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.
