In an exciting milestone for Houses magazine, 2020 marks ten years of the Houses Awards. This year’s winning, commended and shortlisted entries are celebrated in this issue, recognizing the outstanding work of Australia’s residential architects and designers. Collectively, the entries represent a return to the local – they are inventive and responsive, taking inspiration from their varying contexts to engage generously with their neighbourhood and community.
The Australian House of the Year is Cantala Avenue House by ME, an alteration and addition to a typical weatherboard cottage on Queensland’s Gold Coast. Modest and minimal, the home is a reminder that living well is about quality, not quantity. The 2020 Houses Awards jury explains, “ME has solved ordinary design problems in an extraordinary way, reconsidering the suburban status quo and pushing boundaries.”
Congratulations to all those recognized and thank you to our generous Houses Awards supporters Cult, Allegion, Artedomus, Blum, Bosch, Brickworks, Heritage Council Victoria, Sussex and Taubmans.
Alongside the announcement of the 2020 Houses Awards, this issue includes a selection of exceptional projects by YSG, Coy Yiontis Architects, Jesse Bennett Studio and Ha. We also revisit Wilson Beach House by John Railton, and profile the work of Durbach Block Jaggers.
Gemma Savio, editor
