houses awards 2020 – The Interiors Addict

Sustainable homes Australia: this modest one’s a winner

Earlier this week, we shared with you the winner of the Houses Awards 2020 Australian House of the Year and today we’re sharing the winner in the sustainability category, Waratah Secondary House by Anthrosite. We like a big flashy house as much as the next person, but we think this Newcastle home has a similarly modest and timeless feel to the overall winner and we love that.

A exercise in affordable housing, this simple, box-like form was conceived to expedite construction times and keep costs low. Located on an urban infill site, this 60sqm secondary dwelling embraces flood mitigation controls through a split level structure providing a spatial experience that maximises the small footprint.

The jury found the deliberation for this year’s Sustainability award to be a delightful challenge, given the breadth of mature and thoughtful shortlisted work that championed sustainability as inherent to good design. Waratah Secondary House by Anthrosite stood out to the jury, however, in part due to its modesty. It is a home designed and built with affordability, pragmatism and comfort in mind, while also delivering a resolved and thoughtful architectural outcome.

The jury said this home demonstrates something that we need more of – housing that doesn’t cost the earth, literally or figuratively. The jury was particularly impressed by its response to context as an infill dwelling created on a small, challenging site, along with the architect’s focus on creating a high performance envelope, and on utilising efficient and low-waste materials and construction methodologies, such as Structural Insulated Panel System (SIPS) and embracing raw, exposed finishes.

An integrated approach to sustainability isn’t simply about adding technology or satisfying a particular performance rating, the judges said. “Frankly, size does matter. Waratah Secondary House is a small, humble project that delivers something that we need to see more of in our cities and the jury commends all involved.”

For more on the Houses Awards 2020 | For more on Anthrosite

Photography: Christopher Frederick Jones

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Be inspired by the 2020 Houses Awards shortlist

For 10 years, the Houses Awards have shone a spotlight on Australia’s most outstanding homes, celebrating ambitious design and the very best in residential architecture. Today, we’re sharing just a handful of the shortlisted entries to inspire and delight you!

This year’s shortlisted projects represent the pinnacle of antipodean architecture and reflect the current zeitgeist of residential design in this country. A home can be a sanctuary away from the pressures of the outside world and perhaps that rings especially true in the current crisis, explains Katelin Butler, chair of the 2020 jury and editorial director at Architecture Media.

“This year’s jury was acutely aware of the broader context of what is happening in the world today – the current pandemic, our climate emergency and economic downturn. How do these challenges affect the way we design or should design in the future?

“The standout homes were the ones that not only comprised a series of beautifully designed spaces, but gave the impression that they would be highly functional and comfortable places to live. These homes showed the ways that residential architecture can contribute to the broader context of its streetscape and local suburb, and how design interventions can build community and neighbourhood.

“With density increasing in our Australian cities and suburbs, it’s important to think about connections that expand the experience of a dwelling beyond its technical boundaries and how to navigate the balance between public and private space.”

The winners will be announced 31 July with projects awarded across nine categories and one home awarded the premier title of Australian House of the Year. The 2020 jury includes: Barrie Marshall – Founding Partner, Denton Corker Marshall (VIC); Poppy Taylor – Founding Partner, Taylor and Hinds (TAS); James Russell – Principal, James Russell Architect (QLD); Hannah Tribe – Principal, Tribe Studio Architects (NSW); and Katelin Butler – Editorial Director, Architecture Media.

In the new house under 200m2, check out Paddington House 05 by Nobbs Radford Architects: