The very first Smarter Smaller Home was built in a shed, ahead of its time. In 2009, no council planning or building codes existed to support smarter, smaller living, so the home was built outside of the conventional system to demonstrate what could—and should—be possible. This bold move sparked national conversation about the future of housing, space efficiency, and the need for regulatory reform.

The Smarter Smaller Home 1 ™  captured the attention of more than 5,000 professionals from government, architecture, development, and building sectors. The home, measuring around half the size of the average new build in Australia, introduced a new way of thinking about urban density, liveability, and affordability—all within a beautifully designed compact footprint.

Smarter Smaller Home 1 was later featured in James Hardie’s LOOK HOME magazine, where its innovative materials and forward-thinking design were spotlighted.
👉 Download the magazine here

A comprehensive case study was also developed to capture the design process, lessons learned, and industry response.
📘 Download the full case book here

Built on display at Kevin Doodney’s former Logan office, Smarter Smaller Home 2 took innovation to the public. As a fully finished, walk-through display home, it attracted the attention of the media and thousands of curious Australians. Its national spotlight came through a feature on Better Homes and Gardens, where host Johanna Griggs toured the home and explored its clever use of space, sustainable features, and how it could be scaled to meet growing urban housing needs. This version showed how smaller homes could still deliver comfort, style, and flexibility—without compromising quality.

You Can Watch the guided tour with Johanna Griggs here:

Currently in development, Smarter Smaller Home 3 will take the lessons learned from its predecessors and push boundaries even further. Designed to address the growing demand for multigenerational and transitional housing, this version will integrate new energy-efficient technologies and multi-use zones within an even more compact footprint. The goal: to create a model that councils and developers alike can easily adopt for medium-density housing solutions. Stay tuned—this next chapter will once again redefine what’s possible in the world of smart housing design.

The most recent evolution in the series, Smarter Smaller Home 4—known as the Resi-Rental Home—offers a dual-purpose solution to today’s housing and financial challenges. Designed as a hybrid between a residential home and a compliant rental property, this model features a one-bedroom private residence for the owner, alongside four separately leased micro-rental rooms. This innovative layout delivers a viable path to mortgage freedom, passive income, and increased housing supply—all on a standard suburban block. The Resi-Rental Home has already been built across multiple sites and is fast becoming a preferred solution for retirees, first-home buyers, and social impact investors alike.

Watch the Resi-Rental Walkthrough here: