Take a Look: 24 Hours in the 2024 Australian House of the Year
With the approaching deadline for the 2025 Houses Awards, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on the 2024 Australian House of the Year, Red Hill House and Studio by Zuzana and Nicholas. This award-winning home, a carefully renovated Queenslander, was crafted to cater to a family of four along with a studio space for the architect owners.
Dirk Yates, in his critique of the residence featured in Houses 158, characterizes it as a unique interpretation of the traditional shop-top house. The redesign of the original cottage’s rooms results in a delightful reimagining of a Queenslander’s attributes, devoid of any clichéd or artificial elements. The focus lies on creating a comfortable living environment that prioritizes natural light and airflow over sheer size. The spaces within are described as cozy, idiosyncratic, and enchanting.
Extensions at the back of the cottage and on the ground level establish connections to the garden and the surrounding community. The dining area, with expansive sliding panels along the eastern facade, evokes the spirit of a verandah, blending the comforts of indoors with the openness of outdoors. This space, with its sheltered yet breezy ambiance, bathed in natural light but cooled by shade, presents a duality of being connected to the world outside while still enjoying the coziness of an interior room. The strategically positioned windows offer picturesque views of the leafy neighborhood and the children’s play area in the garden, encapsulating simplicity and beauty. Downstairs, the studio, with a more open layout facing the street, embraces the delightful characteristics of a customary Queenslander undercroft.
Recognized as the Australian House of the Year at the 2024 Houses Awards, Red Hill House and Studio earned acclaim for its innovative approach that deviates from the standard adaptations of familiar housing types. The jury’s statement commends the architects for opting to work within the existing framework, exploring ways to integrate a private home into the neighborhood, and adopting a philosophy that prioritizes longevity and versatility, fostering a harmonious coexistence of work and family life. The residence’s design, confident yet subtle, expertly redefines the traditional without erasing its original charm. This home serves as an exceptional example of the power of simplicity in design.
The deadline for submissions to the 2025 Houses Awards is rapidly approaching, closing on the 14th of March 2025. With ten categories to choose from, including Australian House of the Year, New House under 200 m², New House over 200 m², and others, this year’s program promises to showcase exceptional residential architecture. To participate or learn more about the awards, visit the Houses Awards website and be part of celebrating architectural excellence.