Tue Feb 18

Australian houses are getting larger. For a more sustainable future, our houses can’t be the space for everything

Written by: Bhavna Middha, ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University

The average Australian household size ^[1] has decreased from 4.5 people per household in 1911 to 2.5 people in 2024. At the same time, the average house size has increased ^[2], from 100 square metres in the 1950s to 236m² in 2020. The average living space in Australian households is now 84m² per person ^[3].

The way we live in our homes – our habits and daily routines – is also growing and changing with our housing, and the way we want to live can shape the size of our homes.

For a more sustainable future, we need to embrace living in smaller spaces. This means not letting our houses be our primary space for every activity in our lives.

Our homes and ‘space creep’

Our houses first became bigger due to space creep, bringing more of the outdoors inside.

Once, older children were delegated to “sleep outs”, or closed-in verandas, when new siblings arrived. Over time, these draughty and unheated spaces may have been converted into bedrooms ^[4], and houses were increasingly built with dedicated rooms for each child.

Older children were often relegated to sleeping in enclosed verandas, like on this house in Cairns in 1927. State Library Queensland ^[5]

Our research ^[6] shows space creep now also occurs even in shrinking, empty nest households. Garages and sheds are increasingly being converted into “man-caves” or rumpus rooms for tinkering, play and privacy.

Some families we spoke with bought bigger houses because there was a separate “hobby room” for crafts or music ^[7], or separate home offices. People now see these spaces as integral to their home life, and buy or build houses with this in mind.

Space creep is also linked to how we consume. We saw many old fridges and chest freezers in garages, allowing for greater food storage ^[8] because people were concerned about having enough food in the house, needed to bulk buy items to save money, or because they tried to minimise trips to the store.

The routines set in these spaces result in us consuming more space. As we, as a society, become used to these spaces, we feel like we should need them.

COVID changed perceptions of how much space is needed in our homes. People living in apartments now describe them as feeling much smaller ^[9] than they did before.

Pets are increasingly viewed as part of the family: almost half ^[10] of homes have a dog, and one third own a cat. This means either making or buying more space to accommodate pets, as well as more energy consumption ^[11].

Studies have found ^[12] we spend more time in our houses than in the past, but overall time spent in each space in the house is less. And while the spaciousness of our homes may afford privacy, we lose connection. If every family member is in a different room on their individual screens, we lose some of the benefits of a family room.

Do we need more apartments?

After children have left, many people prefer to age in their communities. Without better options of smaller, well-built homes in the same location, older people often hold onto ^[13] the large family home.

Planning rules and conventionally designed houses often do not offer the flexibility ^[14] of subdividing homes that have grown too large. Smaller townhouses in the same area may be two stories with stairs, making them inaccessible for many older people. Older people need to be able to downsize without moving away from their communities, services and local area.

And yet, it is not as simple or straightforward as everyone living in apartments or units. Some larger houses are still needed to satisfy certain needs, like multi-generational living.

One in five Victorians want to live in apartments, but only one in ten do. Denise Jans/Unsplash ^[15]

A recent study found one in five ^[16] Victorians would prefer to live in an apartment, but only one in ten do ^[17].

In Australia, apartments suitable for families are rare. Students, young couples or young families see apartments as transient living places ^[18] and not as a forever home, in stark contrast to how families see apartments in many cities in Europe.

As our lot sizes decrease and our new houses increase in size, garden space is compromised to the detriment of biodiversity, shading from trees and stormwater runoff ^[19].

Low and mid-density living that allows for smaller houses and units with backyards and apartments with generous balconies close to larger shared spaces, like parks and sports grounds, may satisfy the desire for privacy, serenity and improve physical and mental health ^[20] through contact with nature, while reducing the risk of hotter urban environments.

Changing priorities

Transitioning from larger to smaller homes, and from houses to apartments, means shifting from a culture where we have an abundance of private spaces such as pools, home theatres and hobby rooms in our homes to shared social infrastructure.

We need to see increased investment in social infrastructure – especially in ^[21] greenfield suburbs with new developments.

People might chose to have a bigger house so they can have a home gym, instead of a gym membership. Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock ^[22]

It means investing in walkable community facilities where people can go to pursue their interests and hobbies and connect with others. Instead of a private hobby room, these activities can be brought into a public space. Instead of multiple living areas, families can share one living space or use outside shared spaces such as Men’s Sheds ^[23].

Changes to construction laws ^[24] may help protect consumers and help householders gain confidence in the monetary value of multi-unit living, by providing solutions for issues in apartments such as cladding, safety and insurance.

Another important step may be the New South Wales Housing Pattern Book ^[25]. The book, to be released this year, will contain the winning designs of an international competition for terrace houses and mid-rise apartment buildings that offer compact sized dwellings with flexible room sizes, private and public outdoor spaces and ample natural light. The designs will be able to be licenced for use by developers and home builders, and enjoy faster approval processes.

The availability of high-quality designs for smaller spaces in connection with attractive neighbourhood places may help Australians reimagine smaller, higher density, good home living.