Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation
Victoria
Shand Road is a pilot project by architect-developer Ys Housing that tests an alternative model for middle-ring infill housing. Comprising four family-sized townhouses on a standard suburban site, the project establishes a repeatable design methodology that prioritises architectural clarity while remaining cost-effective.
Corrugated zincalume cladding is used as the primary external material and carefully detailed alongside a native landscape setting. Ground-floor living spaces address the street through modest timber decks, creating a more engaged and domestic relationship with the public realm. Upper-level balconies are conceived as outdoor rooms, while windows and voids are positioned to allow outlook and connection without overlooking.
Fully electric, solar-powered, and net-zero in operation, Shand Road positions environmental performance as a baseline and proposes a pragmatic, scalable approach to improving the quality of suburban infill housing.
The architectural design of Shand Road maximises constrained footprints through orientation, arrangement, raked ceilings and 3-meter heights, creating expansive, light-filled interiors that elicit effortless occupation. Upstairs balconies function as outdoor work and living spaces, extending usable space. Front timber decks facilitate street engagement while maintaining privacy through strategic screening. Mud rooms provide essential transition zones. OSB-lined garages provide bike and tool storage, while the central common courtyard offers shared pedestrian space and a loose sense of community. All-electric systems with solar, heat-pump hot water, and rainwater harvesting significantly reduce costs, enabling comfortable, sustainable living within accessible budgets.