Cottage Homes Thanks and Farewells Honorary Architect Graham Hardy
In August 2025, Cottage Homes farewelled a remarkable chapter in its history as our long-serving honorary architect, Graham Hardy, retired after an extraordinary 42 years of volunteer service.
For more than four decades, Graham (pictured above with Cottage Homes volunteer and former Board Chair Meredith Wyles) has shared his time, expertise, and skills to ensure that Cottage Homes continues to provide safe, well-maintained, and welcoming housing for older South Australians.
Across his tenure, Graham’s architectural insight and steady hand have shaped every corner of Cottage Homes. His contributions include:
- Conversion of Mitcham units from bed sitters to single-bedroom dwellings
- Annual external inspections for over 40 years
- Design, documentation, and contract administration for the Ascot Park site
- Kitchen, laundry, and bathroom upgrades across all sites
- Re-roofing, salt-damp remediation, repainting and restoration projects
- Findon and Mitcham external upgrades and renewal
- Preservation and adaptation of heritage-listed buildings
- Construction of external community spaces to encourage social connection
- Managing the increasing demand for air conditioning installations with a thoughtful eye for residents’ comfort and site integrity
- Refurbishment of Mitcham and Prospect halls to improve usability for residents and volunteers
These projects, both large and small, reflect his commitment not only to bricks and mortar, but to the people who call Cottage Homes “home.”
Having retired from professional practice some years ago, he generously stayed on in his volunteer role until now. In his own words, “My time has come.”
When asked if he ever imagined volunteering for 42 years, Graham laughed and admitted, “I never even thought about it!”
For Graham, the most rewarding part of his work with Cottage Homes has been “working with motivated people with similar ideals in providing a safe place to call home.”
Graham is also proud of the care shown to residents through ongoing maintenance and upgrades. “The constant upgrading of the existing units shows the residents that Cottage Homes cares greatly for their tenants and is proactive in continuing to improve them,” he said. “We are also aware of the desire to age in place, and where possible we respond to accessibility needs where appropriate.”
His humility shines through even in reflection: when asked what he is most proud of from his time as honorary architect, his answer was simple – “I’m very happy with the organisation and what it’s achieving.”
Cottage Homes CEO Ben Sarre said Graham’s legacy is not just in buildings, but in the sense of community he helped foster through thoughtful design.
“On behalf of our board, staff, residents, and community, Cottage Homes sincerely thanks Graham Hardy for his 42 years of extraordinary service,” said Ben.
Graham has been a significant part of Cottage Homes’ evolution over the past four decades. There is no doubt his influence will be felt for many years to come – in the heritage cottages he helped preserve for modern living, in the leafy, welcoming environments he helped shape, and in the countless residents who enjoy a safer, more comfortable life.