Caleb Ming Hin Chung

Currently for refugees to apply for onshore protection application in Australia, they would have to wait an average of 866 days (2.4 years) for a primary decision from the Department of Home Affairs, 1,330 days (3.6 years) for a merit-based review from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and a total of 1,872 days (5.1 years) for appeals at the court level.1 This project seeks to create immediate shelters for those refuging personnel and families, providing effective, functional yet generous spaces for residents to rebuild trust and foster a healthy and sustainable community.

The housing project integrates seamlessly into the Australian suburban landscape, characterized by low-density buildings and surrounded by natural greenery. The design also emphasizes a sense of temporality in both construction and aesthetics, allowing the project to adapt to the flexible needs of refugee populations with varying occupancy durations and household sizes.

To foster a sense of security and comfort for residents living on foreign land, the project offers different levels of engagement with the community. Those seeking more privacy and personal security can choose elevated units, providing a sense of seclusion, while residents who prefer a closer connection to the community can opt for ground-level units that encourage interaction within the site. Nonetheless, each unit features a central open space that is shared among the residents inside the unit which encourages formation of smaller-scaled communities and friendships.