What makes VisionWest Community Trust Houses different? Is it the builders that work on them? The people who live in them? Or just the groovy staff team here at VisionWest who are so passionate about what they do? Well, really, it’s a mix of all of these ingredients and the ultimate feeling that these houses are more than that: They are homes.
Two of The Trust’s most recently built houses, completed in 2013, are great examples of VisionWest’s innovation: they were designed with input from existing tenants; they have amazing eco credentials (thermal insulation 3x industry code, heat sink concrete floors, passive solar design and more); and they were built with a lot of love and learning by award-winning SGA Architects and students from the Unitec School of Architecture.
One of VisionWest’s tenants, on being offered one of the new houses, said, “I couldn’t believe it. The staff at VisionWest are so helpful and are always there to support me when I need it. I am incredibly thankful to them.” As a bonus, the architectural students got a good understanding of social housing, budget restraints and leveraging goodwill in the community. These houses have won two New Zealand Architectural Awards for Housing and Sustainability and have featured in a number of articles and a book on sustainable architecture.
VisionWest Community Trust’s Housing Team’s approach is all about sustainable housing, sustainable support systems for tenants, and sustainable growth. We are hoping to open 10 more homes soon. Watch this space…