The Year 10 design students were presented with certificates of appreciation during a morning tea held at the college on Friday.
St Joseph’s College recently partnered with Committee for Echuca Moama and Melbourne University to help envisage what affordable housing should look like in the area.
The Echuca-Moama Affordable Housing Research Project 2022 was funded by the university’s Hallmark Research Institute, and is part of an intergenerational community visioning of affordable housing in the Echuca-Moama region to support strategic and sustainable housing plans for the future.
According to new research by C4EM, Echuca’s median house price has increased by 24 per cent and Moama’s has increased by 16 per cent in the past four years.
Rental prices have also increased in Echuca by 20 per cent since 2017.
COVID-19 has played a large role, with the migration of people to regional communities highlighting the need for conversations to discuss infrastructure and support services into the future.
St Joseph’s College visual communication design teacher Allison O’Brien said the Year 10 students were more than happy to help, and praised them for their commitment and quality of work.
“Students created models, diagrams, drawings or photos depicting what they thought affordable housing should be,” Ms O’Brien said.
“Their designs featured sustainable and affordable materials to build with, but also included elements to make the properties cheaper to live in long term, such as solar panels, and using glass for heating or cooling and lighting purposes.
“Some of the designs even included communal spaces, parks and gardens, and some have thought about multi-generational living.”
The visioning housing affordability project also provided the perfect opportunity for students to apply their skills in a real life setting that aligned with the ethos of the school and the Kildare Ministries ‘Living Justice — Living Peace’ charter.
“The charter prompts us to walk in solidarity with vulnerable people in our local and global communities,” Ms O’Brien said.
Design student Tayla Turri was among the Year 10 cohort to take part in the project.
“Affordable housing has become less available in the past few years,” Tayla said.
“Not only are the costs becoming more expensive, but so are simple living needs, for example food and water.
“The Zoom meeting with Jenny Weller Newton from the University of Melbourne also opened my eyes to the fact that the people who need this affordable housing aren’t all homeless, but are young adults, the retired, elderly, and the list goes on.”
The students’ 3D models of houses and plans for the town were on display for people to view at Moama’s Rich River Golf Club during the month of June.
Community members were invited to vote for their favourite exhibit, with the winning students awarded prizes up to the value of $250.
More than 700 votes were cast by the community, and the three people’s choice awards were presented to Molly McLeod (1st place), Meg Alberni (2nd place) and Talya Turri (3rd place).
