Work on Landcorp's Gen Y Demonstration Housing initiative is close to completion and the project has been described as an example of how living spaces are changing with the times.
Landcorp - Western Australia's land development agency - emphasises the fact that economy of space and sustainability are at the core of new building projects such as this, Domain reports.
The first Gen Y sustainable home of its kind, the multi-residential project in White Gum Valley, near Fremantle, is also an example of flexible, sustainable and cost-effective living in the 21st century.
Young West Australian architects were invited to submit designs for unique, sustainable residential dwellings that encapsulated the lifestyle of their generation as part of a design competition carried out in 2013.
This means that the project tapped into the energy and vision of the younger generation from its very outset.
When his design was selected as the winner from 21 entries, David Barr, an architect based in Fremantle, described his focus as being on how to address the challenges of affordable living.
The design was conceived as a foothold in the housing market for the younger generation.
As a result, the Gen Y Demonstration Housing project focuses on small units that offer plenty of scope for community and sustainability, as well as practical considerations such as keeping costs down.
Features such as a shared 10,000 litre underground rainwater tank, solar passive design, shared solar power and battery storage technology to reduce grid energy use, sustainable building material and low water use landscaping are all intended to embrace principles of sustainability that could one day become an industry standard.
The Gen Y Demonstration Housing Project is set to be displayed as an example of the innovation, sustainability and flexibility of the future once work on it has been completed.
