Future Housing

Brief

This studio explored inclusive, intergenerational housing and the social role of architecture in a climate-affected future. Students investigated global precedents in social and aged-care housing, then used AI tools such as Midjourney to test ideas of form, density, and atmosphere within a conceptual “Housing for Young and Old” framework.

The project advanced into schematic design for a Foyer-style multi-residential complex integrating communal amenities, gardens, and public interfaces. The final stage focused on detailed spatial exploration through drawings and annotated moments expressing dignity, community, and comfort.

Note: During my internship in the Maldives, the brief was modified to propose accommodation for climate-change refugees, incorporating Maldivian conceptions of home through sketches, diagrams, and AI-assisted conceptual studies.

Submission: December 2024

Overview

A vision for inclusive, climate-resilient social housing where architecture becomes a vessel for connection, culture, and ecological regeneration. The Keipa Water Community responds to rising sea levels and housing instability by reimagining how communities can thrive on water. Developed during an architectural internship in the Maldives, the work reinterprets Perth’s future social housing framework within a floating, self-sustaining neighbourhood that merges human and marine habitats.

Each residential block is designed to accommodate diverse users — students, elders, families, and people with disabilities — fostering dignity, interaction, and belonging. The architecture weaves together community gardens, shared kitchens, prayer spaces, and recreational areas to strengthen social and cultural bonds. Underneath, an underwater habitat restores seagrass and algae ecosystems, creating a living foundation that supports both people and planet.

Concept

The concept is anchored in living with water — designing not against the ocean but in collaboration with it. A government-supplied floating platform supports modular housing, public spaces, and an underwater ecological frame that nurtures biodiversity. Materials such as Oceanite, Polywood, and TideGuard embody circular sustainability, while solar glazing and passive ventilation reduce environmental impact.

The architectural language balances community and privacy through layered thresholds: a public park and swim area connect residents with the broader community, while private gardens and shaded courtyards offer retreat. Maldivian cultural patterns — communal eating, prayer, and craftsmanship — inform spatial rhythm and atmosphere, ensuring that every design decision reflects both place and people.

At its core, the Keipa Water Community transforms displacement into opportunity, proposing a dignified and resilient model of floating living where inclusivity, ecology, and cultural continuity coexist in harmony.