professional architects and students of architecture are invited to express their interest by visiting www.planning.nsw.gov.au/pattern-book-design-competition.
No design work is required at this stage—simply share your team’s capabilities, relevant portfolio, and a task appreciation statement as outlined in the competition EOI brief.
By September 2024, up to 21 entries (15 professional and 6 student) will be selected to advance to the second stage. These teams will be paid to participate and will have five weeks to develop their housing patterns.
At the end of this phase, the selected professional competition winners will have the honor of having their designs brought to life and built on a government-owned site.
Join the NSW Government and Government Architect NSW in facing Sydney’s housing challenges and let your creativity and innovation shape a brighter, more sustainable future for Sydney’s housing. For any inquiries about the competition or your entry, please email patternbookcompetition@planning.nsw.gov.au.
For more information on the NSW Housing Pattern Book please visit the official website.
