Macdonald Residence

The client brief called for a multigenerational family home on a sloping battle-axe block, with expansive views to the nearby mountains and Broadbeach. The design was to prioritise capturing these views and maintaining a strong connection to the yard, all whilst working within a period of escalating construction costs.

In response, the project was masterplanned to allow the home to grow with the family over time, enabling construction to be staged and, importantly, costs to be managed as the project progressed. Stage one comprised the essentials: a kitchen, laundry, bathroom, living spaces, and three bedrooms. Stage two introduced the master suite, guest suite, and carport, while stage three added the pool. A fourth stage is planned to allow for the straightforward addition of a granny flat.

Given the sloping site and views available to the west and south, the house is positioned on the higher ground to maximise vistas and capture prevailing breezes. Level backyard spaces are created by using the house foundations and pool structure to also function as retaining walls.

Internally, the plan is organised into distinct living zones, responding to the needs of multigenerational living while also offering varied framed perspectives of the otherwise constant views.

Ultimately, the multigenerational home was delivered as a prototype that responds to contemporary challenges: rising construction and living costs that are keeping adult children at home for longer, an ageing population requiring extended care, and the broader pressures of increasing cost of living.