THE MULTIGEN AT CHOBHAM MANOR

The Multi Generation house was borne out of a specific need for a house typology where families over three or four generations can live together. The core design ethos was to realise an adaptable and inclusive home with the ability to support family diversity over time.

The ‘Multigen’ plot holds a three-bedroom family dwelling with a separate self-contained annexe as a one-bedroom house with separate front doors. The homes are connected by a shared courtyard which links the living spaces that form the hubs for family gathering and activity.

The house is organised to promote social interaction and support family wellbeing. Other living spaces, located above ground, are places of retreat and relaxation with views of the green.

Bedrooms for young children are right next door to the parent’s room, with a bedroom for older siblings on the floor below for privacy.

The annexe, the key element of the plot, is multi-functional in that it caters for grandparents, young couples, a student, a person returning from hospital or a family member with a disability, all of whom want to live independently but wish to remain close to the family.

Many modern families have working parents, young children and aging members with increasingly complex health needs, placing pressures on families at different points of their lives. All these aspects contribute to the need for greater choice, flexibility and adaptability of the homes we create and inhabit. The MultiGen responds to the changing

circumstances of life, especially those experienced by families.