Bradfield scholarship shortlist: A big vision of little homes to tackle housing crisis
A STINT on a French houseboat sparked architecture student Marion Edye’s vision of sustainable “Jenga homes” — as a solution to Sydney’s housing crisis.
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A FAMILY holiday on a houseboat on a French river sparked architecture student Marion Edye’s vision of sustainable “Jenga homes” — tiny stackable houses built from shipping containers, as a solution to Sydney’s housing crisis.
Ms Edye, 19, a finalist in the Lendlease Bradfield Urbanisation Scholarship, says her plan was inspired by the family trip on the Meuse River, when they also played the popular block-stacking game of Jenga.
“The idea is that tiny homes can be mounted and stacked in different ways, in different locations, such as on barges in river,” first-year architecture student Ms Edye said.
“The houseboat holiday was quite an eye-opener because you live with only what you need. There’s no excess and everything has a function.”
Her plan, submitted for the scholarship, involves carefully designed homes using a new technology allowing a building to intelligently cool and heat itself.
“These houses can sit upon barges on Sydney waterways, be stacked into low multistorey dwellings on land, or fitted with wheels for a more mobile lifestyle,” Ms Edye said.
A hand for leaders of tomorrow
SOME of Sydney’s brightest future engineers, planners, architects and artists vied for this year’s prestigious $10,000-a-year Lendlease Bradfield Urbanisation Scholarship.
The scholarship, part of The Daily Telegraph’s Project Sydney: Bradfield campaign, is open to first and second-year University of Sydney students.
Students were asked for a 110-word submission answering: “By 2036 Sydney’s population will reach nine million people. Parramatta will be the capital gateway to the intense growth towards the Blue Mountains. What is your great idea to ensure the success of this strategy for Sydney?”
The seven finalists then pitched their vision to a panel comprising Lendlease chief Steve McCann, The Daily Telegraph editor Christopher Dore, University of Sydney vice-principal (advancement) Tim Dolan and other Sydney Uni academic experts.
The scholarship is worth as much as $40,000 for a four-year degree.
The 2017 Bradfield scholar will be revealed on October 24 at the Bradfield Oration.