HOUSES Awards 2024: Winners Announced

Celebrating Australia’s most extraordinary residences, the winners of the prestigious 2024 Houses Awards have been announced.

Presented at the Metropolis in Southbank, Melbourne, the Houses Awards honours contemporary residential design and the contribution Australia’s architects and designers make to enhancing the way we live. Many of the architects and designers recognised the enduring value of houses yet to be protected by heritage listings and sought out sustainable solutions that conserve our built history. 

Here are this year’s winners.

Australian House of the Year & House Alteration and Addition Under 200 Square
Metres Red Hill House & Studio by zuzana&nicholas

Jury members awarded the highest accolade of Australian House of the Year – along with the honoured recognition of House Alteration and Addition Under 200 Square Metres – to zuzana&nicholas for Red Hill House & Studio. 

This reimagined 1910 worker’s cottage in Red Hill, Brisbane, serves as both the architects’ residence and studio, striking a delicate balance between family life and professional engagement. Defying conventional extensions, the design preserves the intimate scale of its existing rooms while introducing thoughtfully positioned openings that foster connection and oversight. A standout feature is a versatile, open room that seamlessly connects to both the garden and the street, allowing for a dialogue with the neighbourhood, while also accommodating workspaces and informal living.

Drawing inspiration from the shophouse, the architects have crafted distinct zones for work and family, with a side entry that enhances privacy away from the bustling main road. Robust concrete and steel in the undercroft give way to beautifully finished timber in private spaces. By maintaining the original footprint and emphasising an adaptable, long-life design ethos, this project not only enhances the functionality of the space but also celebrates the character of its heritage, redefining the conventional approach to residential architecture.

The jury expressed, “Confident yet understated and exquisitely resolved, Red Hill House and Studio is an exceptional example of the potency of doing less. It is deservingly named the 2024 Australian House of the Year.”

Confident yet understated and exquisitely resolved, Red Hill House and Studio is an exceptional example of the potency of doing less. It is deservingly named the 2024 Australian House of the Year

New House Over 200 Square Metres Shed House by Breakspear Architects

At the heart of Shed House lies a contemplative garden that seamlessly integrates a living space with a versatile shed space, fostering a harmonious blend of work, home life, and landscape. 

The interior surrounds the courtyard, creating a dynamic interplay of proximity, separation, flexibility, and tranquillity. This innovative design exemplifies adaptable living in a suburban context, with the ground floor offering loosely programmed spaces arranged around the central courtyard for both business and leisure. 

The upper level houses domestic functions, ensuring privacy and amenity. Utilising standard materials, including an evocative corrugated steel facade, Shed House presents a customisable and replicable model for contemporary living.

New House Under 200 Square Metres & House in a Heritage Context (joint winner)
Courtyard House by Clare Cousins Architects

Courtyard House thoughtfully responds to its sensitive heritage context, emerging from a walled garden typology that balances privacy with openness. This inner-suburban residence, echoing the form of a former milk bar, skillfully navigates scale, cultural memory, and architectural grain to create a delightful home that is both serene and celebratory.

Situated on a corner lot, the design employs a central courtyard to shield sleeping areas from street activity while offering glimpses of joy to passers-by through operable shutters and a canopy of emerging greenery. With its simple materials and geometry, the project integrates seamlessly into the neighbourhood, reflecting a deep understanding of context and the evolving needs of family life.

The jury commended its sensibility, subtlety, and the inherent flexibility that ensures it will continue to be cherished by future residents.

House Alteration and Addition Over 200 Square Metres (joint winner)
Arcadia by Plus Minus Design

This project delicately reshapes a 1920s house, celebrating its heritage through meticulous restoration of original details while adding a new attic level that offers ample accommodation and hidden spaces. During construction, exposed sandstone bedrock was transformed into a serene courtyard pond, instilling tranquillity throughout the home. 

Arcadia exemplifies the concept of “alterations and additions” with exceptional skill, presenting a typological precedent for future reference. The street-facing design retains the essence of the original structure, with joinery reflecting existing proportions.

An independent volume at the rear enhances practicality while fostering social interactions, linking a semi-external dining space to the contemplative courtyard. Here, the interplay of rock and water invites awareness of climate, encouraging a harmonious coexistence with nature. In this dense urban setting, the house subtly elevates appreciation for heritage and the environment, enriching the lives of its inhabitants.

House Alteration and Addition Over 200 Square Metres (joint winner)
Blue Mountains House by Anthony Gill Architects

This project entails the meticulous renovation and expansion of a family home within the ecologically sensitive Blue Mountains, classified within a flame zone. The design introduces a contemporary wing that harmonises with the original Pettit and Sevitt structure, collectively framing a minimalist courtyard. The extension, conceptualised as a rocky outcrop, offers protection against environmental elements while providing an elevated vantage point for distant views. Thoughtful engagement with the site’s bushfire constraints enabled a subtle upgrade of the existing residence, utilising robust concrete and blockwork to blend with the landscape. This approach not only preserves the home but also enriches the connection to its natural surroundings, celebrating both the architecture and the rugged terrain.

Apartment or Unit 57 Martin Street by Neometro

57 Martin Street presents a thoughtfully crafted collection of six architecturally distinct townhouses in the vibrant heart of Thornbury. Each residence features three bedrooms, generous living and dining areas, off-street parking, and private gardens designed by Mud Office, all promoting a sustainable lifestyle. As urban densities rise, this mid-scale project exemplifies the shift towards diverse housing options that foster community while allowing for comfortable, close living. The east-west orientation enhances cross-ventilation and light, while grouped parking at the laneway entry maximises space flexibility. With an emphasis on robust, low-maintenance design, 57 Martin Street stands as a beacon of architectural integrity and sophisticated simplicity.

Garden or Landscape
Redfern House by Anthony Gill Architects with Sacha Coles

This project involves the transformation of a terrace in Redfern for a Landscape Architect and his family, featuring a generous roof garden that provides vital green space amid surrounding structures. Redfern House exemplifies a holistic approach, harmonising house and landscape on a narrow inner-suburban block. The design fosters community interaction by blurring the boundaries between home, garden, and street.

Maximising outdoor areas, the project supports diverse habitats through a green roof and shaded garden, while passive stormwater reuse nourishes native plantings. Celebrating material imperfections, the landscape envelops the home, enhancing both living comfort and ecological sustainability in the urban environment.

House in a Heritage Context (joint winner)
Tomich House by Mark Jeavons Architect with Ohlo Studio

Completed in 1971, Tomich House stands as one of Iwan Iwanoff's most distinctive works, characterised by unique design elements that reflect the architect’s Bulgarian heritage. However, subsequent alterations led to compromised planning and gradual disrepair. The recent renovation showcases a thoughtful restoration and adaptation strategy, emphasising a three-part approach: restoring the original structure, enhancing the interiors, and reorganising the 1986 rear extension to harmonise with Iwanoff's vision. The serene interiors balance the dynamic volumes, while new cabinetry redefines spatial usage. Employing a restrained palette, the renovation masterfully highlights the expressive architecture, reaffirming Tomich House’s significance in Western Australia’s architectural legacy.

Sustainability Carrickalinga Shed by Architects Ink

Carrickalinga Shed, perched atop a hill on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, reinterprets the Australian Federation Farmhouse with a contemporary lens. Designed for clients deeply connected to the landscape, this homestead embodies sustainability and environmental harmony, allowing its inhabitants to navigate the changing seasons. The architecture integrates robust, low-maintenance materials like galvanised corrugated iron, ensuring longevity against the harsh elements while honouring the site’s heritage.

Resembling a fortified Roman courtyard villa, the design features four distinct zones surrounding an internal courtyard, promoting biophilic principles that enhance thermal control and social wellbeing. With a 250,000-litre rainwater tank and a 23-kilowatt solar system, Carrickalinga Shed exemplifies a profound commitment to ecological stewardship, fostering a lifestyle that resonates with nature.

Emerging Architecture Practice (joint winner)
Architect George

Architect George* is an award-winning, emerging architecture studio.

Established in 2021 by Dean Williams, Architect George is dedicated to creating meaningful, playful residential designs that reflect the unique identities of their inhabitants. With a focus on context and sustainability, the studio skillfully navigates complex existing conditions, delivering projects that range from heritage terraces in Surry Hills to nostalgic 1970s apartment refit. Their confident use of form, volume, and colour enhances each space, connecting indoor environments to gardens and light, ultimately crafting delightful and joyful outcomes for clients and communities.

Emerging Architecture Practice (joint winner)
SSdH

SSdH is an emerging architecture practice founded in 2020 by Todd de Hoog, Harrison Smart, and Jean-Marie Spencer, dedicated to creating thoughtful and honest spaces that celebrate design and everyday life. 

Their work reflects a profound respect for existing structures, emphasising the importance of undervalued building stock for environmental and economic sustainability. With a focus on context and detail, SSdH integrates spatial organisation and structural clarity, enhancing livability through mindful architectural interventions. Their innovative approach addresses both luxury and public life, demonstrating a refreshing commitment to meaningful design.