Corrugated-metal cladding contrasts with an angled white-painted brick wall at this robust and economical house in Melbourne, which features a ground-floor living area that can be used alternatively as a garage.

Local studio Foomann Architects designed the house for clients who purchased a site occupied at its opposite end by another property in which they now live.
Previously, the clients had always lived in shared houses with friends and wanted to recreate some of the communal atmosphere they enjoyed from this experience by adding further accommodation to the site.

"We spoke about the benefits and complexities of living with others and sought solutions that balanced the desire for community with the need for autonomy and privacy," the architects told Dezeen. The outcome is a separate dwelling facing the existing house across a shared garden, which the owners can choose to let out to whomever they wish.

Flexibility and sustainability were key aspects of the brief, which the new building fulfils by enabling the density on the site to be increased, therefore reducing the footprint of each individual.
The building is also designed to be adaptable over time, so the owners will be able to alter its use over many decades.

The ground floor can be used as a garage, studio space or living area, while the upstairs space can be configured as either one bedroom or two.

A step in the garden between the two buildings currently provides casual seating but could also be use...