Multi-generational Homes

Across the country, families are reimagining what it means to live close.

Some are sharing one home across generations. Others are creating connected spaces where loved ones can visit often yet maintain their independence. And many are designing homes that offer comfort and dignity for parents or relatives who feel most at ease with family nearby. What started as a quiet response to rising housing costs and limited supply has become something deeper. It's a way of living that values connection, adaptability, and care.

According to the Pew Research Center, multi-generational households have quadrupled in the past five decades, reflecting both financial realities and a renewed sense of belonging. For many, this choice isn’t only about growth, it’s also a practical, financial one. Homes designed with flexibility in mind, such as adaptable layouts, in-law suites, or accessory dwelling units (ADUs) tend to gain long-term value and offer options if life changes or the home is ever sold.

As home costs rise and life continues to shift, designing spaces that flex physically, emotionally, and over time has become not just smart, but deeply human. Because a home reflects who we are today, while holding space for who we are becoming — in days, in years, in life.

Image and data from "Why U.S. Adults Live in Multigenerational Homes", March 24, 2022, Pew Research Center

From Function to Becoming

For over a century, design has followed the modernist mantra: form follows function. The idea came from architect Louis Sullivan in the late 1890s, a mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright, who believed that every form should reflect its purpose. His thinking shaped a generation of architects and designers, including those who taught me to see space as more than style, but as structure and meaning. I’ll share more about that lineage in another journal.

But as life itself evolves, function alone is no longer enough. Our homes now hold emotions, transitions, and relationships that shift daily. That’s where the philosophy of Form Follows Becoming™ begins. It sees home as a living, breathing environment that grows with us.

Universal Design: Where Inclusion Meets Intention

Universal Design isn’t just about accessibility; it’s about designing with care for everybody and every stage of life. When planning a space, intention matters. Simple choices like keeping pathways at least 36 inches wide where possible, using lever handles that work for different ages and grip strengths, or including variable counter heights and layered lighting — aren’t “special features.” They’re gestures of inclusion.

These details welcome toddlers finding their balance, support adults moving through busy routines, and empower elders to stay confident and independent. In a multi-generational or universally designed home, such considerations form the quiet architecture of respect. They allow independence without isolation, care without compromise, and beauty without barriers.

Design in Practice: Spaces That Support With Your State of Being

We see multi-generational design as both architecture and emotional choreography. The way space quietly supports the rhythm of family life. One example is a kitchen designed for parents in their 40s and 50s. The sociological term is the “sandwich generation” , who needs to balance kids' routine, careers, and aging parents, and often forgot to take of themselves.

This kitchen of the home, be it a spacious or compact space, we could intentionally organize into zones or layers: meal preparation and serving, gathering, and retreat. Behind a set of pocket doors sits a hidden “me-time” bar nook. It could be a small sanctuary where the day can exhale after dinner. Or we could use rounded island corners and mixed-height counters to make the space comfortable and accessible for everyone, from young kids to grandparents.

California Building Code Title 24 Part 2 Chapter 12 shares the "kitchens shall have a clear passageway of a minimum 3' between counter fronts and appliances or counter fronts and walls....ceiling height of minimum 7' 6" above the finished floor. So even within compact footprints, we can design smart.

In a time when housing costs climb and resources feel stretched, multi-generational living offers a path back to what matters: shared care, belonging, and resilience. A home designed with adaptability and universal principles becomes more than a place. It becomes a continuum of life.

AI enhanced images for discussion & concept only. Not to scale.

More journals of the thinking and design process will be shared soon! Stay tuned.

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