On a narrow plot in Sydney, architect Adam Haddow’s 69m² brick house stands as a luxurious experiment in minimalist living. While residing in a spacious rooftop apartment, Haddow realized that he and his husband only utilized a third of the space. This led him to ponder whether downsizing could enhance their quality of life.
The multi-level dwelling, situated on a three-by-ten metre block, features a bedroom, study, kitchen, lounge, and rooftop garden. Clever design elements create an illusion of space where there is little. A tiny courtyard wraps around a tree-fern, seemingly sprouting from the building’s side, while a skylight above a plant-filled shower fosters a connection with nature.
Haddow, who also serves as the national president of the Australian Institute of Architects, asserts that the house demonstrates “you could have the luxury of a large dwelling but with a really small footprint.” The house won the 2023 Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture, with judges praising it as a “spectacular example of a new approach to urban infill” during a time when Australia must move beyond the traditional four-bedroom standalone house model.
Reimagining Space in Urban Living
Kevin McLeod, an architecture expert, remarked on ABC’s Grand Designs Australia, “There’s a big lesson in this building about letting go, about understanding that storage is really helpful but actually not having so much stuff in the first place, not having so much building in the first place, is releasing, it’s liberating.”
Despite the house’s appeal, its cost remains prohibitive for many. However, some experts argue that constructing smaller homes could reduce prices and expedite the building process. Architecture critic Elizabeth Farrelly once noted that Australian houses are large because of societal greed. “We’re all taught to want as much as we can possibly get,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2003.
Over the past two decades, household sizes have decreased, yet Australia continues to build some of the world’s largest homes. According to property research firm Cotality, more than 60% of households consist of just one or two people, while the majority of housing features three bedrooms.
The Cultural Obsession with Space
Haddow believes Australia’s fixation on a “forever home” has led to unnecessarily large dwellings. The average floor area of newly built detached houses in Australia is 232m², a slight decrease from the 2008 peak of 246m², according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
“When people think about their future requirements, in their mind they ‘need more and more [space] to be able to sustain living there,'” Haddow explains. Stamp duty also influences this mindset, as moving incurs additional costs, prompting people to seek larger homes.
In Australia’s booming property market, larger houses are often perceived as better investments. Breathe Architecture founder Jeremy McLeod urges a reevaluation of Australia’s unsustainable housing designs amidst climate and cost-of-living crises.
Dr. Julie Collins, Director and Curator of the Architecture Museum at the University of South Australia, highlights the trend towards larger homes post-1950s, influenced by American suburban models. Open-plan living further contributed to this expansion, creating a demand for additional rooms for acoustic privacy.
Could Smaller Homes Be the Solution?
Sue Schlesinger, who downsized from a four-bedroom house to an apartment, reflects on her experience. While she misses having a backyard, she appreciates the view and sunsets from her apartment. Professional organizer Lissanne Oliver assisted Schlesinger in decluttering, emphasizing the value of space over possessions.
Oliver notes, “A room that isn’t used because it’s full of excess belongings is costly.” She encourages clients to consider what they would replace if their house burned down, prompting a reassessment of their space needs.
Haddow observes a shift towards valuing “landscape as luxury,” accelerated by the pandemic. “What has happened in the last …50 years, is that houses have got bigger, and the sites have got smaller,” he says, leading to reduced outdoor living spaces.
Property economist Cameron Kusher suggests that building smaller homes could lower costs and construction times. “Maybe we need to go back to how things were 30, 40 years ago where you had smaller homes and you make them easy to renovate,” he told ABC’s The Business.
Rethinking Housing for a Sustainable Future
Dr. Nicola Willand, Associate Professor at RMIT, argues that embracing smaller spaces is essential for sustainability. “Achieving a sustainable housing future means not letting our houses be our primary space for every activity in our lives,” she says.
Dr. Willand emphasizes the need to consider sufficiency in housing, integrating environmental and social measures. She states, “We need a certain amount of space, and if you’ve ever lived in a tiny apartment, and you were locked in there during COVID with children and you had to work from home, you will probably know what I mean.”
As Australia grapples with housing and environmental challenges, the concept of smaller, well-designed homes may offer a viable path forward. By rethinking the traditional Australian Dream, the nation could address its housing crisis while fostering a more sustainable future.
