Group Tours: Housing Affordability

Set within the broader theme of housing affordability, this tour focuses on housing choice, housing innovation and projects that engage wholeheartedly in community building.

Over recent decades the inner-city, former working-class suburbs of Redfern, Waterloo and Surry Hills have undergone massive change. No longer associated with poverty or crime they now boast many of the city’s most popular cafes, bars and restaurants and have a thriving creative scene with something to be discovered around every corner. But at what cost?

As we explore these inner-city neighbourhoods, our route and conversation will be structured around a number of contemporary projects, contested sites, and politically charged themes. You will discover inspired renovations, new homes, infill developments on tiny sites, community-led initiatives as well as larger mixed-use developments, social housing schemes that push the box and inspiring public buildings as we discuss the new ideas shaping how we live in our private and public realms.

Several projects will provide opportunities to open up broader conversations around housing affordability allowing us to share some radically new development models as well as some of the fiscal and political factors affecting affordability including planning, land access, financial and legal factors and the political roles of city and state.

Architects also have an important role to play in conversations around affordability, housing typologies, social and economic mix as well as the qualities of streets and parks. To this end, we will discuss design innovations relating to sustainability, efficiency, interpretation of regulations, developer push-back, landscape integration and flexibility.

Tour notes:
• 2.5 to 4 hours recommended
• Walking or bicycle tour
• Early-morning start ideal
• Each attendee will receive a map of the tour with key points and protagonists noted as well as our SAW Mini-City guide

Tour add-ons:
• Coffee and lunch breaks

Next steps…

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