Dreaming of Tomorrow: Domestic Architecture

Post War Construction

‘Houses built in the years immediately after World War II are often referred to as “austerity style”.  Materials were in short supply, and for some time there were strict government limits on the size of any new house. This resulted in small, simple buildings. 

By the 1950s and 60s, shortages had been overcome and housing styles began to change again.  The roof pitch dropped, and some roofs were almost flat. Verandahs largely disappeared and were replaced by a small porch or patio, and while some houses continued to be built on traditional high stumps, others began to sit right on the ground on a concrete slab’¹.   

‘In earlier years, many families had borrowed money from the Government to build their own homes known as “Workers’ Dwellings”. After the War, a new strategy was adopted to try to overcome the acute housing shortage. The Commonwealth provided money to the states and as a
result of this, the Queensland Housing Commission was formed. It built houses but retained ownership and rented them at a modest rate. 

In Ipswich, the first Housing Commission homes were built in Bostock Street, East Ipswich. Large numbers of homes were later built in groups and created new suburbs such as Leichhardt and Riverview. By 1990, 18% of all post-war housing within the city boundaries was owned by the
Queensland Housing Commission’².

‘In November 1957, a newspaper article discussed housing development in Ipswich. It said a big expansion of Ipswich had taken place in the immediate post-war years, but there had been little development between 1949 and 1956. However in 1957, large estates were planned for Redbank, Ebbw Vale and Riverview. Many home builders were said to prefer the eastern suburbs which were close to the railway. They also had low rates because there was no sewerage, making the area more affordable.

After many years of little activity. Brassall was becoming popular and the suburb had “a new look with many modern houses”. Little development was taking place in 1957 in Leichhardt and the western suburbs’³.