Balnarring, Falls Creek, Brunswick homes win Houses Awards

<a href=Balnarring Retreat: Houses Awards winner New House" />

One of Victoria’s winners at the Houses Awards 2017 — “Balnarring Retreat”. Photo: Peter Clarke

A MORNINGTON PENINSULA retreat cantilevered over a lake and a Falls Creek apartment described by its designer as a “1970s Japanese spaceship” have taken out national architecture awards.

A Brunswick home designed to ease its owner’s chronic insomnia also took home a trophy at the 2017 Houses Awards.

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But a modest Queensland home reno trumped these quirky residences to be crowned Australian House of the Year.

Victorian projects took out five categories at the awards, which have celebrated fashionable and functional residential architecture for the past seven years.

They also made up 93 of the 177 projects short-listed for accolades.

<a href=Balnarring Retreat: Houses Awards winner New House" />

“Balnarring Retreat” was named best new house under 200sq m. Photo: Peter Clarke

<a href=Balnarring Retreat: Houses Awards winner New House" />

Inside the Mornington Peninsula abode. Photo: Peter Clarke

<a href=Balnarring Retreat: Houses Awards winner New House" />

The shack-like retreat is cantilevered over a lake. Photo: Peter Clarke

Branch Studio Architects’ “Balnarring Retreat” was named best new house under 200sq m.

Hanging over a lake in Balnarring, on the tip of the Mornington Peninsula, the 60sq m shack-like dwelling was built using raw materials including timber, charcoal rammed earth, concrete and vast amounts of glass.

“This little retreat reminds us that you don’t need much space or technology to enjoy the pleasures of life,” the jury said.

The accolade for best new house over 200sq m went to “Fish Creek House” by Edition Office — the home of an elderly couple in the South Gippsland dairy town of Foster.

<a href=Fish Creek House: Houses Awards winner New House O" />

“Fish Creek House” in Foster, South Gippsland. Photo: Ben Hosking

<a href=Fish Creek House: Houses Awards winner New House O" />

Inside the award-winning home. Photo: Ben Hosking

<a href=Fish Creek House: Houses Awards winner New House O" />

The house is split into three sections. Photo: Ben Hosking

The house is split into three timber pavilions, separated by five courtyards, allowing northern light to flood in and for the owners to shut down or open up parts of the house when they’re home alone or hosting gatherings.

The project also won the Houses Awards sustainability category, along with a Brunswick home designed for an insomniac client.

The jury praised architects BLOXAS for extensively researching and investigating how

a home’s design might “improve quality of life for someone who suffers chronically” when the firm created “Garden Pavilion”.

<a href=Garden Pavilion: Houses Awards winner Sustainabili" />

“Garden Pavilion” was designed for a chronic insomniac client. Photo: Peter Bennetts

Bobhubski in Falls Creek: Houses Awards winner apa

Inside the best apartment, “Bobhubski”, in Falls Creek. Photo: Peter Bennetts

Bobhubski in Falls Creek: Houses Awards winner apa

The apartment was modelled on Japanese space capsules. Photo: Peter Bennetts

March Studio’s striking “Bobhubski” in Falls Creek won the award for best apartment or unit, for being “founded on passion and intelligence in architecture”.

The futuristic apartment has just 27sq m of floorspace, and its design was inspired by “Japanese space capsules” of the ’60s and ’70s.

And “A Pavilion Between Trees” by Branch Studio Architects, also in Balnarring, was named joint winner of the house alteration and addition under 200sq m category — along with Vokes and Peters’ “Auchenflower House” in Queensland.

The suburban renovation also took out the top prize for its “deceptive simplicity” and reflection of the “Queensland vernacular”.

A Pavilion Between Trees: Houses Awards winner Hou

A Pavilion Between Trees was joint winner of the best house alteration and addition under 200sq m award. Photo: Peter Clarke

A Pavilion Between Trees: Houses Awards winner Hou

The Balnarring property’s bathroom. Photo: Peter Clarke

<a href=Auchenflower House in Queensland: Houses Awards Au" />

Australian House of the Year for 2017, Auchenflower House in Queensland. Photo: Christopher Frederick Jones

samantha.landy@news.com.au

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