Byron Meyer | Monash University (original) (raw)

Papers by Byron Meyer

South East Queensland (SEQ) is Australia's fastest growing region. The Council of Mayors (SEQ) ha... more South East Queensland (SEQ) is Australia's fastest growing region. The Council of Mayors (SEQ) has identified the strategic potential of medium density development in creating greater diversity and affordability in housing markets, as well as promoting a more compact and sustainable urban form. However, the construction of infill buildings at 4-8 storey scale can present significant challenges in terms of achieving sustainable, liveable outcomes within existing site and financial constraints, as well as integration into extant surrounding neighbourhoods.

This paper reports on a design research project commissioned by the Council of Mayors (SEQ) that investigated design strategies for improving the liveability and sustainability of medium density infill development, and sought to provide an evidence base for the benefits and costs of incorporating such strategies. Current market developments representative of a status quo were analysed to provide a benchmark and ensure the strategies are feasible within the constraints of market-led delivery.

A series of alternative design models were formulated employing simple but effective changes to current market development approaches to improve liveability and sustainability. Cost-benefit evaluation of construction and life-cycle expenditure against a benchmark was undertaken, revealing the increase in construction costs was negligible, and a reduction in energy consumption of nearly 15% was possible. Further design benefits included enhanced quality of space/liveability, alongside improved shared spaces and impact on the public realm and neighbours.

Potential adjustments to current planning and building codes are proposed to provide necessary flexibility. More broadly, the research shows the value of a holistic, design-led process of testing, refining and reinventing development parameters.

The Social Housing Initiative (SHI) formed part of the federal government's response to the Globa... more The Social Housing Initiative (SHI) formed part of the federal government's response to the Global Financial Crisis and represented the largest one-time investment in social housing by any government in Australia's history. This paper examines the built results of the SHI, with the analysis focused on housing design and procurement outcomes.

Public housing redevelopment is an opportunity for innovation and market leadership in affordable housing design and delivery. While the SHI's primary objective was to provide jobs in the construction industry at a time of potential economic crisis, this paper reveals that good quality innovative housing outcomes were achieved. However these were more a chance by-product of the process rather than a strategic intention. The vast majority of projects delivered in Melbourne, for instance, were 'business as usual' 2-for-1 dual occupancy developments. Given the magnitude of the SHI building program, this outcome can be considered a lost opportunity and an underutilisation of public investment (financial and land).

This paper provides a survey of individual developments that did show innovation, illustrating through spatial analysis how quality housing and urban outcomes can be achieved within constrained social housing scenarios. The design innovations were often simple but well executed strategies, focusing on efficiency of internal apartment/unit planning, arrangement of tenancy mix/social diversity, interfaces of private dwellings with common areas and public spaces, parking arrangements, design of common areas, and addressing privacy and noise through landscaping and careful planning.

The paper also describes the critical role that procurement methods play, particularly creative/nonstandard approaches to partnerships and financing, in delivering innovative design outcomes. Factors leading to innovation included the involvement of Community Housing Organisations who could access alternative land and funding sources, offer design and delivery expertise and facilitate mixed tenancy outcomes, alongside the relaxation of selected planning controls, and project alignment with existing urban renewal strategies.

This paper explores the redevelopment potential of ageing and underutilised public housing proper... more This paper explores the redevelopment potential of ageing and underutilised public housing properties in the middle suburbs of major Australian cities. State governments lack strategies for the renewal of this housing in the current fiscally constrained environment. Responding to this need, this paper presents a design research project that proposes a coordinated, precinct-based regeneration strategy that involves the redevelopment of clusters of public housing lots that are in close proximity to each other. It demonstrates how such a precinct-scaled approach can produce a greater diversity of housing types that achieve higher yields as well as better quality urban amenity and infrastructure. This is in contrast to the inefficient, piecemeal infill housing development currently prevalent in middle suburban areas.

The paper describes the results of developing and testing this design research proposal. A mapping survey of the Victorian Government's public housing portfolio found that around 25% of assets form precinct scale clusters of renewable stock in well-serviced middle suburbs. Integrative redevelopment strategies were formulated for selected localised clusters, including customised arrangements of density, uses, parking and dwelling types. At the same time, targeted public realm enhancements were developed to encourage existing community assets to 'work harder'. These strategies were trialled and developed through innovative design-led community engagements, and then formalised into detailed design scenarios that enabled the testing of short and long-term viability relative to 'status quo' development models. The results of this analysis indicate how the quantity and distribution of public housing stock presents a timely opportunity for broader regeneration of ageing middle suburbs –recognised as vital to achieving sustainable metropolitan housing growth and diversity within equitable and liveable cities. Finally, this paper examines the role for community housing organisations in leveraging public investment in regeneration while preserving affordability in key areas.

Small-scale infill housing in the middle suburbs represents 37% of residential developments in Me... more Small-scale infill housing in the middle suburbs represents 37% of residential developments in Melbourne (DPCD 2013). The quality and performance of typical infill outcomes is inadequate for the sustainable transformation of our cities. Perhaps more importantly, the extent and distribution of such informal redevelopment is having a significant impact on the existing suburban fabric. This presents a challenging landscape for future regeneration opportunities in these contexts.
If small infill housing could be improved, the market’s propensity for this scale and type of project offers a potential vehicle for increasing the diversity and sustainability of future dwelling provision. This paper draws on a research initiative of the Office of the Victorian Government Architect (OVGA) and the Monash Architecture Studio (MAS) to examine the opportunities and constraints associated with the small infill housing in middle suburban contexts. Through a speculative design process, the research identifies alternative housing models that could enhance development outcomes on 1, 2 and3-lot assemblies – the sites most frequently turned-over for renewal.
Despite the prevalence of small infill redevelopment activity, it continues to be overlooked by formal strategic policies as a substantive means for sustainable urban transitioning or increasing the quality and supply of affordable housing. In fact, Melbourne’s recently introduced planning instruments may serve to exacerbate suboptimal development outcomes in middle suburban locations. Building on the ‘lessons learned’ through the speculative design process, this paper further explores how Melbourne’s zoning reforms might impact future infill housing delivery, providing insights for local governments currently in the process adopting the new classifications.