FUTURE-PROOF HOME

Designer: Cory Beauchesne, Arkhitekton

Assessor: Cory Beauchesne,

Arkhitekton

Project cost estimate: $433,920

House size: 240 sqm

Energy rating: 9.4 stars

Future-Proof Home is built to last. With low maintenance and next-to-zero running costs, this home eliminates a reliance on energy supply now and well into the future. Its design presents functional spaces for a young family or it can be converted to be more suitable for assisted living circumstances or leased for extra income. Elderly owners can easily create assisted living by dividing the home into two separate, fully self-contained, private spaces with a low-maintenance, self-watering native and edible garden.

Appropriate room sizes and efficient circulation have been adopted in Future-Proof Home, resulting in all spaces being functionally optimised. The dwelling is composed of two distinctive volumes, one at the front that brings character, as it shelters a vaulted day area space, and one at the rear of a lower scale, meant to be respectful and quiet to the neighbours. The size of the living spaces suit a family and bedrooms can be adapted for single or double occupation. The kitchen and dining areas are flexible and can be modified to suit the owners’ cooking and entertainment requirements. Rooms are well-balanced in size ensuring no wasted costs on unusable spaces that are overly large or too small.

A comfortable internal living environment in summer and winter, great indoor air quality and close to zero energy bills, Future-Proof Home will bring a higher capital gain over a longer period. Essentially the occupants will use the whole site via the flowing indooroutdoor connection and contribute to a socially welcoming neighbourhood from a semi-private front courtyard.

The south section of the site includes a series of inline rainwater tanks, installed against the boundary fence that can be upgraded in capacity, and harvested rainwater will be used for toilet flushing, laundry and garden irrigation. The home uses electricity only and one single electric car is parked on site with the rear section of the roof accommodating a 7.7 KW solar panel system.

The occupants have the option to downsize later if they wish to without having to go through significant architectural restructuring. Non-structural interventions against the internal layouts are possible only by creating a clear demarcation between the two sections, adding one laundry space at the front and converting the master bedroom into a day area at the rear. The downsizing exercise can also provide additional income for the elderly or on-site assisted living.

Future-Proof Home is equipped with EV and an e-Bicycle charging station, connected to an on-site generated solar energy system encouraging the owners to reduce their car use and remain physically active.

Design effectiveness, work-from-home arrangements, long-term functionality and social interaction, enables the owners to remain within a familiar community with easy access to services and very little maintenance.