2019 Houses Awards: Apartment or Unit

Jury comment

Undeniably an exercise in doing more with less, this conversion of a 1970s twenty-six-square-metre bedsit in Hobart could earn the architects a new title as “space magicians.” Plywood has been used masterfully to create a new volume that makes the most of both the plan and section. There is a place for everything, yet signs of life’s daily routines are discreetly located on the perimeter – these functional elements are both compact and generous.

The most powerful aspect of the design is the way the space feels almost gallery-like when all is packed away. Achieving this in less than thirty square metres is a real feat, and is why this project is so deserving of the award.

See full image galleries of all the winning and shortlisted projects here.