The best family homes are designed for more than the way we live today. MILEHAM Architects + Builders considers how a home can evolve as children grow, parents age and generations come together, without requiring another major renovation.

"We design for the family in front of us, and the family they may become." James Pilcher, MILEHAM

GOOD DESIGN ANTICIPATES FAMILY CHANGE.

MILEHAM doesn't design for one family; they anticipate the needs of the later families it will become: the family with young kids, the adult children with partners, the empty-nesters and the elderly couple looking to age-in-place.

This adaptability is also central to sustainable design and construction: "The most sustainable home is the one you never have to substantially renovate again," says James Pilcher, Director at MILEHAM.

A home that can change without repeated demolition and rebuilding preserves the materials, energy and craftsmanship already invested in it. Sustainability is therefore not only about how efficiently a home operates, but how long it remains useful to the family.

MILEHAM not only asks, "What do you need from your home now?" but "How could your family change, and how can your home change with you?"

A FAMILY HOME IS NEVER STATIC

We often design homes around the family sitting at the table today. Good architecture also considers who may be sitting there in ten or twenty years and how a floor plan needs to be able to respond to this.

A natural question is: "How many kids do you have?".

But the more insightful questions are: "How many do you plan to have?" and "How will your children be living as teenagers? Will they be staying here while studying in their 20s? Will they potentially live here with their partner as a young family?"

Teen and adult children require more independence and privacy, especially as they grow to find their own partners. Ten-year-old children may be willing to share a bathroom, but teenagers may not be so keen.

The future of parents is equally important. As the cost of retirement community living rises, a new trend is emerging. Ageing couples are increasingly considering age-in-place solutions when renovating, a design approach which futureproofs their home so they can grow older in their current homes rather than in retirement villages.

The right architect can pre-empt these possibilities without compromising how the home works today.

SMALL DECISIONS THAT KEEP THE FUTURE OPEN

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Future-proofing is not about building unused spaces "just in case." It is about making intelligent design decisions that have equal use now, as in the future.

When designing for children, a playroom can become a teenage retreat. A semi-contained upstairs floor can become a separate space for adult children and their partners. A dual-key entrance system can provide extra privacy and the opportunity for future tenants.

For parents, a ground-floor study or guest room positioned near a bathroom can become an accessible bedroom later. Meanwhile, an upstairs linen cupboard serves an immediate need today but is positioned and proportioned so that it can form part of a future lift well, supporting an age-in-place solution later.

There's a lot more to multigenerational design than sticking a granny flat in the yard. Thoughtful multigenerational design considers accessibility, independent entry, acoustics, privacy and opportunities for family connection both today and in the future.

SUSTAINABILITY THAT LASTS FOR GENERATIONS

Energy efficiency, passive design and responsible materials remain important, but the most sustainable thing you can do for your home is to never renovate again. If changing family needs require substantial demolition and rebuilding every decade, materials and resources are repeatedly lost and end up in landfill.

A responsible approach is to thoughtfully plan the foundations so that smaller adaptations can be added or removed as the family changes. Temporary installation of hand-rails, child-proofing and inclinators is easy. Retroactively renovating to fit a growing family isn't.

"For us, sustainability is also about longevity. If a home can adapt as children grow, grandparents join the household or the owners' mobility changes, the materials and craftsmanship invested in it continue to serve the family for much longer," asserts James.

No one can predict precisely how family life will change. But thoughtful design can ensure the home is ready to respond. By considering the family its clients may become, MILEHAM creates homes that work beautifully today, preserve choices for tomorrow and remain useful for generations.

MILEHAM Architects + Builders | 1/2 Moore Rd, Freshwater 2096 | 0410 723 203 | www.mileham.com.au

Photography: MILEHAM Architects + Builders