grimshaw develops reconfigurable cubby house concept

in australia, global architecture firm grimshaw has designed a child’s play house as part of an initiative that aims to prevent youth homelessness. the bespoke shelter encourages creative play and a sense of ownership, while offering a finely detailed installation that suits a range of backyards. the typically rigid building form of the conventional cubby house has been transformed with a system of moveable blocks, which can be used to fill voids, provide openings, or store secret treasures.

all images courtesy of grimshaw

the grimshaw-designed structure was auctioned as part of the 2017 melbourne international flower & garden show, with the funds going towards kids under cover’s studio program — an early intervention strategy which helps to prevent youth homelessness. a kid’s design workshop and an in-house design charrette were held to develop the concept for myspace. here, children were invited to contribute their ideas of what constitutes the ‘ultimate cubby’.

the space has been designed for flexibility, creativity, and retreat

‘through myspace we have re-conceptualized the traditional cubby, transforming the rigid building form into one that allows children to create their own space by manipulating various sized blocks across four levels,’ explains grimshaw associate, matt hutton. ‘how they enter the cubby and arrange the interior is up to them — it is a non-static space that children can make their own and reinvent as they desire.’

the bespoke shelter encourages creative play and a sense of ownership

‘we love seeing the creativity of design in our entrants’ dream cubbies, and having children’s input on what features would best facilitate play is a clever way of tailoring a space for that specific audience,’ adds kids under cover CEO, jo swift. primarily designed to keep children intrigued and entertained, grimshaw collaborated with warrick home builders and its suppliers to create the reconfigurable space.

the structure was auctioned as part of the 2017 melbourne international flower & garden show