Youth homelessness prevention organisation, Kids Under Cover, has released a shortlist and renders of the five cubbies competing to be Australia’s Best Cubby House.

The cubbies will be auctioned as part of the annual Cubby House Challenge at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show in March 2018.

Five cubbies are being built by some of Melbourne’s leading architects and builders, after a record level of expressions of interest were received from all over Australia.

The shortlisted cubbies are:

• The Dream Catcher Figurehead Construction in collaboration with architect Bayley Ward, represented by Luke Banitsiotis of Woodards 
• Becon Constructions and Watson Young’s Rocky Road to be represented by Harry Li of iSell Group
• Buildher Collective, Beirin Projects and Bellemo & Cat’s collaboration Heads Up, to be represented by Sam Rigopoulos of Jellis Craig
• Porter Davis’ The Eyrie will be represented by Glen Coutinho of RT Edgar
• Block Party designed by NH Architecture, built by APM Group in collaboration with The District Docklands, to be represented by Tom Roberts of Nelson Alexander

The cubbies will be open for inspection and auctioned at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, with funds raised going towards Kids Under Cover.

The selected cubbies were chosen, not only for their creative design of fun spaces for kids to play, but also for their environmental credentials.

The cubbies will be awarded a range of prizes including Best Interior Design, Most Imaginative/Interactive Cubby, and Best Architectural Cubby.

This year’s judging panel includes Peter Maddison, architect and host of Lifestyle Channel’s Grand Designs Australia; Shaynna Blaze, interior designer and judge on Channel 9’s The Block; Emily Power, Editor of Domain; and Ben and Andy, former contestants on Channel 9’s The Block.

A group of local school children will also test out the cubbies and provide their own important verdict for the Kids’ Choice Award.

“This year’s Cubby House Challenge is looking to be even bigger and better,” said CEO Jo Swift.

"Our goal in 2018 is to beat the total auction record of $92,500 for the cubbies."

Real estate agent Sam Rigopoulos of Jellis Craig is coming back for his seventh Cubby House Challenge, and is looking to add to the more than $115,000 he has already raised for the organisation.

“I’ve had three kids of my own since I started working with Kids Under Cover as an auctioneer for these spectacular cubbies, and through them my involvement has taken on a new meaning,” he said.

Anyone interested in buying one of the cubbies should register their details for the twilight auction at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.

Click here to find out more about the Melbourne Flower Show.

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