Innehållsförteckning för Habitus #52 - House of the Year från Habitus

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LOCATION BALLINA, NSW, AUSTRALIA In between fibro cottages, endless tree canopies and sweeping ocean views, we find Pine Springs House by Harley Graham Architects. This contemporary take on the ‘modernist box’ is situated in Ballina on the coast of northern NSW, showcasing a hypnotic combination of midcentury silhouettes and personality-filled artwork and furniture. “The client came to us with a ‘floating box’ aesthetic, and he really wanted a U-shaped house with a central courtyard. He really values his privacy, so to paraphrase him, he wanted to be able to stand in the centre of the courtyard and have complete privacy,” says PJ Deasy of Harley Graham Architects and lead on the project. With a low-maintenance exterior front of mind, a no-paint solution resulted in the crisp white finish of the…

LOCATION SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA This is a home to relax in, where the outdoors merge with inside and the semi-bush landscape creates a haven that both embraces and contains the residents. With every project comes the chance to design something special, an opportunity to create a significant response to and for people and place, and the recently completed Collins Beach House in Sydney by Tobias Partners defines fine and thoughtful design coupled with sophisticated living. The architect and client journey began some five years ago, and the build of the 580-square-metre home was two years in the making. With a site that was originally two, and also included a water easement, the boundaries and landscape parameters presented unique challenges when designing the concept. The brief from the clients to lead architect,…

LOCATION BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA Set on a steep battle-axe site in the Brisbane suburb of Red Hill, this project is the home of architect Julie Derrick, one half of architecture practice Levesque and Derrick Architects (LADA). Tasked with a comprehensive brief, and acting as both client and architect, Derrick used clever planning to make sure all the elements were ticked off to create the perfect home for herself, her partner and their two children. “Essentially we wanted a small family home, but we’re intending to be here for quite a while, so it needed to be able to grow with us as well,” shares Derrick. In addition to the versatility, they wanted to keep everything on a single level, while maintaining outdoor areas for the kids to play. “It was…

With curves aplenty and enviable materiality, the TEN TABLE by Christian Troels & Jacob Plejdrup is the statement piece that whispers rather than shouts. The Ten Table is crafted in solid wood, but retains an air of lightness with an organically shaped tabletop, sloping edges and stunning vertical grooves. Thoughtfully designed and luxuriously finished, this piece brings the natural beauty of solid wood to your interiors. greatdane.com.au Based in New Zealand, NODI RUGS brings an enduring beauty to your floors. Established by textile designer Olivia Moon, Nodi seeks to start new conversations between people, their environment and the planet. Handcrafted with New Zealand and Himalayan wool and sustainably sourced jute from West Bengal, Nodi believes in shaping positively healthy spaces, for both people and the planet. nodirugs.com With a silhouette…

LOCATION FEDERAL, NSW, AUSTRALIA The house nestles, a poised beast in a lush sub-tropical forest, one flank cantilevered off a steep incline. Seen from above, its roofline reads as a ridged carapace. Façades closed, defensive. Yet on approach, as you move about it, the outer wall appears to breathe – robust timber battens, observed obliquely, permit views through an expansive verandah that wraps the structure on two sides. Occlusive but porous, Federal House is imbued with a dynamism that belies its very evident stillness. “We were really focused on how the house would perform in its setting, the way it connects to landscape and to a sense of deep time,” says architect Kim Bridgland. “The primary objective was to ground the house – and the clients – to that place.”…

LOCATION WYE RIVER, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA Logic, rationality and refinement define Wye River House by Matt Goodman Architecture Office (MGAO). Like most things in design and architecture, though, the simplicity belies the thought that has gone into every detail. While the project came to MGAO under devastating circumstances – following the 2015 bushfires – it also presented a way for Goodman to provide help through the pro-bono services of his burgeoning studio. “I wanted to help people get back into their homes. The first challenge was communicating that with the permanent residents,” says Goodman, who points out that doing a letterbox drop wasn’t possible when the letterboxes have been burnt to the ground. Instead, he took a more community-oriented approach and spoke with the pub, the general store and the CFA…

LOCATION WANAKA, NEW ZEALAND People are captivated by Sugi House. Occupying less than 100 square metres, this diminutive holiday house situated in the alpine town of Wanaka, New Zealand, has brought the team of Condon Scott industry acclaim and has garnered the rapt attention of locals. “Sugi House is what people imagine a simple gable form home to look like,” says Barry Condon of Condon Scott Architects. “It’s easy to relate to.” With its shed-like shape, window punctures, and slender flue, the forms of Sugi House are certainly easy on the eye. But it’s more than that. A highly considered exterior aesthetic adds to the visual intrigue. Western Red Cedar shingle cladding enfolds both the roof and the walls, bestowing the house with a strong sense of materiality. Aluminium-framed windows…

LOCATION KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA End-Lot House draws its name from the original dwelling, an old ‘end-lot’ terrace within a neighbourhood of two-storey townhouses built in the seventies and eighties The clients are a young couple, with two children under the age of seven. While the location – in the inner-city area of Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur – is highly sought-after, the home needed some adjustments to meet their needs. Eleena Jamil Architect came on board to adapt the house, taking the low ceilings and dark interior, and turning the space into a functional family home, with a roof terrace. End-Lot House stands taller than the surrounding houses, adding a bookend to the street by repeating the same rectilinear language of the neighbours, albeit with a distinct façade. “I think one thing…

