The World We Inherit
- Geoff Wilkinson
- May 22
- 2 min read
Why it’s time to build something better.
We’ve inherited a built world that doesn’t reflect how people really live. Drive through most new suburbs and you’ll see the same thing. Repetition. Generic layouts. Homes that promise “luxury” but deliver compromise.
The shapes change slightly, but the pattern stays the same:
• Blocky floor plans
• Little connection to nature
• Rooms that feel too big or too small
• Spaces that don’t flow—but simply exist
This is the outcome of a system designed for volume, not value.
The system is broken - but you’re not
If you’ve ever felt frustrated trying to design a home…If you’ve visited display villages and left more confused than inspired…If you’ve looked at floor plans and thought, this doesn’t feel right…
It’s not because you’re indecisive.
It’s not because you’re hard to please.
It’s because the system isn’t made for people like you.
Most housing is built to meet codes and margins—not to support how we actually live.
Size isn’t missing, it’s soul
People don’t remember spaces because of square metres. They remember how the space made them feel. But feelings are rarely part of the conversation.
We’re taught to value:
Open-plan living
“Parents’ retreats”
Stone benchtops
Walk-in wardrobes
But what about:
A corner to pause
A gentle threshold between public and private
The way light filters into your room at 8am
A courtyard that connects the kitchen, garden, and guest suite?
This is what’s missing.
And this is what Altira was built to restore.
Altira is not a service. It’s a system.
Altira doesn’t sell architecture. It gives people the tools to design better spaces—even if they’ve never built before.
We focus on:
Emotional clarity
Flexible forms
Courtyard-first logic
Meaningful add-ons that grow with life
It’s not about trends. It’s about alignment.
A better way is already here
Let’s build homes that feel alive. Homes that adapt to intergenerational living. That provide calm in the chaos of life. That earn income when you need it—and grow with you when life changes.
We believe space is one of the most powerful tools for shaping how people feel, connect, and thrive. And we believe anyone can learn to design better—with the right system behind them.
If you’ve felt something was missing—you were right
It’s time to unlearn what the housing industry has taught us. It’s time to stop settling for floor plans designed by spreadsheets. And it’s time to start designing for life—not resale.
We don’t need more houses.
We need better space.
