
Holmesglen Concrete Housing Project
Designing Australia's Public Housing
HOLMESGLEN CONCRETE HOUSING PROJECT
MELBOURNE VIC | 1946-1962
Housing Commission Victoria panel of architect consultants (Arthur Leith, Frank Heath and Best Overend)
Housing Commission of Victoria used the Holmesglen munitions and tank factory to dramatically increase new housing supply with minimal materials, producing 20 detached houses a week by 1950. A factory assembly line cast concrete wall sections, complete with doors and window openings, whole chimneys and stairs on an elevated flat metal table. These would then be transported to the site to be bolted together. The standardisation of factory production also enabled roof trusses and whole plumbing sections to be precut and assembled.
The Commission partnered with the Commonwealth Experimental Building Station to progress new construction materials, including light weight, highstrength concrete for flat house roofs that were aesthetically regarded as highly
progressive and modern.
During this time, the Commission became engineer solution driven at some expense to placemaking. Mass producing a limited set of standardised house plans resulted in large monotonous estates, with design input and visual variety
limited to alternating concrete finishes and street layouts. Vegetation was also a low priority, with the Commission planting 1,319 street trees for the 1,785 homes built towards the end of the development construction.
-
References
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (2000) Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, accessed 28 May 2024, https://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/326.html
City of Monash (2024) ‘Pattern of subdivision’ in Our City, City of Monash, Melbourne, accessed 28 May 2024, https://www.monash.vic.gov.au/About-Us/Our-City/Monash-Heritage/Detailed-History/1946-1995/4.-Pattern-of-Subdivision#housing
Heritage Council of Victoria (2008) ‘Experimental concrete houses: statement of significance’ Victorian Heritage Database, Heritage Council of Victoria, Melbourne, accessed 28 May 2024, https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/6023