Urban Homes

Explore our collection of Urban Homes
featured on Lunchbox Architect.

Urban homes come with a lot of constraints. Tight sites, neighboring houses, heritage controls and planning regulations affect how urban homes are designed. Obviously constraints breed innovation because architecturally designed urban homes are some of the most innovative and interesting houses around.

At Lunchbox Architect we pride ourselves on sourcing the best examples of small urban homes. We argue that homes don't have to be huge to great. In fact, small urban homes are easier to maintain, cheaper to run and, when designed right, a joy to live in.

Block out the hustle and bustle by concentrating on these top-quality urban homes we've featured on Lunchbox Architect:

A home fit for ageing in place doesn't need to look institutional...

When you think of ageing in place, you might imagine ramps, grab rails and a lot of linoleum. But it doesn't have to be that way...

This old clothing warehouse is transformed into an incredible home...

Turn an existing clothing warehouse into a bold new home without losing its industrial aesthetic? Let's see how it turned out...

Buy the plans for this sustainable, cost-effective four bedroom home

Clad in native timber, Silvertop House is at home in the country or the 'burbs and you can purchase the plans to build it on your block!

 (via Lunchbox Architect)
A much better alternative to your average duplex development

A powerhouse team of women, the BuildHer8, took a meh townhouse development and turned it into something quite exceptional...

What do you get if you cross a house and a warehouse?

This house crossed with a warehouse is the perfect live/work space for a family who are always making or doing something...

A clever duplex design takes advantage of the waterfront location...

With the water at the back door and a lush tropical courtyard bringing in light and breezes, this duplex has the best of both worlds.

This terrace house renovation creates a lush outlook from every room

A terrace house typically makes you think, long, narrow and dark. This terrace might be long and narrow, but it's also light and lush!

Would you like a home that feels like it's floating in the treetops?

Taking advantage of a mature native landscape, this home captures all the right views so it feels like you're floating in the treetops.

Sometimes it's the little things that can make a big difference...

A focus on the small changes with the biggest impact was key to keeping the renovation of this 1980s project home budget-friendly.

There's a Lot Hiding Behind this 5-metre-wide Frontage

Looks can be deceiving. Hidden behind this narrow frontage is a spacious, light-filled and fun home thanks to a recent renovation.

A home addition inspired by the tiled facades of pubs in the area!

For a client who lives alone, this renovation was about creating the perfect home for their lifestyle, not more space.

This home proves there's nothing pokey about small footprint living

Good design means you can live larger with less, meaning this compact home feels bright, spacious and surrounded by greenery.

Updating a Modernist Home Without Losing Its Character

Damp-ridden, cold and leaking, this 1960s home needed a revamp. Luckily, a sensitive approach retains the home's unique character.

What If Your Young Kids Could Grow up Next Door to Their Cousins?

A pigeon pair of townhouses allow two brothers and their young families to live side-by-side; the perfect place to raise their kids.

Modern Addition Creates a New Heart for This Weatherboard Cottage

By removing poorly constructed add-ons and creating an open-plan living area as the new heart, this quaint cottage is transformed...

Face Swap! This Home Has Been Flipped to Face the Rear Laneway...

A complex, compact site on a slope and facing a busy road calls for a creative solution: switching the front and back!

Have a Garage You Never Use? Put the Space to Better Use...

A double garage has the perfect amount of space for a new multi-functional studio the owners will get far more use out of.

When a Series of Renovations Leave a House Feeling Confused...

A house can become dysfunctional as poorly planned renovations alter the layout and strip away original details. But it can be fixed!

This Stunning Modular Home is Also a High-performance Passive House!

Built to Passive House standards, this home has exceptional energy-efficiency performance for comfortable living year-round.

Unique Cladding Makes Living in This Home Like Living in a Greenhouse

Half greenhouse, half barn; despite being in a dense inner suburb, this home means it feels like it could be in the country!

A Sustainable and Energy-efficient Home in Spite of Tricky Orientation

Getting light into living areas with a south-facing backyard is tricky. Here it's handled elegantly for an efficient and bright home.

