The brief challenged designers to envision the next generation of housing—homes that were innovative, environmentally conscious, cost-effective, and capable of high-quality mass production. 

 

Our proposal, titled “A Sense of Community,” focused on creating connected places to live, where future homes support social interaction, environmental responsibility, and long-term adaptability. Drawing inspiration from historic Georgian shared garden squares, we proposed a series of semi-private shared gardens, green spaces filled with fruiting trees and edible planting that encourage residents to forage, play, and connect. 

 

A key part of our strategy was reintroducing back-to-back housing, a compact and highly efficient typology that supported high density without compromising on quality of life. This allowed us to reduce the building envelope to a single façade, improving thermal performance, and lowering energy use. The result was a development model that could support up to 70 dwellings per hectare while maintaining generous communal and private outdoor spaces. 

 

We also proposed a flexible design framework that allows homeowners to customise their internal layouts and facades, much like selecting options on a car. This approach enabled a high level of personalisation and allowed the design to adapt to local vernaculars, site conditions, and individual lifestyles—all without disrupting the overall build efficiency. 

 

In summary, the vision imagined a future where homes are part of a community, where terraces overlook orchards, roofs become gardens or allotments, streets are free of cars, and families have the space to grow, play, and connect.