As part of the commonwealth government’s 2009 ‘stimulus package’ housing initiative, we were allocated 5 sites in Wagga Wagga. Our brief was to provide versatile, sensitively designed, environmentally conscience, low cost housing for seniors living. Two house types, a semi-detached 2-bed townhouse and single-storey 1-bed villa, were conceived. Whilst respectfully negotiating stringent HNSW requirements, the layout of the sites and design of the buildings were developed with the intention of providing contemporary environments that would offer the eventual inhabitants the best attainable levels of amenity, comfort and security. Ground floor access to a private garden was provided for every unit helping to engender a ‘sense of home’ that we had identified as missing from some existing examples of social housing. The house types were also carefully detailed and specified in order to achieve unconventionally high ratings for thermal performance and energy efficiency, while at the same time still being sympathetic to the allocated budget.