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In 2025, I took part in the Australian Timber Design Competition organised by WoodSolutions. The brief invited students from across Australia to design adaptable, sustainable timber housing for a hypothetical Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Athletes Village, focusing on environmental performance, cultural connection, and future reuse of materials.Our team was announced the winning entry at the World Conference on Timber Engineering 2025 in Brisbane for our concept’s adaptability and holistic design approach

 

The design for the Athletes Village reflects adaptability, efficiency, and legacy value through a careful response to the brief's temporary use and future flexibility criteria. By utilising timber as a primary material, the design prioritises sustainability, taking advantage of timber’s renewable nature and carbon sequestration. Incorporating Indigenous design principles ensures the project honours First Nations values, with a meaningful engagement strategy for Traditional Owners and Indigenous stakeholders throughout the process.

 

The approach also embraces "Construct to Deconstruct," where structures are designed for easy assembly and disassembly, utilising modular systems and reversible connections to ensure they can be repurposed for future use. The adaptability of the design is key, with flexible spaces that can serve both individual athlete housing and communal areas during the Games, while also being easily converted for long-term use post-Olympics, ensuring the legacy of the project is valuable and sustainable for years to come.