31 October 2011

Journey back to the 19th century to see the Northbourne Flats design entries

| johnboy
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northbourne flats designs

Joy Burch has announced that designs for the Northbourne Flats redevelopment are on public display in Garema House on City Walk.

If you venture down there in person (in the manner of your ancestors) you can vote in a people’s choice ballot.

Earlier this year Ms Burch announced a national design competition to redesign the 1950s complex, and some of the most highly regarded architectural firms in the country submitted entries.

“The submissions range from the complete clearing of the site and erecting new buildings, to the retention and adaption of a significant number of the existing buildings,” Ms Burch said.

“Other schemes bridge over the existing building with new construction or remove the buildings but retain the open space and mature landscaping.”

Community gardens are a feature of a number of the plans with the more adventurous including elevated or roof gardens, green walls and wintergardens and landscaped roofs.

“The redevelopment of the Northbourne Apartments is an important part of the ACT Labor Government’s plans to transform Northbourne Avenue into a sustainable, vibrant precinct.

“A key element of the competition was to create a design that incorporates about 1000 properties, more than triple the current number at 245, while working within existing height restrictions. Other considerations included consideration for the heritage value of the buildings and ensuring environmental sustainability.”

Some of the more comprehensive schemes make a connection to Haig Park and include features ranging from a local library to a gymnasium, swimming pools, bike hire and convenience shopping with cafes and restaurants.

A jury of senior public servants and practicing architects has been deliberating for a week and considering the comments of technical advisors in selecting the prize winning schemes.

The entries are on exhibit in a shopfront in the Garema Court Building on City Walk. Members of the public will have the opportunity to vote for a ‘People’s Choice’ design. The exhibit is open all week from 12pm to 3pm. Ms Joy Burch will announce the winners early next week.

There is a poster set of some of the designs.

The unanswered question is whether the current flats became such a dangerous eyesore due to failings of design, or the personalities of the residents?

UPDATE: I popped in today, there really are a lot of designs on display where the record store used to be next to Sizzle Bento.

on display

I particularly liked the design hidden up the back where the buildings look like they’re constructed already fallen down.

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Walker said :

You don’t have to be poor to be an arsehole that’s for sure.

If there were still random taglines at the top of the page, I would vote this to be one.

cleo said :

That dry old … Joy Burch.

You don’t like her much, do you? What did she do to you?

dtc said :

time_killer said :

But it’s not their house being renovated; they are the tenants. If you were renting privately and the landlord decided that, when your lease expires he wanted to bulldoze the house your renting and rebuild, do you think you’d have a say in the matter?

I may be wrong, but do public housing tenants have leases that expire?

I’m not sure if it’s the same sort of lease that you would sign in a private situation but there is still some sort of formal agreement between the tenant and ACT housing. I think they are usually longer agreements, 3-5 years for example, but when they expire its up to ACT housing to renew them. In most situations I think this is done almost automatically, however, if the building is to be sold off or demolished the tenant will be relocated.

I remember when the Govie flats on Eyre st in Kingston were being emptied so they could be demolished, from when they stopped renewing contracts it took a few years until the last tenant had moved out.

Icepoet # 20

That dry old bitch Joy Burch, will not speak to housing tenants, she will get rid of all housing tenants, except the one’s who live at Condamine Court, they will be knocked down in ten years time though, that is what she means when she says some housing tenants will be living in the city.
The government is too greedy, they want to sell this prime real estate off to private vendors.
What is happening is, some people who live in the Northbourne flats will and are moving into CONDAMINE COURT when a tenant leaves there. Too bad for housing tenants, as the city is ideal for them, regarding transport, if the bitch wants ghetto’s she will get them, by sending housing tenants out into the suburbs.

time_killer said :

But it’s not their house being renovated; they are the tenants. If you were renting privately and the landlord decided that, when your lease expires he wanted to bulldoze the house your renting and rebuild, do you think you’d have a say in the matter?

I may be wrong, but do public housing tenants have leases that expire?

nice_enough said :

most people on here = “poor people are scum LOLZ”

Garbage.

most people on here = “poor people are scum LOLZ”

Northsidechick2:11 pm 01 Nov 11

Walker said :

I’ve never been a public housing tenant but I agree some with Icepoet. And no not all public tenants are dodgy. Some of them are just trying to make a go of life with what they’ve got or where they’ve come from.

