Youth homelessness prevention charity, Kids Under Cover, has selected five architectural firms to compete for the title of Australia’s Best Cubby.
Five architectural firms have been selected by youth homelessness prevention charity, Kids Under Cover, to compete for the title of Australia’s Best Cubby.
The final Cubby House Challenge will be held at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in March next year.
This year, Kids Under Cover received a record number of entries from around the country.
The five finalists are:
- FMSA Architecture in collaboration with Upstream Studio and Aurecon
- Grimshaw architecture, the Melbourne branch of the international architecture agency, in partnership with Warrick Home Builders
- Playce, a Melbourne playspace design and landscape architectural consultants partnering with Agency of Sculpture
- Porter Davis, Melbourne house designers and homebuilders
- Probuild, one of Australia’s largest construction companies
The brief is for the five teams to design cubbies they would have loved to play in as children, and the finalists are being encouraged to consult with the end users - the kids themselves.
The judges of the 2017 competitions will be a panel of top-notch experts, including:
- Peter Maddison, host of Lifestyle Channel’s Grand Designs Australia
- Joe Snell, architect and judge on Channel 7’s House Rules
- interior designer Fiona Lynch
- Lucy Feagins, editor of The Design Files
- Alice Stolz, National Managing Editor of Domain
And leading play experts, children themselves, will ably assist the expert panel in selecting Australia’s Best Cubby, Melbourne’s Best Cubby, Best Architectural Cubby, Best Interior Designed Cubby, Most Imaginative Cubby and Kid’s Choice.
“This year’s architectural and building teams were all selected because of their passion and interest in building the best places for children,” Jo Swift, CEO of Kids Under Cover said.
“The funds raised, through the auction of these cubbies and with the support of Gandel Philanthropy, contribute to the crucial work of Kids Under Cover. In 2017, our goal is to raise a record $150,000. All funds raised are directed towards keeping at-risk young people in contact with their families and networks,” said Swift.
“Having a safe place to grow and play is essential for children. I love everything about this charity; the assistance it gives to those who need it most and also for the opportunity it presents in allowing children to indulge and play in the most wonderful and clever cubby houses,” judge Alice Stolz said.
“It’s also a pertinent reminder to designers, architects and builders of what is really important when it comes to a house: the simplicity of security and shelter, and where possible, the flourish of clever and creative design.”
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