LOCATION WANAKA NEW ZEALAND “One of the dilemmas of the siting was not only capturing the mountains but also the northern light, particularly given the weather during the colder months.” Protected from the elements, this tactile house responds to the region’s disparate weather conditions, which get below freezing point in winter and turn into dry, hot summers For Sydney-based architect Michael Cumming, the project was an opportunity to spend more time in New Zealand’s southern alps, taking in the breathtaking scenery that includes the mountain ranges of Roy’s Peak, Treble Cone and Mt. Aspiring. “I wanted to ensure the breadth of these mountains was included from inside this new house, including the peaks,” says Cumming, who noticed that many homes on the South Island didn’t fully embrace this opportunity. “I…

LOCATION BYRON BAY, NSW, AUSTRALIA This idyllic site at Byron Bay is perched above the township. Only a 10-minute drive from the town centre, there are impressive views over the Pacific Ocean and the national park. For the clients, a couple with two children, the purchase of this sprawling plot came immediately after one of their holidays. And although the couple were keen to build a new house as their permanent home, they had never worked with an architect before. “They found my shingle on a front fence a few doors down from their Sydney abode. They certainly didn’t come with a series of tear sheets from magazines of houses I had designed,” says architect Virginia Kerridge, who developed the brief for the home with the client. While there were…

Inspired by the Italian Radical Design Movement of the 1960s and ‘70s, the SUPER COLLECTION by Bankston + Sans-Arc Studio brings an unexpected twist to architectural hardware. “We love the rebellious, sculptural and fun style of the Radical Design Movement. It is a period that has influenced our design aesthetic for some time,” says Sans-Arc director, Matiya Marovich. Featuring five vibrant designs, the Super Collection leaves a lasting impression throughout the home. bankstonarchitectural.com.au Ferruccio Laviani had both simplicity and character in mind when he designed the TOBIA WALL AND FLOOR LIGHTS for Foscarini. “Tobia is an example of how simplicity can have character. The lightness of a sign that becomes object, almost like a child’s drawing that outlines a body and a form to narrate a function,” Laviani muses. With…

The integrative, sculptural design of the limited edition Wilkhahn INLINE TABLE makes a unique statement when you enter the room, making it ideal for both home office environments and living spaces. Angular and contemporary but still accessible for more restrained interiors, the Wilkhahn Inline Table is the perfect complement to a modern, versatile space. wilkhahn.com Slip into something more comfortable with BUBBLE by Alfonso Gallego. The Bubble armchair and side table offer a sublime retreat like no other. Bubble is rounded and all-encompassing, with curves in all the right places; a cocoon to relax into as you while away a sunny poolside afternoon. domo.com.au If ever there was an exemplary argument for black being the new black, Neolith’s stone in CALATORAO is it. Embodied luxury, the sumptuous marble is sleek,…

LOCATION MEDAN, INDONESIA “House of Light Voids is immaculate. It’s a stunning example of minimalism.”NEIL BURLEY JURY MEMBER From his home in Medan, Indonesia, Raymond Boedi tells me that he wanted to show his city something different. In contrast to Medan’s usual intricate and colourful design, Boedi’s ultra-minimalist home, known as House of Light Voids, has achieved just this. The home, as it turns out, was purpose-designed by and for Boedi to live in with his partner, but more importantly as an example of what his practice is capable of. “I actually designed this house to really represent my firm,” he says, elaborating that the project is part showroom and part portfolio. The advanced minimalism acts in sheer contrast to the cultural heritage of Medan, where, according to Boedi, houses…

LOCATION BANGKOK, THAILAND Positioned on a corner block within a housing development in Bangkok, Thailand, House Cove(r) takes advantage of the unused garden area to insert a three-storey addition to this family home. Home to a couple, their two young children and their grandmother, the original house simply couldn’t accommodate everyone’s needs. Given the hot and humid climate of Thailand, the owner desired additional indoor space, while maintaining a connection to the mature trees that line the block on the street side. “We designed this house to follow the site and maximise the size. It was about attaining a high efficiency of space because of the high price of land,” says Parpis Lee, founder and lead architect at Touch Architect. While the corner site could be used as an advantage,…

LOCATION KIAMA, NSW, AUSTRALIA It was the open horizons of ocean and sky, captivating in its clear-eyed blueness, equally stunning in a tempest, that captured the eye of the clients. The house on the block had reached its use-by date but the land stood toe-to-toe with the cliff’s edge and called for a home that turned outwards as it turned in. Renato D’Ettorre of Renato D’Ettorre Architects had the pleasurable challenge of doing the magnificent location justice, while working to a moderate budget. Rather than be limited by constraints, he focused on the opportunities at hand: knowledgeable clients who were very much present in the process, D’Ettorre’s appreciation of “good architecture” at its most essential, and of course the site. K House comes down to a series of juxtapositions. Where…

LOCATION NEW DELHI, INDIA Created as a weekend retreat to entertain friends and family, Earth and Glass House is the epitome of luxurious living. Located in a suburb of New Delhi, India, the home is substantial, situated on one half of a two-acre site. The home has been built from three construction systems: load-bearing rammed earth walls, a mild steel framework, and exposed RCC slabs. Wrapping around the façade are hand-operable cedar fins that help with ventilation flow while diffusing the light. Designed by Sidhartha Talwar, principal of Studio Lotus, there is every type of amenity and facility in this home. However it’s the architecture and use of authentic and local materials that set this house apart. The principles of Vastu (a traditional Indian system of architecture) have been incorporated…