ABSTRACT
Suburbs are in a constant state of modification and alteration. While this is true of all cities and urban fabric, in the suburbs the nature of the built form, landscape and ownership structure means that much of this is done by the occupants themselves.
The retrofitting of existing suburbs to better integrate and include the needs of the elderly and disabled population is a real need and will only increase over time. The inherent modesty, privacy and small scale of such renovation projects to increase accessibility and flexibility mean that exemplar projects can be hard to locate; nevertheless, the strategic importance of small-scale adaptation that improves suburban fabric on multiple levels prompts us to start our discussion of the suburb at this scale.
Designs for renovations and alterations to typical examples of existing suburban dwellings are presented, each with a modest budget and restricted by operating rules of their housing agencies or funding bodies, but each also seeking to maximise the impact of small moves responding to highly specific site opportunities and idiosyncrasies of residents.
