Living in an ageing world, it is hard to ignore some key facts: By 2020, the number of people aged 60 years and over will outnumber children younger than 5 years; Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22%; in 2050, 80% of the elderly people will be living in low-income conditions. When your parents are too old to live independently or look after themselves, would you ignore them, or would you take them under your wings? Our client is a highly educated, high-income couple who have decided to make the move to look after their elderly parents. After several meetings and site visits, we came up with a design proposal of a house with two independent yet connected dwellings. The young couple’s dwelling is located at the front of the site, and the parent’s dwelling is located at the back of the site. They share the main entry, the garage and the backyard, but they will have separate living, dining and kitchen areas. They two generations will be able to support each other, while enjoy their own privacy and control over their own lives.
CLIENT: A Young Couple
LOCATION: Copper Beech Road, Beaconsfield, Australia
AREA: Site Area 697 sq. m. ; Total Gross Area 399.73 sq. m. ; Site Coverage: 42%
COST: Construction Cost: 900,000 AU$; Land Cost: 600,000 AU$
YEAR: 2022