AHO Design Guidelines set benchmark for housing

The AHO Design Guidelines set a benchmark for design excellence, sustainability and ongoing analysis of all types of housing in New South Wales.

The document contains guidance on:

• location and climate
• cultural sustainability
• site orientation, conditions and access
• internal and external design principles.

The guidelines address the immediate need for delivery of good quality housing for projects across remote, regional and inner-city NSW. 

It begins to address cultural sustainability, however further consultation may be required to expand the guidelines to incorporate culturally appropriate principles to suit the broader needs of Aboriginal people across different communities.

These guidelines provide general principles and a reference point, however specific consultation needs to take place on a case-by-case basis to ensure needs are met. 

The document will evolve over time - an ongoing process is proposed to ensure it maintains cultural and market relevance.

Who this document is for

The AHO Design Guidelines are to be used by people across the design, construction and review process, for example:

• AHO staff reviewing tenders
• builders seeking to understand requirements
• architects and designers working on development applications.