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https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/nov/19/when-bigger-isnt-better-do-australian-houses-need-to-be-the-largest-in-the-world>
"Australians like our space; it’s a good thing we have a lot of it. But do we
always use it smartly? Australians now build and live in the biggest homes in
the world, outstripping even the US and Canada. In the last 60 years, our
houses have more than doubled in size – from 100 sq metres to 236 sq metres –
while the number of people living in them has declined.
And this month a 236 sq metre house has sprouted up in the back garden of the
National Gallery of Victoria. There are no bedrooms or bathrooms inside – in
fact, there are no rooms at all, just a labyrinth of windowless walls that feel
dark and oppressive. But then the maze ends, opening out on another house –
this one 50 sq metres – that feels like a sudden respite. Despite being
smaller, it feels roomier with its high ceilings and a beautiful play of shadow
and light coming through slotted pine walls. It’s not the size, it’s the way
you use it.
Home Truth is both an architectural artwork and a provocation, posed by the
Melbourne studio Breathe for the NGV’s ninth annual architectural commission.
Breathe is known for elegant Nightingale houses, smartly designed to maximise
space and minimise environmental impact, during both construction and years of
heating and cooling after. (“Right size housing for a climate crisis. Right
size housing for a housing crisis,” the website reads.)
Some people may walk inside the smaller house at the NGV and scoff, trying to
imagine all their furniture in there. But small houses are cheaper to buy and
cheaper to run, Jeremy McLeod, the founding director of Breathe Architecture,
points out.
“What if I told you that you could buy that for $100,000?” he says, pointing at
the small house. “And this is $580,000?” he adds, pointing at the big house.
“Would you rather have more space? Absolutely. Can you afford it? No. Sometimes
you have got to make the choice that actually works for all parts of your
life.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
