It must have been about Year 1 or 2. The time when you are almost to the front gate of the school after walking hand-in-hand with your daughter from the car park.

When she gently slips her hand from yours and decides to make her way up the path by herself. Still by your side for support but taking that first step to letting go.

It happens again in Year 8 or 9. They just want support for their decisions, not you telling them what to do. Like young birds about to fly the nest.

A lot of flapping of wings ... and they just need the support to say: You can do it, you can fly. The result is the Year 12 formal. An exciting time for a 17-year-old. Truly a proud time for a parent.

As the Dalai Lama said on his recent visit to the Sunshine Coast: You have got to love the children, for they are the future.

Which brings me to something quite special that is happening in Noosa. The launch of a series of houses by the Young Guns of Australian architecture.

It’s the brainchild of Pearson Property Group managing director David Pearson as part of the Elysium project at Noosa Heads.

First it was engaging 20 heavyweights in Queensland architecture to design 40 individual houses. Now it is the chance for our emerging architects. Twenty one-off designs from 10 of the best in their field.

The only limitation is that the designs be in keeping with the Noosa lifestyle and in touch with the environment.

As David Pearson put it: “Elysium is a process. It’s the last land like it in Noosa. No matter how you look at it, it looks good.

“When we started it we asked, ‘We wanted to give them a clean palette and let them start work. We wanted to design the ultimate Noosa community’.”

The emphasis on the Young Guns series of houses is on sustainability, lightweight construction, different styles and cutting-edge design.

As one of the architects, Matthew Chan, says: “As a Young Gun architect you have to question those who have come before you. It’s a constant challenge of convention.’’

That faith in the up-and-coming architects will help provide a living legacy for Noosa and the Sunshine Coast. Something to be proud of. At the same time it will be a benchmark for community living in Australia.

David Pearson knows of nothing else quite like it ... only a development of about 30 houses in New York.

It’s an exciting time for everyone involved. A rare opportunity for designers to collectively get together in a project and communicate with each other rather than be in competition.