Notions of Home
Presented by MGS Architects – Catherine Ranger
DETAILS
Ticketed
MGS Architects
level 4/1 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002, Australia
A dwelling can meet every standard and still fall short of home.
Notions of Home considers housing through the lens of spatial calibration. Drawing on years of practice across specialist, transitional and mainstream housing, the session reflects on how threshold, boundary, light, enclosure, sound and retreat shape whether a space allows privacy, clarity and the ability to regulate one’s surroundings.
Home is shaped by who we live with or without, how we live, what we remember and how our bodies move through space. It does not arise from space alone. Space sets the conditions within which these dimensions can settle. Where retreat is absent or boundaries are misjudged, vulnerability tends to intensify and unwanted visibility increases. When carefully weighted, even modest spaces can support steadiness and agency.
Following a presentation, participants engage in a guided workshop, working individually, in pairs or small groups. Using images and spatial prompts, the session considers comfort, safety and what is often taken for granted. The session is open to anyone curious about how space shapes experience. Observation is equally welcome.
Participants
MGS Architects
MGS Architects is a Melbourne/Naarm-based practice working across specialist housing, education and civic projects. For over forty years, the studio has delivered environments where spatial clarity and long term performance are critical. Its work aligns design with operational realities across specialist, transitional and mainstream contexts.This session is led by Catherine Ranger, alongside Eli Giannini, Elliet Spring and Jake Hartmann. The team works across specialist and transitional housing, community infrastructure and complex learning environments, combining design rigour, stakeholder engagement and delivery experience.