Emery St

Location

Chapman, ACT

Country

Ngunnawal

Status

Completed

Year

2022

2024

Client

B & C LIVING

Project Team

Constructed by Rez Built

Plot Design Group (Landscape)

Role

Designers & Development Partners

Photography

Carter and Co.

Vanessa Smyth

Linked in planning yet individual in character, these two homes bring crafted architecture to a once‑vacant suburban site.

Emery Street transforms a long-vacant suburban block into a pair of highly resolved homes, reworking an existing approval to lift the lived experience and the way the homes meet the street. Conceived through a female-led development partnership, the project brings a fresh perspective to missing middle housing. Rather than reading as a single attached duplex, the two homes are composed as distinct addresses, with separation and planting increasing the sense of distance. Retaining the established street tree and adding a new tree between the dwellings strengthens privacy and helps each home feel its own. A mid-level entry and double-height threshold resolve the slope, creating a natural point of arrival and simple movement down to the mudroom and laundry or up to the main living level. The result is an infill project that sits comfortably within an established suburb while confidently lifting expectations of what missing middle housing can feel like.

Conceived as a turnkey, design-led offering, Emery Street treats architecture, interiors and landscape as one cohesive experience, with lived experience guiding every decision. Plans are arranged to support family routines and flexible ways of living, while generous glazing and robust, low-maintenance materials deliver spaces that feel refined yet practical. Each home has its own character, so the pair feels less like a dual occupancy and more like two freestanding houses, with the added benefit of shared efficiencies. This approach preserves the sense of ownership, comfort and generosity that buyers typically look for in a freestanding home. In the details, the two homes diverge in tone and materiality, with gardens and outdoor rooms completing the sense of two distinct dwellings.

Photography by Carter and Co

Gallery

Photography By Carter and Co

Photography By Carter and Co

Photography By Carter and Co

Photography By Carter and Co

Garden rooms and outdoor spaces complete the homes with low‑maintenance planting as places to gather, unwind and live year‑round.

Each home is planned as a generous four-bedroom family house with two living areas positioned at either end to support different rhythms of daily life. The front living room captures serene, elevated treetop outlooks adjoining the master suite, while the family room opens to a private garden that supports everyday meals and weekend entertaining

The planning is anchored by custom joinery and integrated storage, dedicated study spaces, and a mudroom and generous laundry located alongside the garage to support family life as it unfolds. From there, the pair diverges in architectural character. The Gable Residence draws on Canberra’s heritage cues through a striking roofline, symmetrical presence and refined proportions, with expressed gable ceilings and a soaring hallway that brings light and volume to the entry sequence. The House of Curves offers a more contemporary counterpart, defined by a monolithic façade softened by curves, dark-framed openings and an arched front door, with a coffered skylight bringing a clear moment of delight to the family zone.

Sustainability outcomes

Sustainability is embedded through passive design and a performance-led building envelope, prioritising comfort, longevity and lower operational demand over time. A high-performing fabric supports stable internal temperatures, while orientation and shading are used to maximise winter sun and manage summer heat gain.

All-electric homes and energy-efficient appliances
Double glazing throughout to improve thermal comfort and reduce energy use
High-performance insulation supporting year-round climate control
North-facing orientation with considered shading

Approach To Materials

Material selections balance refinement with resilience, supporting family living with finishes designed to age gracefully. Across the two homes, a warm, layered palette is expressed through robust external materials and tactile interior surfaces that bring depth, softness and longevity to daily life.