2016 National Architecture Awards: Small Project Architecture Award

Jury citation

This contemporary addition adds a verandah, back stair and external bathroom to the rear of a fantastic Queenslander in original condition. It also makes minor adjustments to the kitchen and pantry, including opening up a new window to the outside room. In replacing a twentieth-century amenities extension, the goal was to design a complementary yet contrasting form that allowed for a practical and genuine connection between the exterior and interior spaces. The new verandah and bathroom are divided by stairs that form a spine between the two spaces. These lead down to the owner’s established garden, with a secondary covered living space underneath. The bathroom, being essentially an outside room, is perfectly suited to Townsville’s humid climate and privacy is ensured through carefully placed screens. From the rear garden, the form is bold and striking yet has a feeling of weightlessness, with the stairs acting as a trunk for the canopy above. Deftly handled, Bath House is a splendid result for minimal cost that takes nothing away from the charm of the original home. It is also a reminder that archetypal homes such as these can be respectfully updated, to suit contemporary living, without touching the original fabric.

Read the project review by Helen Norrie from Houses 110.