Ageing in place / Tag

Allegato anchors a new house in Toorak, Australia, as McMahon and Nerlich translate a personal journey into a place of stillness and light. The project threads Māori notions of Wairua with Design; Building on Country principles, tying the home to land, memory, and a carefully tended garden. An L-shaped plan, sculpted roof forms, and material continuity between indoors and outdoors frame everyday life in a way that feels measured and quietly rich.

Home for Life sits in Ghent, Belgium, as a compact house for a retired couple by architect Karel Verstraeten. The single-storey home arranges daily life across an accessible plan, then tucks a small loft under the gabled roof for visiting grandchildren. Warm timber surfaces, generous circular windows, and chimney-like roof volumes keep the mood domestic and bright while the layout quietly anticipates future care.