Epping Generation House is a new example of an intergenerational form of housing in the suburbs.

It captures North East breezes and views over the valley at the rear. The materials are warm and robust and have been chosen to create privacy between the dwellings while appearing as a new form within the neighbourhood.

Architecture & Design sat down with Vanessa Wegner, practice Principal, to discuss the genesis of the project.

Architecture & Design: Can you describe the initial vision for this project and how it evolved over time?

Vanessa Wegner: I was approached by Allister and Claire a young family with 2 kids and Allister's parents Narelle and Geoffrey who are in their 70-80's.

Allister and Claire and their two young children Belle and Quinn were living in a small 50’s dilapidated bungalow on a large block in Epping. Allister’s parents Geoffrey and Narelle decided to sell their property and contribute to the build of a new dwelling that could accommodate two families. The house presents as a one storey dwelling from the street emulating the original scale of the bungalow. The front entry leads to a common courtyard with two front doors that signals the two dwellings within. The older couple Geoffrey and Narelle are on the Ground floor level with easy access while Allister’s family occupy the other half of the Ground level and the level below that flows out to the garden and the pool.

They wanted to design a new house that would accommodate both families with their own dwellings. They wanted to use the slope of the land and drop the second level below street level so that it connects with the rear yard. They also wanted a sustainable design that would capture the breezes from the valley to cool the house in summer.

What were the biggest challenges you faced during the design and construction phases, and how did you overcome them?

Biggest challenge was working with the planning regulations and also meeting the brief of the committee (as I called them) and meeting their individual needs - as they are slightly different between the old and the young!

How did you ensure that the project met the client’s needs and expectations?

We have a single entry at the front that flows into a courtyard where the two entries to the individual apartments are located. This courtyard can be closed off in winter and fully opened in summer. This tends to be the meeting place of the tow families before they retreat into their individual spaces. The older couple Narelle and Geofrrey have the Eastern half of the top floor for level access and the younger family have the western side of the top floor and then the full bottom level that connects to the garden and the pool. Narelle and Geoffrey have a balcony that looks over the shared rear yard.

Were there any unique or innovative techniques or materials used in this project?

The main material are thin concrete blocks that wrap around the building but also along the common internal wall. There is timber windows and joinery that warm up the concrete surfaces. They have installed 2 Tesla batteries that store the power they get from the large amount of solar panels. There is also a breezeway of louvres in teh young family's hallway that captures the Eastern light into their side and the breezes from the North East. The pool is a natural pool with no chlorine. The plants filter the water - so they often get frogs in the pool.

How does this project fit into your broader portfolio and design philosophy?

This is the first intergenerational house I have done. It could be a good model for developing suburban sites in the future as it easily accommodates the two families so that they have privacy and connection when they want to without overdeveloping the site.

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