Anthony Burke: Australian homes are 'killing us' and need radical change

Architect and Grand Designs Australia host Anthony Burke argues that Australian houses are too big, poorly insulated, and detrimental to health, calling for a radical reimagining of home. In an interview at the new Sydney Fish Market—an $800m project recently named by Time magazine as one of the world's greatest places of 2026—Burke critiques the national obsession with return on investment over wellbeing. He notes that one in three Australians experiences loneliness annually, partly due to insular housing design. Burke predicts that within 20 years, it may be common for multiple households to share a single backyard, parking spot, or laundry. He advocates for smaller, better-designed homes and community engagement, and praises the fish market as a rare 'brave building' in Australia. The old market site will be replaced by four tower blocks, which he calls a 'necessary evil.' Burke's Restoration Australia Season 8 airs on ABC, and his podcast By Design is on ABC Radio National.