Oscar Martin, the co-founder of Pedestrian, has teamed up with Aussie architect Peter Stutchbury to develop a one-of-a-kind housing system: Dimensions X. Striving to be the ‘Tesla of housing,’ the company is creating energy-efficient, prefabricated, small-footprint homes that can be customised at the click of a button.
All materials used in the Meccano-like OM-1 design (and more recently, it’s MS-1 and PS-1 designs) can be reused and recycled, including the cross-laminated timber supplied by Xlam, which makes up 92% of the OM-1’s building’s form: “The CLT construction model was selected based upon supply, carbon footprint, cost, flexibility, recyclability, and ease of construction,” according to Mr Stutchbury, who with project architect Alejo De Achaval, nominated the original prototype for the Australian Timber Design Awards last year.
“The assembly time for the first OM-1 model was completed in just 3 weeks, and it feels like a forever home.”
Peter Stutchbury, who with project architect Alejo De Achava nominated OM-1 for the Australian Timber Design Awards in 2024.
Mr Stutchbury said OM-1 used a unique construction technique that allows for self-bracing, different levels of fire-resistance, and joinery elements as required: “The same structural system can accommodate several different planning options.”
“The roof plane can be fitted with evacuated tubes or photovoltaics, and the skylights are interchangeable. (With) prefabricated CLT panels with pre-fitted service recesses, the buildings arrive flat-packed on-site, keeping the building footprint to a minimum.”
Mr Martin, who sold Pedestrian to the Nine Network in 2015, was inspired to enter the housing market and use modern methods of construction (MMC) to solve the country’s housing crisis and save the planet. “I couldn’t understand why the top Australian architects weren’t offering one,’ he said back in 2023. “On top of that, there was nothing on the market that genuinely put the planet at the top of the brief… I was convinced there was a gap in the market for the “Tesla of housing” — planet-friendly architecture.”
Applications for the Australian Timber Design Awards are open.
Last month, Wood Central revealed that applications are now open for the 2025 Australian Timber Design Awards. Established in 2000, the competition promotes and encourages outstanding timber design in the built environment.
“The competition is open to builders, designers, architects, engineers, landscape designers and anyone else involved in designing or building structures that feature timber,” said Andrew Dunn, CEO of the Timber Development Association, who said nominations for this year’s awards close June 12: “To recognise rising stars, a separate section is available to students and entrants aged 30 or under.”
