Introducing HOUSE OF US
A Living Gathering of Stories, Futures and Place
What kind of future are we building together?
Housing. Climate. Wellbeing. Belonging. Opportunity.
These are not separate issues. They are experienced every day through the places where we live, learn, work and connect. HOUSE OF US was born from a simple belief: young people should be active participants in conversations about the future of their communities. Developed on Gimuy Country (Cairns), HOUSE OF US is a participatory public installation and educational initiative inviting young people and communities to collectively imagine the future of place, belonging and wellbeing. Through storytelling, drawing, reflection and creative participation, individual contributions become part of an evolving architectural installation — a living civic archive capturing hopes, experiences and aspirations for the future. Presented as part of WOW Cairns 2026, HOUSE OF US sits within a global conversation about participation, wellbeing, leadership and community futures. At its heart is a powerful idea: the built environment is not simply the backdrop to our lives. It shapes health, opportunity, connection, resilience and belonging. Yet young people are rarely invited into conversations about the systems and places shaping their futures. HOUSE OF US seeks to change that.
The Cairns pilot will bring together students, educators, architects, designers and community members through workshops, collective making and public participation. Together, they will explore how places influence everyday life and how communities can actively shape what comes next. For me, this project is deeply personal. Having been born and raised in Cairns, HOUSE OF US is an opportunity to give back to the region that shaped me while creating new connections between young people, community and the built environment professions. Importantly, HOUSE OF US is intended as more than a one-off installation. It is the beginning of a longer-term vision connecting schools, industry and community through place-based learning and civic participation. Over time, the initiative aims to create opportunities for young people to work alongside architects, designers and community leaders on projects that deliver tangible outcomes within their own communities. As Cairns marks 150 years, HOUSE OF US creates an opportunity to capture the voices of the next generation at a significant moment in the region's history. Because the future is not something we inherit.
It is something we build together.
CAIRNS SCHOOL WORKSHOPS
27 - 30 July 2026
Schools Day + Installation Build
11 September 2026
WOW Gimuy|Cairns Festival
12 September 2026
2025 Australia Architecture Awards
VALLEY PLASTICS
A serenely calming yet complex interior insertion for a plastic surgery consultancy within a heritage protected building, delivered with a considered budget and timeframe. The design pays homage to the heritage and original intention of the space, being a mechanic garage, whilst overlay the philosophy of aesthetics, the artist seeking beauty in built and human form. A seamlessly glowing and mirrored light box is balance against a solid box, both floating within the interior. The use of mirrors, reflective surfaces and negative space, amplifies light and reflections of both the original built fabric being heritage bricks and the human form, the focus.
Suzanne Bosanquet Archives - Australian Institute of Architects
