Australia's best home design was celebrated over the weekend with the announcement of the winners of the 2022 Houses Awards. For the first time, a single project, Autumn House, won in four categories.
Winner of Alteration and addition of houses over 200m2
Studio Bright's Autumn House.Photography: Rory Gardiner
Renovated Victorian Terrace in Melbourne's Carlton North, Studio Bright's Autumn House, received nominations for alteration and additions for homes over 200m2 and for garden and landscaping; was a joint winner in House in a Heritage Context; and was named Australia's House of the Year. Judge Alexa Kempton praised Autumn House as "an exceptional example of making the most of an existing home". Kempton noted that this year's entries faced "increasingly complex challenges of cost and climate", but the jury said they were particularly impressed by the number of housing units that met these challenges, along with "inventive responses to constrained urban locations". Kempton stated that Autumn House 'is a testament to what can be achieved in the inventive redesign of the row house', noting that 'row houses make up a significant proportion of our existing housing stock. It maximizes usable space on a suburban block, but is also generous with the street.' The judges praised the way the Autumn House update preserved a mature elm tree and successfully tied the house and garden together, as well as improving the home's appearance to passers-by.“The retained elm tree is visible from the street, surrounded by the new house, its leaves registering seasonal changes,” they declared.
Studio Bright's Autumn House.Photography: Rory Gardiner
Winner: House alteration and addition under 200 square meters.
Cascade House by John Ellway, Paddington, Queensland. Photography: Toby Scott
An update to a wooden Queenslander home, the judges described Cascade House as 'a remarkable alteration and addition delivered on a modest budget'. Noting that Queenslander homes are often raised to accommodate additions and alterations, the panel was impressed with the way Cascade House was built sideways, creating a 'visually recessive addition'.
Cascade House by John Ellway, Paddington, Queensland.Photography: Toby Scott
"Walls and lush vegetation ensure occupants experience seclusion and comfort," noted the panel.
Joint Winner: House in a Heritage Context
Joint Winner: House in a Heritage Context.
A new living pavilion has been added to a heritage-listed sandstone house at Battery Point in Hobart, an area the jury described as "a highly scrutinized site". The addition was placed to the rear boundary of the property and preserved a tree.
The jury described the update as "an artistically balanced heritage outcome that rewards the occupants and successfully continues the dialogue between the original house and its community of admirers."
Winner: New House Less Than 200 Square Meters
A two-bedroom, two-bathroom home located off a busy street, the Corner House was praised by the judges as 'a study in how we can live with spirited connection in suburban (sometimes dreary) contexts. This was achieved by building the house around the perimeter of the site, blocking out noise and prying eyes, while centering the house around a large interior courtyard.
Winner: Sustainability
The Hütt 01 Passivhaus by Melbourne Design Studios. Coburg, Vic.Photography: Maitreya ChandorkarThis home generates a significant amount of its own energy on site, something the judges praised as 'especially commendable given the vertical scale' of the home. Constructed with cross-laminated timber and other new sustainable materials, the home also features an accessible green roof garden. With an internal area of only 78m², the jury said that the 'house exemplifies the sustainable ideal of doing more with less'.
Winner: Apartment or Unit
Apartment Inala by Brad Swartz Architects. Cremorne, NSW. Photography: Katherine Lu
Located within a 1960s red brick apartment block, Inala Apartment has been cleverly reworked to include more storage and better light in the living spaces, with strategic use of sliding doors and built-ins to maximize space. “Inala Apartment reimagines what's possible in our mid-ring, dense, mid-rise suburbs,” the judges wrote.
Winner: New house over 200m
With living roofs, courtyards and a design that sinks into the landscape, Always is designed to slowly fade over time as your gardens grow. The jury praised the quality of the home's detailing and celebration of the surrounding landscape.