Urbanest with 'strong social agenda' wins 9 Dots design competition

Creative design that balanced the functional, aesthetic and privacy considerations of medium density housing while fostering a sense of community was the winner at the CSR Cemintel 9 Dots Awards 2015.

An architectural awards program that showcases the ability of Australia’s design talent, the CSR Cemintel 9 Dots Awards requires candidates to re-imagine the architectural possibilities around urban living using building materials from the CSR Cemintel product range. This year, applicants were set the challenge of designing an inner city housing development that rethinks the current format of affordable housing in today’s dense urban sprawl.

CSR Cemintel Marketing Manager, Ben Thompson explained that the fourth edition of the awards challenged designers to think differently about urban design. The competitors rose to the challenge with submissions showcasing product applications that demonstrated real consideration for how design can transform city dwellers’ interaction with residential and commercial spaces.

CSR Cemintel 9 Dots Awards 2015 winners:

9 Dots Award Professional Winner: Emma Eady - The Urbanest

9 Dots Award Professional Runner Up: Andreas Hahn - The Right Fit

9 Dots Award Student Winner: Dinel Meyepa - Community Benefit

The entries were evaluated by a judging panel comprising of Sacha Coles, Director of ASPECT Studios; Melonie Bayl-Smith, Director of BIJL Architecture; Michael Holt, Director of Architects United; and Marissa Looby, Architect at Woods Bagot.

This year’s professional winner, Emma Eady from Jacobs Australia, took home the first prize of $5,000 for her proposal, The Urbanest, an inner city complex that combined residential and workplace units with community focused facilities. According to the judges, The Urbanest exhibited a strong social agenda through the integration of commercial and residential spaces.

The runner up in the professional category, Andreas Hahn, from Small, Quinton, Coleman Architects won $1,000 for his submission, The Right Fit. The project presented an intelligent, internal spatial planning that allowed for two larger dwellings, backed by more affordable smaller dwellings on site, which judges felt responded beautifully to the brief’s requirements of density, affordability and programmatic difference. The combination of Cemintel’s Creative products on the facade and Designer Series in the feature walls distinguished the project from the usual format of standardised urban architecture.

This year’s 9 Dots Award student winner Dinel Meyepa from Monash University, was recognised for his development, Community Benefit, which presented five apartments offering residents spacious living, privacy and access to shared outdoor areas. The integration of Cemintel’s Designer Series and Cemintel’s Creative Solutions range allowed Dinel to create a design that featured contrasts of texture, materiality and colour between the project’s facade and interior spaces.

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