Archicentre

Mr Ian Agnew, Archicentre State Manager Queensland said the LJ Hooker Flood Design Competition co-sponsored by LJ Hooker, The Future Housing Taskforce and Archicentre had been won by the Queensland based Dion Seminara Architecture from twelve new designs by local residential architects.

Mr Agnew said the completion highlighted the important and vital role of architects in solving a major problem of flood prone areas and housing affordability through innovative design.

Archicentre, which provided the community with information in dealing with homes after the floods, believes the design competition provided valuable opportunities to look at safer better ways to rebuild homes in flood prone areas.

"Given the number of homes at risk in this country, this is literally a $63 billion problem," said L J Hooker CEO, L. Janusz Hooker, who was one of the judges, in addition to co-sponsoring the challenge. "The architects in this competition have set new standards in flood-safe home design."

Up to $63 billion of existing residential buildings, including as many as 247,600 individual buildings, are potentially at risk of inundation in Australia this century, according to Climate Change Risks to Australia's Coast, published by the Australian Department of Climate Change.

The winning concept home designed by Dion Seminara Architecture

The winning concept home designed by Dion Seminara Architecture is to be built in a controlled environment, with the home being transported to the site in two parts and connected down the centre. This means the building construction can be controlled and cost limited where possible. Such an approach also allows for mass construction.

Winning Architect Dion Seminara said, "One of the main aims of the design was to provide for an easy clean up after the flood with a flexible multipurpose use of the ground level for vehicles or storage. The concept home has a flood clearance level of 4.5 metres to the first floor.

"This zone features materials and finishes which can be hosed down without damage. The design itself allows the water to flow through the building without placing pressure on the structure.

"The concept home is built on posts making it suitable for any sloping site and has the flexibility to be expanded through interlocking pavilion extensions."

Mr Seminara said the environmentally friendly design features light weight building materials and the concept home fits into both urban and bush environment.

The winning design will be built as a demonstration project by Ken Mitchell of Queensland Lifestyle Development Group.

Mr Agnew said all entries were of a high quality and fulfilled the entry criteria which required each submission to

Left: L.Janusz Hooker, CEO L.J. Hooker; Pam Parker, Mayor of Logan City Council; Ian Agnew, Archicentre State Manager Queensland.

Archicentre Archicentre is Australia's only national provider of professional design, inspection and advice services. Archicentre is quality endorsed and wholly owned by the Australian Institute of Architects. Archicentre can provide expert professional advice for every building need. For further information visitwww.archicentre.com.au

Dion Seminara Architecture
Dion Seminara Architecture are Brisbane’s lifestyle architects with over 20 years experience in designing new homes and renovations that perfectly suit the owners lifestyle needs. Their motto is ‘Design Enhancing Life’ with a major focus on liveability, value for money and timeless eco-friendly designs. To find out more visit www.dsarchitecture.com.au

The Future Housing Taskforce
The Future Housing Taskforce is a think tank of housing industry professionals with the goal of providing solutions to Australia's affordability crisis. Please visit www.futurehousingtaskforce.com.au for more information.

LJ Hooker
Over the past 82 years, LJ Hooker has become Australia's best-known and most trusted real estate brands. With a franchise network of 658 offices strong across Australasia, LJ Hooker sells more than 40,000 properties each year worth over AUD$15 billion. For more information visit www.LJHooker.com  

Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith, Corporate Media Communications, Archicentre - Mobile: 0417 329 201