The Gayamaygal people
NSW
The Green heart is an experimental approach to the densification of low-rise building. This project not only highlights how a cohesive Strata live together under one roof – and among numerous trees- but also showcase how it is possible to deliver quality living on a small footpint. Central to the design, the concept of biophilia replicates life beneath an arbour of tree canopies through a suspended patio garden. The project façade, a cantilevered series of integrated galvanised steel planters, balances practical and aesthetical considerations. It offers a cost effective answer to budget, climate and maintenance needs. Walking into the Green Heart, a hybrid urban garden that connects new and existing built, is a gentle reminder of our connection to nature and the elements. It also highlights another facet of sustainability: how a small, carefully designed space can powerfully impact the daily lives of occupants.
What distinguishes this project is its embodiment of the values we champion as architects: a commitment to design excellence, sustainable innovation, and a collaborative, stakeholder-focused approach that culminates in a high-quality built outcome.
Studio Oulala reinterprets a conventional residential typology—the four-pack—through a fresh lens, delivering equitable amenity and value to each of the four dwellings. The result is an inventive, cost-effective model that maximises both livability and design integrity.
This project exemplifies the power of thoughtful architectural thinking. Its resolution and materiality are modest yet deliberate—accessible, pragmatic, and grounded in the particular strengths of each unit. The outcome is a collection of dwellings that feel distinct and tailored, while maintaining cohesion.
Courageous and nuanced, the project represents architecture at its best: intelligent interventions that elevate everyday living, preserve existing fabric, and promote long-term adaptability. Generous natural light, strong environmental connections, and strategic subtraction and addition of built form result in renewed spatial clarity and engagement.
Studio Oulala is to be commended for this visionary contribution. It stands as a prototype for how design can respond to contemporary housing challenges—supporting community, encouraging sustainable urban living, and enabling residents to remain meaningfully connected to place.
The ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
