WHAT IS AN IBA?

For more than a century, IBA has stood for Internationale Bauausstellung – or International Building Exhibition (IBA). The goal of an IBA is to develop evidence-based toolkits and frameworks that designers, planners and policymakers can access to plan for their city’s future. IBA Melbourne is proposed as a city-wide, cross-institutional project that aims to affect the transformation of housing provision in Melbourne through demonstration and engagement.

The spectacle of an IBA event is proven to engage the public in discussions on how to shape the future of the city. There is something to inspire all ages and from all walks of life, from leading researchers through to the young future citizens of our cities.

The images here showcase Vallastaden 2017 as a reference for what IBA Melbourne might look like.

IBA Melbourne is intended to impact policy and drive investment in relation to new models of affordable housing development across Victoria. In the tradition of IBAs across Europe of the last 100 years, IBA Melbourne will develop housing projects that address the pressing issues of today and establish new paradigms for future practices. The IBA would draw upon expertise and research from four universities: Melbourne, Monash, RMIT and Swinburne, and involves the architectural and planning professions, all levels of Government, financial and philanthropic institutions, and industry. It will showcase best practice place making and housing while supporting diversity, social inclusion and well-being.

Melbourne’s shortage of affordable housing has reached chronic levels for both renters and first-time owner-occupiers. With a widening gap between housing costs and house-hold income in our cities, the lack of affordable housing is a growing problem for many Australian residents. The affordability crisis is further exacerbated by both a lack of housing options in many regions and suburbs, and ongoing constraints on innovation in construction and financing as a result of policy and regulation barriers and settings.

The market alone is not meeting the need and governments at all levels must work together with the private & not-for-profit sectors to help achieve it.

IBA Melbourne is an opportunity for State and Local government, industry and research expertise to investigate, inform, propose and demonstrate alternative approaches to housing provision for Melbourne. The government will be able to engage with the public over the urban and housing objectives being pursued through the IBA.

IBA Melbourne will construct and showcase new housing typologies and tenure approaches, innovations in place making, environmental performance construction and smart technologies while also supporting diversity, social inclusion and well-being.

The units constructed will then become people’s homes. IBA Melbourne will be informed, reviewed and evaluated by leading housing researchers, government and industry to ensure that innovation is delivered and lessons are learned.