Architects from Rockville, MD Design Firm Win First Prize in the Sydney Affordable Housing Challenge
Rockville, MD, March 19, 2018/ — NIKA, a global provider of facility life cycle solutions, was named the winner in the Sydney Affordable Housing Challenge, an international architectural design competition sponsored by Bee Breeders. Competitors were challenged to design a pilot-phase concept for affordable housing within Sydney, Australia, which could be easily rolled out to increase capacity of housing stock, and was minimal in its use of land and materials.
Architects Tae Jung, Pauline Sipin, Hazel Ventura, and Diana Lopez from the NIKA Creative Lab delivered an innovative design solution that not only addressed the need for affordable housing in Sydney, but also offered an beautiful space that would blend seamlessly with the aesthetic of the city. Said team leader Tae Jung, “Our entry, titled ‘Bridging Affordable Housing,’ uses a modular design approach that is both flexible and scaleable, promoting inclusivity and sustainability in its concept. We wanted to create a unique plan that would allow young professionals to continue to live, work, and play in a city that has become increasingly unaffordable for most. ”
According to the jury, NIKA’s winning entry succeeded in “…offering Sydney both a new housing network and a network of green spaces. ‘Bridging Affordable Housing’ is comprised of a simple module: a structural bridge pier with decking that contains prefabricated housing units topped by a green roof. The proposal recalls the re-purposed railways that have become NYC’s successful Highline or Paris’ Coulée verte’. One can imagine this new elevated linear housing/park snaking through Sydney organically, growing from multiple locations and eventually merging like connective tissue within the city.”
The work is a product of the new NIKA Creative Lab, which is NIKA’s dedicated research and design program formed to promote the firm’s innovative and imaginative approach to solving complex architectural challenges. NIKA’s architects and engineers work to develop a strong understanding of the needs of our evolving society, and design creative architectural solutions that enhance the world in which we live. Different from the conventional A+E work studio, the NIKA Creative Lab is a rich testing ground for out-of-the-box ideas, fresh perspectives, and unique approaches that will serve as a springboard into the future.
Kabir Chaudhary, NIKA’s President & CEO, commented: “We are all incredibly proud of the creative and innovative work being done by our team. Winning the Sydney Affordable Housing Challenge is just the first step in showing the world what we can do to marry form and function in an artful way.”
About NIKA
NIKA is revolutionizing how businesses and governments design, build and manage real property. By combining architecture, engineering, enterprise technology, and facilities operations management services all under one roof, we are able to provide unparalleled value to our clients. With two decades of experience serving organizations across the world, NIKA provides exceptional client service that is designed to enhance operational excellence and readiness while meeting mission objectives.
For more information about NIKA, please visit http://www.nikasolutions.com.
###
