Housing Forms

In its early days, public housing in Queensland was characterised by family dwellings and few designs.

As social housing needs have diversified and as development locations and challenges have become much more varied, the range of housing forms in the department’s direct programs has significantly broadened.

Recently, many different housing types or forms of development have been used to meet the specific needs of a particular circumstance.

They include:

Detached house on its own block

Detached house on its own narrow-fronted small lot

Single-storeyed duplex houses, each on their own small lot, with a shared party wall

Two-storeyed duplex houses, each on their own small lot, with a shared party wall

Two single-storeyed houses, in 'dual occupancy' style, one behind the other

Two-storey apartment blocks, with four apartments, 'two up/two down', with a shared stair

Five, two-storeyed houses arranged on a block

Groups of two-storey row houses, each on its own defined territory

 

Clusters of family houses, or single-storeyed seniors' units on larger sites

Two or three-storey groups of apartments on larger sites

Single-storeyed dwellings

Two single-storeyed dwellings (usually apartments), one on top of the other, with separate access

Three or four storeys of single-storeyed apartments with separate access

Single-storeyed apartments, with separate access, on top of two-storeyed dwellings (with separate internal access)

Three-storeyed apartment blocks with mid-level access

While the detailed requirements vary between some types the department looks for good design in all its housing.

In principle, every dwelling in each department project should deliver a variety of qualities. In particular, it should:

• be comfortable, pleasant and safe to live in
• be designed to meet its residents’ needs, both current and future
• use its site well and not waste built space or land
• look attractive, and fit into its neighbourhood
• respect neighbours’ privacy and amenity
• overlook any adjacent street or parkland opposite to provide better ‘neighbourhood watch’
• be well designed for the local climate and not rely substantially upon mechanical cooling or heating systems
• respond sensitively and creatively to the characteristics of its site
• and represent value for money for the community.

The department requires that each part of a project and each dwelling be well designed.

Last updated 18 February 2008