Reimagining how Australia builds - faster, smarter, and designed for the real world.
In most Australian homes, the small column around a front or back door post is surprisingly complex. Built using many different materials: bricks, mortar, concrete fill and cladding - and requiring multiple specialised trades to assemble each layer - the current process often results in delays, errors and unnecessary time wasted on site.
Outcasted Modular Cladding is a scalable design innovation that simplifies this process into a prefabricated, interlocking system - reducing labour, removing bottlenecks, and enabling a future of efficient and adaptable building .
“It’s just the way we’ve always done it.” – Builder, 10+ years experience
What is ‘Post Cladding’?
Although post cladding may appear to be a minor architectural detail, it exposes a much larger flaw in Australia’s residential construction system. Traditionally, a façade column is constructed by bricklaying around a structural post, leaving a cavity that is later filled with concrete. Once set, additional trades install stone veneer, tiles or weatherboard cladding to complete the exterior finish. While this appears straightforward, it relies on a chain of specialised trades – bricklayers, renderers, carpenters, cladders, concreters, painters – each waiting for the previous stage before they can begin. If one person is delayed or a step is done incorrectly, the entire process stalls. This creates unnecessary costs, wasted time, human error, and scheduling conflicts across sites. For something that visually takes up less than a metre of space, it causes a disproportionate impact on workflow.
industry insights
During interviews and on-site research, one recurring sentiment from builders was clear: “This is just the way we’ve always done it.” Many acknowledged the inefficiencies but accepted them as a normal part of the job. Some admitted they had never questioned the process, despite the frustration it causes in scheduling, labour coordination and time management. The hesitation to innovate often comes down to two fears – disrupting the building code, and risking delays for something “that already works well enough.” Yet, beneath this acceptance lies an opportunity. Builders want a method that is faster, controlled and predictable – without compromising quality or regulation. Outcasted Modular Cladding sits exactly in this gap – it doesn’t replace the code, it works within it.
Some builds require many specialised trades:
– Bricklayer
– Carpenter
– Tiler
– Water Proofer
– Termite Inspector
– (and sometimes others)
Design Response – What is Outcasted Modular Cladding?
A partially pre-fabricated EPS-concrete modular brick system that:
– Is built around a structural post.
– Interlocks like Lego, enabling for easy stacking and assembly.
– Accepts most off-the-shelf cladding materials – stone, tile, brick veneer, timber, composite, that are easily attached.
– Requires one installer, not multiple different trades.
– Is non-structural but strong, fire-resistant, waterproof and code compliant.
Why EPS-Concrete?
EPS Concrete (Expanded Polystyrene + Concrete):
The innovation is not just in the assembly – it’s in the material. EPS-concrete is made by mixing concrete with expanded polystyrene beads. This makes each block around 40% lighter than traditional concrete, while still maintaining strength, fire resistance, water resistance and insulative properties. Since the post column is non-structural, the material is more than suitable, it exceeds what is required while making transport, lifting and installation significantly easier. This shift to a lightweight, prefabricated unit enables faster construction without compromising quality or safety.
Aesthetic Adaptability
Aesthetic adaptability is critical in residential construction because every builder, homeowner and developer has different design preferences, budgets and material suppliers. A system that forces a single look or finish will never be adopted at scale – it has to blend seamlessly into existing styles, not fight against them. The Outcasted Modular Cladding system solves this by using a gravity-based keyhole locking mechanism that allows most off-the-shelf cladding materials – stone veneer, tiles, brick slips, timber or composite panels – to be easily fixed to the surface of the modular unit. Rather than redesigning the external appearance of the post, the system provides a universal structural base that supports endless aesthetic outcomes. This flexibility is what makes the design commercially realistic, architecturally versatile and builder-friendly.
Great Qualities:
– Fire Retardant
– Water Resistant
– Structurally Strong
– Insulator
– Lighter Then Concrete
– Aus Building Code Approved Material
Assembly
Assembly of the system has been intentionally designed to be fast, intuitive and achievable by even the most junior worker on site. Each module is manufactured to consistent tolerances, allowing them to simply slide over the structural post and stack vertically without adhesives, mortar or specialised tools. Instead of aligning brickwork, waiting for mortar to dry or coordinating trades, the installer follows a straightforward drop-and-lock method – the units interlock under their own weight. This not only speeds up construction but removes the mess, curing times and weather-dependency of traditional methods. Because of its simplicity, the system does not require specialised training or years of experience; an apprentice or single labourer can complete the installation confidently and accurately. The result is a process that is cleaner, faster and more reliable, while still maintaining the precision and finish expected in modern residential construction.
Value – Why It Matters
The true value of Outcasted Modular Cladding lies not just in its form, but in the measurable impact it delivers to the building industry. By replacing a multi-stage, labour-intensive process with a single installer system, builders can save up to four or more hours per post, significantly increasing site efficiency. These time savings directly translate into financial benefits, with estimated labour cost reductions of $250 to $500 per column, depending on the project scale. Because the system removes the need for multiple trades – traditionally five to seven different specialists – it eliminates scheduling gaps, reduces downtime, and keeps construction timelines on track. This shift also brings greater predictability and risk reduction; fewer people involved means fewer errors, fewer delays from weather or availability, and a more controlled outcome on every build. The design is not limited to one shape or application – it can be scaled and adapted to different post sizes, façade styles and future housing typologies. Importantly, the simplicity and repeatability of the system mean it has the future potential to become a DIY, hardware-store-ready product, making efficient construction more accessible to both professionals and everyday homeowners.
Why This Is Design Innovation
This is not just a product – it’s a system redesign.
✔ It identifies an overlooked problem in residential construction
✔ Challenge: cultural resistance – “don’t mess with building code”
✔ Uses existing materials and codes, but changes the sequence, labour, and logic of construction
✔ Delivers modularity, adaptability and industry scalability
✔ Design-led innovation – not technology for the sake of it, but solving a real bottleneck
the future
This concept begins with posts – but it doesn’t end there.
– Modular cladding can be applied to:
– Retaining walls
– Pillars, letterboxes, landscape features
– Full façade systems
– DIY homeowner applications
Faster, cheaper, adaptable — Australian design for Australian construction.
Will Helmrich
Will is a marketing and innovation-focused industrial designer, passionate about practical, scalable and societally progressive innovation. Patriotic at heart, he places Australia-first thinking at the forefront of everything he designs.
He currently runs a marketing company, Outcast Group, in Brisbane and is working towards integrating industrial design consultancy services into its offerings.
