The history of the humble Canberra duplex, in three minutes or less

It might not look like a piece of Canberra history, but it is.

This original duplex on Dooring Street, Braddon, is a chance to snag a little slice of life in Canberra in the late 1950s; when the inner north and south were about all that existed, and housing commission properties were being built at the rate of knots.

But let’s go back to the beginning. The population of the nation’s capital boomed after the second world war, from about 10,000 in the late 1930s to 39,000 by 1957. And people needed somewhere to live.

The government of the time built hostels, hotels, flats, detached houses and duplexes in Canberra’s new suburbs, places like Narrabundah, Yarralumla and Red Hill.

On the north side of the lake there was plenty of action too. Duplexes sprung up in Ainslie, Braddon and Reid, and then later in Dickson, Lyneham and O’Connor.

The inner north is where our favourite duplexes are; those tall, two storey, red-brick dwellings, that are same-same but completely different at every turn. Most were built in the late 1950s and through the 60s; functional, and built to last.

We love how owners have made these duplexes their own. Doesn’t matter what your semi-detached neighbour is up to — you might share a wall but that doesn’t mean you share tastes or style.

We’ve seen pigeon pairs where one might be rendered and painted, the other in its original red brick. Others have added enclosed entry ways, or garages and carports. The possibilities are endless.

Some owners have completely transformed their duplexes: like this Patterson-Piekalns House in Lyneham, from Townsend + Associates Architects.

Surprisingly – or maybe not, given that pretty much everything in Canberra has been thoughtfully considered since day dot – the duplexes were well designed. Most offered about 120sqm of living space with large, open-plan living and dining areas, a separate kitchen area downstairs, a laundry and a powder room.

On the top level are three generously sized bedrooms and a bathroom. Most sit on generous blocks, around 500sqm, with good-sized backyards. And they’re close to the city.

These days the humble Canberra duplex sells for about $1 million, mostly because it’s in an unmatched location. Number 12 Dooring Street in Braddon, pretty much in its original state, is on the market for $1.1 million. In September, 44 Lowanna Street, Braddon, went for $1.07 million (it hadn’t had much done either).

But semi-detached living isn’t for everyone. Remember that famous case in Yarralumla where one half of a duplex was bulldozed to make way for a free-standing home while the family next door carried on as usual? Classic. (But the incident did lead to a change in legislation to prevent it happening again.)

Number 12 Dooring Street, Braddon, is for sale for $1.1 million.

View the full listing.