And it’s all the harder when your neighbours happen to be idiots. That ain’t fair. But neither is sweeping the whole thing somewhere else.

As much as some of the “scum” bother me (the ones that disrespect the place, deal etc), I don’t like hearing people looking down on those that have a different road in life. You don’t have to be poor to be an arsehole that’s for sure.

Great comment.

poetix said :

If my house was being renovated, my views would be what mattered. Having tenants’ views taken into account will make them more involved in the process and therefore having more ownership over the new flats, and pride in them.

The process at the moment is directed towards outsiders.

But it’s not their house being renovated; they are the tenants. If you were renting privately and the landlord decided that, when your lease expires he wanted to bulldoze the house your renting and rebuild, do you think you’d have a say in the matter?

Icepoet said :

It would be great if ACT Housing actually took the time to speak with (and possibly), reassure residents of Northbourne Flats about what is actually happening and where they are going to be moved to.

Then again, I suppose they’re too busy printing patronising posters to actually take the time to speak with the people who live here and who are going to lose their homes due to the new construction.

Not much consultation happening with the people who are going to be affected the most.

Oh, and regardless of how depressing they look on the outside, there are some units that are actually well cared for by tennents and look a darn sight better on the inside than some of the private housing I’ve seen in Canberra.

This has been my home for 15 years now, since I was a teenager, and while I accept that it is the nature of industry to knock down old buildings and replace them with new ones in the name of progress (fair enough), ACT Housing could be doing a lot more to support and reassure the residents of Northbourne Flats.

And yes, I will be contacting ACT Housing as soon as possible to hear what they have to say about what will happen to us tennants – I guess I’d assumed too much in hoping that they’d actually make the time to talk with residents first.

@Poetix – no there are no posters (or any other information) about this either in letterboxes or on display.

Good luck with trying to get the views of residents taken into account. It’s just outrageous that this wasn’t done automatically. Perhaps you should write to the Housing Minister and raise this, not just contact ACT Housing? If my house was being renovated, my views would be what mattered. Having tenants’ views taken into account will make them more involved in the process and therefore having more ownership over the new flats, and pride in them.

The process at the moment is directed towards outsiders.

I thought, when I first read the thread title, that we were looking at he original design options from when they built the flats the first time. I assumed they would knock down he current ones and. Hike whatever design came second in the first process.

Peter Gelling, of the great Canberra blues band “Blind Freddy” taught me to play guitar, and he lived in the Northbourne flats with his wife. Their place was always neat, cozy and welcoming. Not all the people living there are no-hopers, and not all the places are dumps.

Walker said :

Some of them are just trying to make a go of life with what they’ve got or where they’ve come from.

.

And some are REALLY smart. A well-known American professor at the ANU (specialist in studying genius!) lived in the Allawah flats for years and years while he paid off properties in Reid ACT and Elizabeth Bay in Sydney. Housing couldn’t touch him, much as they tried. He had the house in Reid divided into three flats, rented to PhD students for cash, and made an absolute motza. When he was good and ready he left the ACT Housing flat – only because he was taking up an academic position in Sydney, and moved into a mansion in Elizabeth Bay. You could say he was somewhat subsidised by the ACT ratepayer … but he was, as I said, acting within the letter of the law.

I’ve never been a public housing tenant but I agree some with Icepoet. And no not all public tenants are dodgy. Some of them are just trying to make a go of life with what they’ve got or where they’ve come from.

And it’s all the harder when your neighbours happen to be idiots. That ain’t fair. But neither is sweeping the whole thing somewhere else.

As much as some of the “scum” bother me (the ones that disrespect the place, deal etc), I don’t like hearing people looking down on those that have a different road in life. You don’t have to be poor to be an arsehole that’s for sure.

It would be great if ACT Housing actually took the time to speak with (and possibly), reassure residents of Northbourne Flats about what is actually happening and where they are going to be moved to.

