2016 National Architecture Awards: Public Award

Jury citation

St Andrews House is a not-for-profit residential care facility providing accommodation and care for young adults. Residents each enjoy a private bedroom and shared living and dining rooms that connect to a series of gardens.

The jury was immediately impressed by the simplicity and beauty of this modest building. Its facade is a pared-back and refined composition of off-form concrete and white-painted brick, making a complementary addition to its surrounding, mostly residential context. The careful hand of Candalepas Associates can be seen in the restrained yet exquisite brick detailing and evidence of handcraft. The silent surfaces of the facade are punctured by deep fenestration, alluding to a timeless monumentality.

Internally, a beautifully organized plan and spatial configuration bring clarity and dignity to this residential care facility. The quality of natural light and space is exceptional. All bedrooms enjoy a northern aspect, overlooking a private courtyard on the ground floor. The communal living and dining rooms on the ground floor also open onto the same courtyard. Deeply splayed brick walls moderate the passage of natural light into the space, providing a restful and sheltered place that connects seamlessly with outside.

Simple site planning enables an important relationship between the building and the adjacent St Andrews Church, offering further critical support and a social community for the residents.