Twin Townhouses Break New Ground for Multigenerational Living in Melbourne

An affordable two-unit home provides a beautiful solution to the city’s housing shortage.

Dec 4, 2020 - 22:51
Twin Townhouses Break New Ground for Multigenerational Living in Melbourne

An affordable two-unit home provides a beautiful solution to the city’s housing shortage.

A former fence was replaced with recycled red-and-cream brick pillars with integrated mailboxes that also serve as inviting places to perch. The architects also minimized the appearance of the street-facing garages by concealing the western townhouse's carport behind a timber picket gate and seamlessly integrating the other fully enclosed garage into the facade.

In a densely packed Melbourne suburb, architects Jessie Fowler and Tara Ward of Fowler + Ward have crafted an elegant multigenerational dwelling that’s a refreshing spin on the typical humdrum dual-occupancy townhouse.

"Dual-frontage subdivisions are a practical and affordable way to double density within the suburbs, however they are often associated with a loss of neighborhood character, awkward spaces, and minimum setbacks that overwhelm unhappy neighbors," explain Fowler and Ward, who formed their emerging practice in 2018.

A former fence was replaced with recycled red-and-cream brick pillars with integrated mailboxes that also serve as inviting places to perch. The architects also minimized the appearance of the street-facing garages by concealing the western townhouse's carport behind a timber picket gate and seamlessly integrating the other fully enclosed garage into the facade.

Located on a quiet street, the Thornbury Townhouses are a pair of near-identical three-bedroom dwellings that read as a single home with a contemporary facade.

Tom Ross

"This project explores how we can rethink these developments to create new dialogues with existing streetscapes and better quality homes," continue the architects. "The playful form, evocative materials, and deep connection to the site all work together to address this tension."

The clients, a young couple with a son, inherited the small 5,000-square-foot suburban lot with a run-down California bungalow in 2013. Rather than pursue a renovation, they hoped to squeeze two homes onto the block to create a new home for themselves and an affordable place for their son’s grandparents to downsize as well.

Following the example of the neighboring homes, the architects placed the upper floor slightly behind the ground-floor volume. Although the new roof is only 1,200 millimeters taller than its single-story predecessor, it allows for a second story.

Following the example of the neighboring homes, the architects placed the upper floor slightly behind the ground-floor volume. Although the new roof is only 47 inches taller than its single-story predecessor, it allows for a second story.

Tom Ross

The ground-floor volume is covered in stucco render with Dulux 'Surfmist' paint finish that's complemented by warm timber surfaces.

The ground-floor volume is covered warm timber surfaces and stucco render with a Dulux Surfmist paint finish.

Tom Ross

See the full story on Dwell.com: Twin Townhouses Break New Ground for Multigenerational Living in Melbourne
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