The Brief
With housing a top priority for the Victorian government, there is a push to deliver more housing, and medium density – townhouses and low-rise apartments up to four storeys – are one of the solutions at the centre of that challenge. The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) needed a practical, accessible design guide that would help architects, developers and planners understand how to deliver better medium density housing across the state. The guide needed to work across a wide range of typologies, from dual occupancy to consolidated lot apartments, and cover everything from site layout and building massing to materiality, sustainability and dwelling amenity.
Our Approach
Fieldwork contributed diagrams, graphics and case studies to the guide, illustrating how the design principles can be translated into real, accessible outcomes. The guidance demonstrates the design principles in practice – showing how orientation, façade articulation, active frontages and material quality can be achieved at a scale that is replicable across the state.
Impact
Published in March 2025, Designing Better Medium Density Housing in Victoria is a design guideline document for the design and delivery of housing across the state. By grounding its guidance in built examples, the document bridges the gap between policy intent and practical application – giving the industry a clear picture of what good medium density housing looks like in practice.
Designing Better Medium Density Housing in Victoria
Design guidance documentation for the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning.
The Brief
With housing a top priority for the Victorian government, there is a push to deliver more housing, and medium density – townhouses and low-rise apartments up to four storeys – are one of the solutions at the centre of that challenge. The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) needed a practical, accessible design guide that would help architects, developers and planners understand how to deliver better medium density housing across the state. The guide needed to work across a wide range of typologies, from dual occupancy to consolidated lot apartments, and cover everything from site layout and building massing to materiality, sustainability and dwelling amenity.
Our Approach
Fieldwork contributed diagrams, graphics and case studies to the guide, illustrating how the design principles can be translated into real, accessible outcomes. The guidance demonstrates the design principles in practice – showing how orientation, façade articulation, active frontages and material quality can be achieved at a scale that is replicable across the state.
Link: Designing Better Medium Density Housing in Victoria
(planning.vic.gov.au)
Published
March 2025