Woods Bagot designs housing for vulnerable women

2025-03-25

25 Mar 25

Woods Bagot designs housing for vulnerable women

Construction is underway on 50 apartments in Adelaide’s CBD, delivering specialised housing services for older women at risk of homelessness.

The six-storey development on Tucker Street, Adelaide, will provide much-needed housing for Adelaide’s at-risk older women.

The residences will feature fifty apartments, including five studio apartments designed to universal accessibility standards to accommodate residents with specific mobility requirements. Woods Bagot’s led the architecture and interior design, incorporating an interactive ground floor, a common area, and communal courtyard.

Woods Bagot Principal Alex Hall says public housing is critical to address the housing affordability crisis in Australian cities. Well-designed public housing is essential for social inclusion and to sustain vibrant, diverse, and accessible neighbourhoods.

“The community aspect of Tucker Street is emphasised through the spaces, which are designed to encourage interaction and community building,” says Hall.

Design maximises site area aligned to new buildings.

Set back from street to create landscape buffer. Masonry podium to reference neighbours’ materiality and height.

Break up mass into two off-tower elements to reduce scale, adding central recessive element.

Affordability is built into the design, using efficient, compact and robust design principles that enable the building to endure into the future. The building is designed to be low maintenance, employing modular construction methods for efficiency, enabling the design to be easily disassembled and adapted for future use.

“Through modular joinery and simple detailing, the structural design allows studio apartments to be adapted into larger configurations to address changing community needs over time,” adds Hall.

Design employs modular construction methods for efficiency, affordability and flexibility. Courtesy of Mossop Construction

Design employs modular construction methods for efficiency, affordability and flexibility. Courtesy of Mossop Construction

Design employs modular construction methods for efficiency, affordability and flexibility. Courtesy of Mossop Construction

Sustainability is a core principle of the design, with careful consideration given to material selection. Connection to the outdoors has been prioritised, maximising access to natural light, airflow, and views to create a sense of comfort, warmth and homeliness.

The project is delivered under the South Australian Government’s plans for A Better Housing Future, delivering an estimated 3,600 homes over the next five years. Once complete, the development will be run and managed by the SA Housing Trust, with an onsite community wellbeing manager and a dedicated space for support services to connect with residents.

The project broke ground in October 2024, with topping out expected for mid-2025, and practical completion slated for 2026.

Tucker Street combines efficiency, modularity, reliability, comfort and sustainability for a vibrant, community-focused development. “Our aim is to provide a reliable sanctuary that communicates resilience and offers residents a stable home address,” says Hall.