Maisie Matthews

Monumental Social Housing

The Monumental Social Housing project provides the community in Brunswick West with an affordable housing solution to challenge the stigma of public and social housing in Victoria, especially for Youths and young families. Through the exploration of the demolition of the sites existing structures, and at the brutalist vernacular that we see in public housing, Monumental Social Housing emphasizes a memory of these components that grows from the ground of the site, to create communally accessible space, as well as a private areas within the overlapping structures. I call these components that reference the sites existing structures, the memory monuments.

A group of youthful yirps inspires an entrepreneurially driven community, with commercial elements scattered throughout the site creating revenue, and allow themselves to feel connected to community. For example, Malcom runs a plant business, Elizabeth runs community workshops on the environment, and Makayla sells clothing she has made from recycled fabrics.