Projects with a site

• Housing Type: Small scale co-housing, medium density infill
• Location: Block 6 Section 25, Ainslie
• Land Use Zone: RZ1 – Suburban
• Number of dwellings: 3
• Block Area: 1,090m²
• Website: www.stellulata.com.au
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/stellulata
• Status: Completed

Stellulata is a small co-housing* model with 3 modest dwellings and 1 common house. The common house will allow residents to gather, entertain or to accommodate a guest. The project will have a communal vegetable garden and a private open space for each dwelling. Residents will also share two electric vehicles between them.

This project stems from a group of recently retired friends who now wish to downsize and age in place. The small co-housing community allows them to support each other and share resources. This keeps costs low and minimise their ecological footprint.

Stellulata hope for this housing typology to be replicable throughout Canberra. It should be available for people of all ages and abilities. The Territory Plan includes planning changes for the proposal. For more information, refer to the Inner North and City District Policy , Inner North and City District Specifications and Residential Zones Specifications. The residents moved into their new homes in April 2025 and will participate in ongoing evaluation work.

To learn more about this project, watch the design phase video.

*Co-housing is a type of living arrangement which emphasises building a sense of community. It includes separate dwellings with some common or shared facilities, such as kitchens, living areas, gardens, laundries and car-share schemes for residents to use.

• Housing Type: Medium density infill, affordable housing units
• Location: Block 24 and 25, Section 38, Lyneham
• Land Use Zone: RZ1 – Suburban
• Number of dwellings: 9
• Block sizes: 818m² and 758m²
• Website: www.echohousing.org.au
• Status: Pre-development application phase

Livable Housing Design Guidelines. Current and potential future ECHO tenants helped shaped the development’s final design. Housing ACT will support ECHO in delivering this project.

The Territory Plan includes planning changes for ECHO Housing. Please refer to the Inner North and City District Policy, Inner North and City District Specifications and Residential Zones Specifications for the changes. The National Capital Design Review Panel (NCDRP) has reviewed the proposal.

• Housing Type: Medium density infill, ageing in place homes
• Location: Block 1 Section 66, O’Connor
• Land Use Zone: RZ1 – Suburban
• Number of dwellings: 3
• Block size: 1,178m²
• Status: Pre-development application phase

In Loco O’Connor is a 3 dwelling development for people to age in place or for people with higher mobility needs. It is a joint development partnership between architect and builder. Ageing landowners who wish to downsize in their local neighbourhoods inspired the concept. The current landowner intends to downsize into one of the new dwellings.

All dwellings follow Universal Design Principles (Livable Housing Design Guidelines). They also aim for a higher than standard energy efficiency rating. A very experienced builder and family member of the landowner will build these homes.

The site layout of In Loco – O’Connor is designed around an existing mature Eucalyptus tree and will feature vegetated green carport roofs. Proposed planning changes associated with this proposal have been included within the new Territory Plan – Inner North and City District Policy and Inner North and City District Specifications. The proposal has been reviewed by the National Capital Design Review Panel (NCDRP).

To hear more about In Loco O’Connor from the project builder, watch the design phase video.

• Housing Type: Medium density infill, ageing in place homes
• Location: Block 5 Section 44, Forrest
• Land Use Zone: RZ1 – Residential
• Number of dwellings: 3
• Block size: 1,972m²
• Status: Pre-development application phase

In Loco Forrest is a three dwelling development designed for people to age in place or for people with higher mobility needs.

The In Loco model is a joint development partnership between architect and landowner. The concept was inspired by stories of ageing landowners who have lived in their single residence for many years, who want to downsize in their local neighbourhood but have found it difficult to find a home that suits their needs. The current landowner will downsize into one of the new dwellings.

All dwellings are designed to meet accessibility standards (Livable Housing Design Guidelines) and will aim for a higher than standard energy efficiency rating. The development will have high quality landscaping throughout the site that is designed by a landscape architect. Proposed planning changes associated with this proposal have been included within the new Territory Plan – Inner South District Policy and Inner South District Specification. The proposal has been reviewed by the National Capital Design Review Panel (NCDRP) and is currently in the pre-development application phase.

To hear more about In Loco Forrest from the Project Architect, watch the design phase video.

• Housing Type: Manor house, medium density infill
• Location: Block 6 Section 31, Griffith
• Land Use Zone: RZ1 – Residential
• Number of dwellings: 4
• Block size: 1,166m²
• Status: On-hold

Manor House is a housing typology that demonstrates how infill development can be delivered within the same ‘footprint’ as a residential house. A manor house is a low-rise medium density housing option. It is commonly known as a ‘two up – two down’ and resembles a single residence with the same plot ratio and height to reduce the impact on the streetscape and surrounds. However, manor houses may have up to four dwellings all under the same roofline, with common attached walls or floors, each with its own entrance and amenities. Although the manor house typology is not a new concept and has been present in NSW for many years, it has not been implemented in Canberra before.

With a focus on sustainability, the Manor House proposal will have shared garden areas, designed around the existing mature trees on site and with much of the existing vegetation retained, where residents can gather and create a sense of community. Proposed planning changes associated with this proposal have been included within the new Territory Plan – Inner South District Policy and Inner South District Specification.

• Housing Type: Multi-generational homes, medium density infill
• Location: Block 2 Section 50, Weston
• Land Use Zone: RZ1 – Residential
• Number of dwellings: 3
• Block size: 915m²
• Status: not proceeding

Verdant Developments is a tri-occupancy development designed for people who require a level of care. The development includes a one-bedroom accessible unit to “Gold Livable Standards” (refer Livable Housing Design Guidelines) that is incorporated into the floorplate of a three-bedroom unit. It allows the resident to live independently whilst having family members or carers next door.

This project illustrates diverse housing typologies being achieved in a single development. The proposal includes a green roof and aims to have an energy efficiency rating of 8+ with air changes as low as 2-3 per hour at 50 Pascals of pressure (3ACH50) to maximise thermal comfort*.

Proposed planning changes associated with this proposal have been included within the new Territory Plan – Weston Creek District Policy and Weston Creek District Specifications.

*Average new Australian homes have an airtightness of 15.4ACH50 (CSIRO 2015).