Home Truth by Breathe will take over the NGV's back garden, giving visitors a moment to ponder on the state of the country's housing market.
The National Gallery of Victoria has just announced the winner of its Architecture Commission for 2024: Home Truth by Breathe, a thought-provoking installation that invites a re-evaluation of Australian housing practices.
This year’s winning design takes the form of a labyrinthine house-within-a-house, offering a powerful commentary on the environmental and social implications of Australia’s housing trends.
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Australia is renowned for having the largest average house size in the world, with a typical home spanning 236 square meters, according to 2020 data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Home Truth dramatically contrasts this norm by juxtaposing an oversized external house frame — symbolizing the average Australian home’s massive scale—with a compact, timber-clad interior that represents a more sustainable and community-focused living space.
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The installation’s external house frame mirrors the excessive scale of modern Australian homes, which often contribute to suburban sprawl and environmental degradation.
Visitors enter through a grand garage door and traverse a sprawling maze of rooms and corridors. This expansive yet empty space emphasizes the excessiveness of larger homes, inviting reflection on their ecological impact.
Upon emerging from this labyrinth, visitors encounter a serene timber volume crafted from tightly packed timber studs. This smaller-scale retreat offers a meditative space that encourages contemplation of alternative, sustainable living models.
The timber structure is not only a visual and tactile contrast to the oversized frame but also a nod to Melbourne’s historical housing solutions, such as the early 20th-century terrace houses and the mid-century Small Homes Services. These precedents underscore the feasibility and benefits of more modest living spaces.
Constructed from framing pine and Saveboard — a material made from 100% post-consumer waste—the installation uses just two primary materials to reflect contemporary construction practices. The Saveboard’s silver flecks highlight the inadequacies of modern insulation, drawing attention to the broader issue of overconsumption in housing materials.
“Home Truth speculates that overconsumption of space and materials translates into ecological and social consequences – for both us and the planet,” says Ewan McEoin, Senior Curator of Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture at the NGV.
“But importantly, it offers a provocative vision of a new way of thinking about building – seeing the value of living in spaces that are of smaller scale – a vision that prioritises people and planet.’
Home Truth will be on display from November 13, 2024, to April 2025 at NGV International on St Kilda Road, with free entry for all. For more information, head here.
