Jesse Samuel
Bachelor of Architectural Design, Third year
Hi! I'm in my third undergraduate year and work in a firm in a student capacity. I'm passionate about community space, and design for wellbeing and sustainability. Studying at WSU has pushed me to develop these interests, as well as become a well rounded designer. This brief was an example of that - it challenged me to balance community benefit and sustainability, while being very rigorous and deliberate with planning. Being able to resolve these conflicts made the design especially rewarding. Thanks for taking the time to look at my work, hope you enjoy it!
Belgium Street Community
Belgium Street Community Dharug Land, 8-10 Belgium Street, Lidcombe Fleetwood Challenge 2023 - Finalist Suburban Design Studio - Autumn 2023 Belgium Street Community is a reimagination of public housing characterised by healing, empowerment, and joy.
This project comprises of seven compact CLT townhouses arranged for optimal solar access. The residents’ homecoming experience moves through a communal food garden which invites interactions with the greater community, then to individual homes which remain contained and private. The dwellings are shaped by a progression through healing elements, that then flow seamlessly to outdoor space once again.
The townhouses were planned to support modular prefabrication with only four unique modules, allowing for cost effective and expedient construction, and the potential to replicate the scheme over multiple sites state-wide. It also allows for the idea of ‘plug n’ play’, where residents can easily select from, or swap between, a range of prefabricated programs and fixtures, determined through community consultation, to best support their household’s needs.
