Casey Brown Architecture’s “contemporary shed” project, Crackenback Stables, has won a German Design Award.
Nestled in the picturesque heights of the Snowy Mountains, Crackenback Stables comprises two steel and concrete pavilions, clad in corrugated iron, which undulate in resonance with the mountain backdrop.
With a distinct, eave-less form designed to combat the extreme climate of its environs, the building houses five horse stables, associated workshops, feed rooms and tack rooms, as well as a two-bedroom self-contained accommodation above the stables.
Despite the addition of accommodation for humans as well as horses, the architects insist the building remains a shed.
A design statement reads, “[The building’s] take on the Australian vernacular gives new life and refinement to the classic corrugated shed.”
The 2018 German Design Award for Excellent Communications Design in Architecture is awarded by the German Design Council, a body established by the German parliamentin 1953 to promote quality design and support companies in matters related to brand and design development.
The awards recognize design excellence across a wealth of fields, from architecture to branding and technology.
The awards’ jury stated that Crackenback Stables was notable for its high-contrast use of two different metal surfaces.
“The reddish-brown metal with its variegated shades refers intriguingly to the natural colours of the Australian bush,” read the jury statement.
Crackenback Stables is one of 165 building recognized with the Award for Excellent Communications Design in Architecture.
