The Challenge Cup

A new challenge for tomorrow's AEC design professionals

Project Brief Context

The construction sector is facing global scale challenges; housing shortages, demand in the social infrastructure space, lagging productivity, tight labour markets, ageing populations and reduced numbers of school leavers choosing to pursue a career in the construction sector. These are just a few of the headwind forces shaping
the future of the sector, highlighted in multiple reports from Mark Farmer’s UK Government Review of the Construction Labour Market Model, ‘Modernise or Die’ to Mc Kinsey and Company’s ‘The Construction Industry is Ripe for Disruption’ and closer to home the
Shergold and Weir ‘Building Confidence’ 2018 report. These challenges are further compounded by environmental factors; resource scarcity, sustainability and the climate emergency. Drivers for sensitive design
solutions that engender resilience.

A significant response to addressing these fundamental issues facing the construction sector is the increased promotion and development of prefabrication and offsite manufacturing. Modern methods of construction (MMC), and the industrialisation of the construction sector. As key representatives of the offsite manufacturing sector Fleetwood and prefabAUS are looking to play an industry leadership role in championing the development of Architects, Engineers and other AEC design professionals of tomorrow. The linkage of industry and academia is vital in preparing for, and investing in the future of the Construction sector.

Each year select Universities are invited to participate in “The Challenge Cup”. Aspiring students from each University representing the  Architectural, Engineering and other AEC design streams will form collaborative and cross disciplinary teams of between 4 to 6 students.
Through an appointed representative steering committee, the competition will articulate a contemporary design challenge topic, with competition submission requirements to be assessed by an expert judging panel of cross disciplinary AEC professionals.

Addressing the shortage of affordable housing in Australia, opportunity exists for the use of excess land holdings to establish temporary residential accommodation. Offsite construction and prefabrication solutions are ideally placed to develop affordable housing solutions that meet a cost-effective relocation requirement.

Design solutions for a multi-level unit typology shall comprise a block plan providing 8 x two-bedroom and single bathroom units and 4 x one-bedroom and single bathroom units as a unit building design that can be readily modified, delivered in multiple configurations and with maximum flexibility to accommodate more than one façade type. This provides for a solution that will be responsive to various site locations over a 50-year period. The competition’s design concept will address the building life cycle cost equation.