Then again, I suppose they’re too busy printing patronising posters to actually take the time to speak with the people who live here and who are going to lose their homes due to the new construction.

Not much consultation happening with the people who are going to be affected the most.

Oh, and regardless of how depressing they look on the outside, there are some units that are actually well cared for by tennents and look a darn sight better on the inside than some of the private housing I’ve seen in Canberra.

This has been my home for 15 years now, since I was a teenager, and while I accept that it is the nature of industry to knock down old buildings and replace them with new ones in the name of progress (fair enough), ACT Housing could be doing a lot more to support and reassure the residents of Northbourne Flats.

And yes, I will be contacting ACT Housing as soon as possible to hear what they have to say about what will happen to us tennants – I guess I’d assumed too much in hoping that they’d actually make the time to talk with residents first.

@Poetix – no there are no posters (or any other information) about this either in letterboxes or on display.

luther_bendross4:24 pm 31 Oct 11

Holden Caulfield said :

luther_bendross said :

Before I head in to vote, can anyone tell me if any of the designs contained some white tyre swans? I will only vote for white tyre swans.

That’s racist.

Oh my bad. I just assumed that all the black ones were already involfed in ‘special care’ by some guy in Charnwood.

johnboy said :

I-filed said :

Ahem JB – the 19th century was the 1800s. I think you need to amend the title to refer to the 20th century …

Oh I know what I’m referring to with this consultation model.

Ah! Too quick for me.

How do you fit 1000 properties into the space of 245, while retaining the open space and mature landscaping as well as working within the existing height restrictions? Are the existing properties enormous palaces?

I can’t wait for someone to invent the Internet, it would be perfect for something like this!

I-filed said :

Ahem JB – the 19th century was the 1800s. I think you need to amend the title to refer to the 20th century …

Oh I know what I’m referring to with this consultation model.

Waiting For Godot3:20 pm 31 Oct 11

Will these flats go the same way as the replacement for Burnie Court? A lot of promises but nothing ever eventuating.

Ahem JB – the 19th century was the 1800s. I think you need to amend the title to refer to the 20th century …

mareva said :

Anyone know if the flats are going to remain as public housing afterwards? Last I heard Burch’s directorate is looking at scattering the public housing out more and Allawah Court, Bega Court and the Currong apartments are all going to be subject to redevelopment same as Northbourne. but not sure if there is a conclusive strategy in place re the future of the public housing tenants. there does not seem to be.

I have some very 3rd hand information that most of the public housing tenants will be relocated away from the city, but a few will stay.

Cheap said :

Nothing will fix the flats. They will always end up seedy, dirty, broken and depressing.

Probably agree with you there. imo build housing that is soundproof/bombproof, plant huge trees around it and be done with the issue.

19th century? Really?

Holden Caulfield3:09 pm 31 Oct 11

luther_bendross said :

Before I head in to vote, can anyone tell me if any of the designs contained some white tyre swans? I will only vote for white tyre swans.

That’s racist.

luther_bendross2:58 pm 31 Oct 11

Before I head in to vote, can anyone tell me if any of the designs contained some white tyre swans? I will only vote for white tyre swans.

Anyone know if the flats are going to remain as public housing afterwards? Last I heard Burch’s directorate is looking at scattering the public housing out more and Allawah Court, Bega Court and the Currong apartments are all going to be subject to redevelopment same as Northbourne. but not sure if there is a conclusive strategy in place re the future of the public housing tenants. there does not seem to be.

I think the winning design should include a bullozer.

If you venture down there in person (in the manner of your ancestors) you can vote in a people’s choice ballot

How quaint.

It would be kind of cool if the designs were all uploaded to Google Earth (along the lines of the “revised” Melbourne Building of a few years ago).

poetix said :

Now this is where a poster displayed to tenants would be appropriate. Are the designs on display in the current flats? The opinions of the people living in the apartments are surely the most important.

The designs are on display on the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.’

Where are all the half wrecked Commodores & rubbish piles?

Now this is where a poster displayed to tenants would be appropriate. Are the designs on display in the current flats? The opinions of the people living in the apartments are surely the most important.

Nothing will fix the flats. They will always end up seedy, dirty, broken and depressing.

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