Extending the Original Roofline Creates Stunning Cathedral Ceilings

Wanting a place to entertain friends and family, this new addition creates a grand living area overlooking the garden

Ply and Steel Joinery Items Turn This Heritage Warehouse into a Home

This heritage warehouse has been sensitively transformed into a home with the careful insertion of joinery units to divide the space.

A Series of New Spaces Unfurl From Single-fronted Victorian Cottage

Far from the classic box-like addition, a series of unique spaces unfurl from the rear of the cottage, opening up to light and garden.

Terrace Transformed Without Extending the Footprint of the Home

A series of expert moves brings in more light, improves livability and connects this terrace to its courtyard all without extending.

Clever Design Brings Light Into the Heart of this Bungalow

Bungalows are charming homes, but they tend to be dark. This addition finds a way to bring light into the depths of this bungalow.

A Modern Take on the Verandah Creates a Connection to the Garden

The front verandah of this Californian Bungalow is reinterpreted at the rear of the home to create a shady outdoor living space.

1970s-era Red Brick Home Completely Transformed by Modern Renovation

Not that you'd know it now, but this sleek, modern-Japanese-inspired home was once a tired '70s brick pad and what a transformation!

Charred Timber Creates a New BAL-12.5 Wing for This Country Home

To create space for the kids as they grow, this new bedroom wing sits beautifully in the landscape and meets BAL requirements.

 (via Lunchbox Architect)
Why Working With an Architect Isn't the Ordeal Some Make It Out to Be

Wesley Spencer from RARA Architecture was shocked at a recent auction. Find out why...

 (via Lunchbox Architect)
A Quirky Fireplace Becomes the Focal Point of This Modern Renovation

The owners would have ripped this out-of-place fireplace out if they'd had their way, but it's become the centrepiece of this reno...

Little Maggie: The Perfect Sunny Addition to this Weatherboard Cottage

Creating a light-filled addition where the garden and outdoor spaces feel like an extension of the living areas for year-round use.

A Mid Century-inspired Home Designed to Work Well With the Landscape

On a tricky, but naturally beautiful battle-axe site, this home celebrates its assets and minimises its drawbacks.

Is a Light-filled House With a South-facing Backyard Possible?

Creative ways to bring more light into the home, even when the backyard doesn't get much sun, makes this home light-filled and airy.

1970s Home Transformed by a Charred Timber Addition

The charred timber addition float in front of the home, complementing the original cream brick and transforming the street appeal.

A Forever Home Designed to Showcase Art and Furniture Collection

This Carlton terrace renovation updates ageing interiors to create the perfect home for a collector of colourful art and furniture.

Sometimes Your Home Might Already Have Enough Space...

The amount of space you have is one thing, but its functionality, light and flow is a whole other thing.

A Stunning Self-contained Studio Perched Among the Trees

Sitting on top of the garage with leafy views, the new self-contained living space is perfect for adult children or visiting family.

New England-style Home Needed an Addition to Complement Not Copy

An addition to this period home sits comfortably alongside the original, oriented to catch the light and open up the backyard.

Enter the Light: A New Home Designed to Maximise Winter Sun

Access to natural light is so important, yet often overlooked. With thoughtful design, your home can be light and bright year-round.

This Inner-city Modular Home Has a Few Tricks up Its Sleeves!

It's not what you expect when you think of a modular home, but this tricky house continues the surprises continue inside...

Architect Creates a Spacious Light-filled Home Against the Odds

Despite a seemingly impossible set of constraints, this terrace has been transformed into a light-filled and sustainable family home.

Government-built Home Lovingly Transformed Into a Mid-century Gem

The renovation of this post-war house leans on mid-century details and views of the native landscape to create a special home.

The Most Important Part of This House Is the Space That Is Not Built

A generous north-facing courtyard becomes the best part of this house, bringing light, breezes and the outdoors into every space.

Historic Chimney Stacks Inspires Incredible Double-height Space...

Chimneys of the old brickworks immediately caught the architect's attention and she knew this renovation needed to capture that view!

Bachelor Pad Reno Finds Unique Way to Create a Better Home for Owner

Transforming a 1960s apricot-brick unit into the perfect bachelor pad meant rethinking the space and adapting what was already there...

