Cart 
Architect Jess Hardwick’s parents spent many years looking for the ideal spot to build an intergenerational home to enrich their extended family’s life.
‘The core vision my parents had in purchasing the property was that we would make deep connections with the place, contribute to the enrichment of the natural ecology, and find solace in a shared place we can all relate to as our family’s “home” and special place for generations to come,’ says Jess, director of Jessica Hardwick Architecture.
‘We wanted a home that felt truly of its place, [that] connected its occupants to the passing of the days and seasons, encouraging keen observation of the surrounding flora and fauna.’
When they finally found the site in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland (located within a reasonable proximity to Brisbane, and accessible without a 4WD to ensure frequent use), the family first spent a significant time camping on the approximate 120-acre cattle farm to determine the most appropriate site for a house.
‘It was a great learning curve. The spot we originally had in mind was far steeper, had hectic basically cyclonic wind rating, limited access to northern light, was extremely bushfire prone and difficult to access,’ says Jess.
In the end, it was the campsite that became the house site — a naturally sheltered and reasonably flat parcel of land with a northern aspect and views over a dam.
With 14 frequent occupants (one great grandmother, two grandparents, three adult children and their partners, and five grandchildren come and go from the home) to consider, there might have been a temptation to build a large house — but not when considering Jess’ family’s values and lifestyle.
‘We only included two bedrooms because the intent was not to build a large house for everyone to sleep in at once,’ she explains. ‘The brief was to create a place for connection, wellbeing, and time in nature, rather than a complex building that would feel oversized, expensive to maintain, or disconnected from its surroundings.’
Instead of building more rooms, Legacy House provides intergenerational accommodation through site planning.
‘The landscape around the house is deliberately designed as social infrastructure,’ explains Jess. ‘There are flat areas for camping, an outdoor shower, an outdoor toilet, and flexible spaces that support extended family stays. People can come together, but they are encouraged to live lightly and spend time outdoors.’
A core palette of timber, tin, and stone further reflects the family’s priorities, offering an unfussy beauty that’s durable, low maintenance, and high performing in the south east Queensland environment.
‘This is not a space that’s built to impress others — it’s a home that’s been built to prioritise the simple pleasures like good food, good company, and gorgeous golden sunlight flooding the hallway when you step out of bed in winter,’ says Jess.
The main exterior material is Zincalume — selected for its heat reflectivity, bushfire resilience, and minimal upkeep — paired with visually receding dark metalwork on the window and door frames, and charred spotted gum accents. ‘It is locally sourced, and the charring protects the timber while aligning with bushfire requirements,’ says Jess.
Inside, polished concrete floors provide great thermal mass, while bloodwood timber sourced on site adds character and deepens the connection to place. ‘Only two trees were removed, both from a degraded paddock, and they were fully repurposed in the house and joinery,’ says Jess.
Fig Landscapes designed the landscape with a focus on rehabilitating the environment rather than adding ornamental planting.
‘The site around the house had been degraded grazing land with a lot of weeds, so the priority was to restore ecology and create a landscape that would become self-sustaining over time,’ says Jess. ‘We asked for a predominantly native garden that would support biodiversity, manage water effectively and require minimal ongoing maintenance once established.’
The ecology has responded quickly, with green tree frogs already returning to site.
Creating outdoor zones was also important, encouraging occupants to come together outside when multiple families are visiting. ‘Fig helped shape subtle level changes and camping terraces without heavy retaining, so the spaces feel natural rather than engineered,’ Jess says.
The passive design of the strictly northern-oriented house again ensures both the building and its occupants sit lightly on the land. ‘On a recent 39-degree day, the house was almost 10 degrees cooler inside without any air conditioning, which reinforces how effective the strategies are,’ Jess says.
The house runs off-grid with a 13.2 kW solar array, 30.4 kWh battery, water tanks, and a rarely required backup generator, ultimately achieving a 7.8 star NatHERs rating.
‘Being fully off-grid also has a big impact on how you experience the house,’ Jess says. ‘You become more aware of weather patterns, rainfall, water storage, and energy use, which creates a stronger sense of connection to the environment and encourages more conscious resource behaviour.’
Jess describes the home as a love letter to her family — both the generations before her, and those to come.
‘It’s the legacy of my grandparents who worked so hard to build lives here in Australia and who taught us all the joy of life’s simple pleasures; and my parents, whose life’s work has funded the land purchase and construction,’ she says.
‘To know my kids have a truly wild, natural place that they are caring for and helping to enrich is truly of comfort to me.’
