Stephanie Wills

The Suburban Farm

The Suburban Farm challenges the idea of dense high rise building developments and instead introduces a new model for our interaction with nature and the way we live.

While the project makes use of nature’s “utility value” its larger interest is in educating people about where their food comes from and encouraging a lifestyle that is more in touch with the natural world and broader community.

A percentage of produce grown by residents, in the farm's aquaponic modules and roof top gardens, is donated to The Community Run Kitchen and Produce Store to be sold. The profit from their sales helps to maintain the farm’s grounds and gives residents another way to contribute to body corporate fees if they are financially stretched.

The architectural expression is inspired by Australian rural vernacular. The utilitarian construction and material palette reflects the unpolished, practical nature of farms which can be likened to Brunswick West’s ad hoc character.

The landscape that the architecture is nestled within is designed to encourage local species of musical frog and cicada into the space. This generates an audible ambiance that is often associated with natural landscapes far from the city’s urban fabric, relieving the residents and visitors of the space from the chaos of the city.