Queenslander Renovation Creates a Home to Enjoy for Years to Come

Rather than relocate, this family decided on a Queenslander renovation to create the home of their dreams in the street they love.

A Compact, Efficient Home Barely Bigger than a Typical Backyard Shed

This studio was designed to minimise costs by maximising efficiency, creating a flexible space that was largely prefabricated off-site.

A Clever Addition Turns a Potentially Problematic Site Into Gold

Others overlooked this heritage-listed home because of its exposure on three sides, but a playful addition turns it into an asset.

Inner-city Maisonette Transformed Thanks to New Living Space

A new 60 square metre addition creates a bright and modern living space for this inner-city home.

Step Down Into This New Airy Pavilion Which Spills Into the Backyard

Perfect for entertaining, this new living pavilion at the back of a 1910s home is light, airy and open to the backyard.

Addition Expands This Home in Search of Light and Access to the Yard

An addition which doesn't overshadow the original heritage house, but improves the home's spaciousness, access to light and the yard.

Love Art Deco? Here's a Take on It That's Perfect for Modern Living

If you love the curved lines and detailing of the Art Deco period, but crave open spaces and natural light, this home is for you...

Tiny Heritage Cottage Transformed into Surprisingly Spacious Home

Once home to the local milkman, this quaint cottage has been transformed into a light and bright home with a surprising sense of space.

'Box in the Back' Creates an Elegant and Cost-effective Home Addition

A simple, rectangular, double-storey addition was a cost-effective way to gain the space this family needed. Plus some indulgences...

 (via Lunchbox Architect)
How to put an offer on a property to suit different selling methods

Purchasing a property can be a daunting undertaking. But putting in an offer doesn't need to be. Here's how to put in an offer once you've found the home you want...

 (via Lunchbox Architect)
Like a Jewellery Box, This Home Is Perfect for Your Precious Family

This home, inspired by a jewellery box, is perfect for your most treasured people and possessions: beautiful, safe and ordered.

A Modern Home Filled with Character, Sun, Air and Sky Views

Modern homes can be criticised for lacking character, but modern doesn't need to equal sterile.

 (via Lunchbox Architect)
Introducing Architopia: beautiful house designs you can purchase for a simple flat fee

Not everyone needs a completely custom-designed home. Now you can access high-quality architectural house designs for a flat fee.

An Incredible Addition Tucked Behind a Heritage Protected Cottage

From the street, all you can see is a sliver of the stunning new addition, designed to protect the heritage value of the original home.

Light and Bright Addition Turns This Tiny Terrace Into Spacious Home

At 52 square metres, this two-storey terrace was about the same size as a two-bedroom apartment, now there's space to entertain guests.

This Home Stands Out in Its Housing Estate for All the Right Reasons

Even a block in a typical housing estate can benefit from an architect's touch, creating a home that's a joy to live in year-round...

Voids, Volume and Views. This Warehouse-inspired Home Has It All…

Transforming a 1980s house into a warehouse loft-inspired home involved removing the roof but the results are more than worth it!

Home for Two Publishers and Family Makes a Hero Out of the Bookshelf

Every good architectural story needs a hero. In this renovation, it's a striking bookshelf which screens a work-from-home space...

South Facing Backyard? You Can Still Enjoy Passive Solar Design...

This addition to a post-war brick home has a trick up its sleeve to guarantee access to sunlight despite the backyard facing south.

Addition on a Narrow Four Metre-wide Site Defies Its Constraints

Defying its narrow site, challenging east-west orientation and heritage restrictions, this skinny home manages to feel spacious.

Transforming a Californian Bungalow Into the Perfect Family Home

A west-facing backyard and poorly-designed additions left this family with dark mornings and overheated afternoons, but no longer...

Renovating a House That Has Been in the Family for Almost 70 Years…

Imagine having a classic modernist house in the family for three generations? How would you sensitively renovate it?

A Staged Reno Over 10 Years Helps This Home Change With Its Family

Staging the renovation of this home into two phases made budgetary sense and allows the home to adapt to the family's changing needs.

