New House

Winner: Overall Winner

A demure addition to the streetscape, this contemporary new house is set low behind a ‘woven’ brick wall and luxurious landscaping. With a garage accessed via a landscaped forecourt, the house does not present its garage to the street in the usual prosaic manner.

A central double height space ensures excellent solar access whilst also allowing the interiors to be cross ventilated via automated large format glass louvres. Epic terrace cantilevers and a heroic copper-edged roof eave protect the large glass surfaces, many of which can be slid into walls allowing the interiors to flow seamlessly to the exterior.

Dry-stacked sandstone endemically roots the building to the outcropping sandstone bedrock. The plinth thus formed is overlain by
horizontal skimmed concrete ‘tablets’ and face brick wall surfaces, the brick selection inspired by the sands of local beaches. The interiors are simply and beautifully detailed, combining fit-for-purpose stone, tile, timber and fabrics.

Sustainability

Highly durable, unpainted materials and finishes predominate the exterior. Combined with sound detailing this building will achieve a very long service life. The structure is highly insulated and glazing well protected. The design optimises cross-ventilation, water is harvested for low water-use landscaping and smart electronics efficiently manage power usage.