ENVI
ENVI Micro Urban Village is the multi-award-winning micro-lot infill development concept pioneered by Amy Degenhart in the unique role of architect–developer.
ENVI Micro Urban Village
By replacing status-quo inefficiencies with thoughtful design, the multi-award-winning ENVI Micro Urban Village infill development transformed a single dwelling lot into ten freehold homes – seven of which were purchased by first homeowners.
ENVI Micro Urban Village
High ceilings, open risers, clerestory windows, and other details give each home a sense of light and openness belying its small footprint.
ENVI Micro Urban Village
Custom IKEA kitchens maximise utility while allowing buyers to express their individual personalities – all at an affordable price point.
ENVI Micro Urban Village
Open ‘flute’ designs respond to the subtropical climate by maximising ventilation and transparency.
ENVI Micro Urban Village
Loft spaces provide additional room for storage or home offices.
ENVI Micro Urban Village
Architecturally curated luxury fittings provide an optional opportunity for buyers to further invest their home with their own unique style.
ENVI Micro Urban Village
ENVI leveraged its convenient location in easy walking distance to parks, beaches, shops, schools, jobs and public transport to take an à la carte approach to onsite car parking, maximising living space on even the smallest lot (which, at 38 sqm, is one of the smallest in the country).
ENVI Micro Urban Village
ENVI has been recognised as the exemplar of a new type of high-density development with prestigious awards and mainstream media attention. It has even been recently included as an example in the Planning Institute of Australia’s policy report, Planning for Housing in SEQ.
Photography by Tom Anthony
media
The micro lots that are challenging the Australian Dream | The Queensland Government, 28 Feb 2023
What does Suburban Renewal mean to you? | The Agenda, Planning Institute of Australia, Spring 2022
How to turn one house into 10 | Gold Coast Bulletin, 21 September 2022
The micro lot development | Nikolas Strugar (Ravens at Odds) | Gold Coast Open House, 18 October 2021
Mini homes built to suit everyone | 9 News Queensland, 10 September 2020
Gold Coast micro development wins national award | Blank Street Press, 10 September 2020
DegenhartShedd’s micro-home village opens on the Gold Coast | ArchitectureAU, 31 May 2019
Gold Coast’s tiniest houses now complete | Architecture and Design, 21 May 2019
Micro homes: what it’s like to build a house on one of the smallest freehold lots in Australia | domain.com.au | 16 May 2019
Micro homes | 9 News Queensland, 15 May 2019
Micro homes: the new big thing in real estate | 7News Gold Coast, 15 May 2019
It’s the size of a garage, but first-home buyers are loving it | realestate.com.au | Courier Mail, 15 May 2019
Why people will live in 38 sq m lots on the Gold Coast | realestate.com.au | Gold Coast Bulletin, 26 December 2017
award jury comments
PLANNING INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA (PIA) QUEENSLAND AWARDS FOR PLANNING EXCELLENCE, 2021
ENVI Micro Urban Village is a great example of innovative and practical planning which illustrates great promise in achieving the vision of planning excellence in Queensland. It is a worthy recipient of the 2021 Wendy Chadwick Encouragement Award. By seeking to combine urban design and affordable housing, the project team for ENVI Micro Urban Village shows the planning community new ways of increasing density without compromising liveability, human scale and community.
Applying the philosophy of 'compact village living with a lighter footprint' has resulted in a diverse development that fits into its local community and offers residents the benefits of good design. The project shows that small planning projects can bring significant improvements to local communities by showing new ways of achieving a common planning objective: in this case increasing housing density and diversity.
The courage of the team in taking the risk to create this project as a demonstration of what is possible is acknowledged. ENVI Micro Urban Village has the ability to inspire others to try something new. The judges applaud the project team and the assessment managers for working together to take detailed planning in a new direction to provide an example that has the potential to be applied widely across Queensland.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA: AFFORDABLE SMALL SCALE DEVELOPMENT AWARD, 2020
ENVI Micro Urban Village is a brilliant addition to the urban landscape of the Gold Coast. The unique response to high density in close proximity to services and transport is a shining example of what can be done with a progressive regulator and developer who innovates. Seamlessly integrated into the existing neighbourhood, the density achieved is a surprise and the building response, simply outstanding. This housing product in a desirable walkable neighbourhood plays with space to provide a choice of housing typologies, regardless of age in life, for the discerning buyer. Whilst the understanding of product was a hard sell to institutions and others in the property industry, the buyers snapped these up, reminding us all, that innovative small-scale and affordable development sells.
Gold Coast URBAN DESIGN AWARDS: Urban Design Award, 2020
The ENVI Micro Village is a much needed exemplar of affordable, high quality, density done well. Each dwelling displays smart internal design and importantly, a skilful combination of external facades, materials and landscape design. ENVI is a clear lesson to the industry and the community, that through good urban design, higher density affordable housing can be seamlessly integrated into any neighbourhood.
Gold Coast URBAN DESIGN AWARDS: Award for Urban Design Leadership, 2020
Amy has been a tireless advocate for ‘missing middle’ and affordable housing typologies, as evidenced by the award winning ENVI Micro Village project. Through her projects, Amy questions and challenges any long-accepted planning controls, engineering standards and traditional development typologies that are impediments to good urban design outcomes. Through this questioning, Amy provides leadership to the development industry and to local government policy makers on alternative and affordable development typologies and how they can be successfully delivered without adversely impacting the surrounding community. Her projects are also an outstanding example to the wider community on how good design can overcome any pre-conceived biases against higher density and/or affordable small lot development projects.
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS QUEENSLAND REGIONAL ARCHITECTURE AWARD (GOLD COAST NORTHERN RIVERS), 2020
Architecturally designed micro terraces offer multiple dwelling configurations and provide a refreshing new approach to house and land packs. This innovative and materially rich development, a significant contribution to Southport’s community and urban fabric. The meaningful, layered engagement with the street is amplified through intriguing details in material, light and landscape. Articulation and arrangement of breeze blocks, brick work, figured screens, expressed battens and paint coupled with stepped built form and innovative planting bring character to the locality.
GOOD DESIGN AWARDS AUSTRALIA: GOLD AWARD, 2020
This challenge – to transform one house into ten desirable affordable homes – is an important case study for our growing cities. The homes are thoughtfully designed to respect the local context and to overcome fears of higher density within the local community. This project demonstrates a new approach to high-density housing that is both affordable and aesthetically stimulating. Good to see a high level of original and innovative thinking behind this successful outcome.