 (via Lunchbox Architect)
2 scenarios where a bridging loan will help you in your home loan journey

Buying a new home and selling your current property can be tricky, that's where a bridging loan might be able to help...

Original Home Inspires a Respectful But Radically Different Addition

The roof and layout of the original home serve as the inspiration for a new addition, but a modern twist creates perfect family home.

Location, Location, Location. And, Now, the Other Three Ls...

This 1980s-era home already had a stellar location. Thanks to an internal reno, it has everything else you'd want in a home, too...

Traces of the Original Are Left to Tell the Story of Paddington Reno

The substantial renovation of this terrace transforms the home, but reminders of the past are woven in to create a rich tapestry.

Feng Shui Helps This Reno Achieve Harmony and Happiness

In many ways, Feng Shui aligns with the principles of good design. Here, Feng Shui achieves a light, harmonious and delightful home.

High Ceilings, Large Windows Make This Home Look and Feel Larger

It's amazing how high ceilings can offer your home an extra sense of space, just take a look at this light and bright example...

The Secret to Ensuring Light and Breezes for this Long Narrow Home...

Three distinct pavilions create the breathing room needed for maximum light and breezes on this narrow inner-city block.

A Timber-rich Addition Creates a Warm, Character-filled Home

A beautiful new living space wrapping around a courtyard deck plus main bedroom suite creates the perfect home for a family of six.

A Beach House That Feels Private Without Missing the Views

A beach house doesn't need to feel like a glass box on stilts, this home feels intimate while still celebrating the views.

Multi-generational Family Pool Their Resources to Create Perfect Home

Pooling for a pool: would you join forces with your parents to create the ultimate inner-city pad complete with a rooftop pool?

Building on a BAL-FZ (Flame Zone) Site Made This Home a Challenge

With the site's Bushfire Attack Level of Flame Zone, achieving the incredible expanses of glazing took incredible attention to detail.

A Home Designed for a Family to Come Together or Find their Own space

Bringing together all the things they loved from previous houses, their new home represents the good life for this family of five.

Why Move When Renovating Means You Can Achieve Everything You Want?

The only way was up at this home, but renovating meant this family were able to achieve everything they wanted without having to move.

This Home Addition Was More Like Solving a Complex 3D Puzzle

With the option of renovating or selling, this family chose to renovate to stay in the area they, but that was easier said than done!

It's Hard to Believe This Home is Tucked in Sydney's Inner-west.

With its lush, wild setting, this home could be worlds away from the city and that's exactly what the owners wanted to achieve.

 (via Lunchbox Architect)
15 Architects Share Their Favourite Three Projects

Architects show us some of their proudest moments and explain what they love so much about what they do.

New Layout of this Inter-war Home Makes it Perfect for Modern Living

By rethinking the layout of this home, a more efficient plan that's perfect for modern living was found within the existing footprint.

Queenslander Renovation Transforms One-bedroom into Family Home

Stunning Queenslander renovation retains the character of the original home while creating a modern addition for a growing family.

Rethinking the Typical Duplex Development Offers Numerous Advantages

'It's the way things have always been done' doesn't mean it's the best solution! Questioning the norm can unlock hidden gold...

Amazing What an Average Post-war Brick House Can Become...

This post-war brick house has been transformed into a stylish modern home with a thoughtful addition and creative reworking.

A New Laneway House Celebrates This Inner Suburb's History of Bricks

Celebrating the suburb's history, this laneway house demonstrates how to create high-quality housing in the inner city with flair.

Six Prefabricated Modules Create a Forever Home With an Ocean View

Designed to make the most of the view, even from the backyard, this prefab modular home is like a viewing scope towards the ocean.

A Revamp Turns Tired '90s Townhouse Into Bright and Welcoming Home

It's hard to believe 1994 was nearly 30 years ago, but this home was sure showing its age. No more thanks to a fun and bright revamp.

A Series of Courtyards Turn This Dark Victorian Into a Lush Oasis

Internal courtyards are the answer to finding natural daylight and preventing overlooking issues in this inner-city renovation.

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