Australian families are embracing a new togetherness but strictly on their own – independent – terms.

Whenever Yvette Stening and her kids want to visit the grandparents, they simply unlatch the gate between the two adjoining terraces of their side-by-side apartments and walk right in. 

It’s a lifestyle trend that’s sweeping Australia: multigenerational living.

Back in the 1980’s it was elderly parents moving in with their kids or the children returning to their parents next to share the costs of the mortgage. But now, it’s all about the various family members being close at hand whilst preserving their independence. 

“Apartment living is now all about lifestyle, the design of spaces, amenities and community”, says Stephen Abolakian  co-managing director of developer Hyecorp.

“As a result over the past few years, we’ve been getting a lot of families who want to live n the same building so they can get together in our big entertainment areas whenever they want to “

“It used to happen by accident but now it’s happening by design. That’s why we have a real diversity of apartment on offer to cater for grandparent  downsizing and young families upsizing – and we have a Live Your Way customisation program so people can choose their own layouts”

“That’s something Yvette Stening 52 took advantage of when she bought a penthouse at Hyecorp’s five level, 66 unit Kira Lane Cove building on Sydneys’ north shore for herself, her husband Steve Grace 54 and their 22 year old twins Charlize and Sean. Meanwhile her mother Maria 75 and father Peter 82 bought the penthouse next door together with her sister Simone 50.