We are excited to announce that two of our projects have come out on top at the National Design Awards
Hillary EnerPHit and Live Lighty House (also an EnerPHit*) have been awarded the top spot in the Residential Alterations & Additions (up to $500K) and Passive House categories respectively at the 2025 BDAA National Design Awards over the weekend.
*EnerPHit is the certified Passivhaus standard for projects that Alterations and Additions to existing buildings.
The Residential Alterations & Additions (up to $500K) Award considered all project facets, including, but not limited to, adherence to the client brief, aesthetic charm, design consistency, and sustainability. Fix it - this was the essence of the brief for Live Lightly. Save as much as possible of the original structure while creating a home that would be comfortable, healthy and very energy efficient.
Our design solution took human ease, comfort and wellbeing as its starting point. These goals also deliver excellent environmental outcomes and a quality, durable building that is a pleasure to live in. Our practice has deep expertise in designing to the Passivhaus standard. The extremely positive experiences of our clients who live in new homes certified Passivhaus was our starting inspiration for this retrofit project.
We opted to maintain the contrast between the original cottage and its extension, indeed heightening the contrast for aesthetic appeal. The two parts are differentiated by roof form, cladding and colour. The standing seam cladding on the extension is unabashedly modern, creating a pleasing contrast with the vertical Weathertex cladding used elsewhere. This is echoed by the generous walkways and decking surrounding the cottage, which are constructed from Australian hardwood timber.
Inside, period features are retained in the original bedrooms, which feature delightful curved walls and feature plaster ceiling. The south-facing windows were retained because they framed the view, and their impact on winter heating demand compensated for. The kitchen is modern and practical, situated in an open-plan dining and living room.
The Passive House Award recognises outstanding achievements in the field of Passive House design. This award celebrates projects and individuals that demonstrate exceptional innovation, sustainability, energy efficiency, and occupant comfort within the Passive House standard.
A deep energy retrofit and renovation has transformed Hillary EnerPHit the experience of the couple that have lived here for decades. The floor plan works graciously, it connects physically and visually to the garden and it retains all its original character. And now the whole home is a comfortable temperature year round with very little energy needed for heating and cooling and the indoor air quality is first class.
The homeowners had tried to fix the home’s problems with a renovation in the early 2000s but it hadn’t made the house any easier to live in. Accordingly, their brief to the architectural team was for a knock-down rebuild project. Many of these had already happened in their desirable North Shore neighbourhood.
The architectural team understood the clients’ desire to live in comfort and duly set about evaluating the site and considering concept designs. However the similarity between an ideal floor plan for the new house and the layout of the old house became very evident. This led to a frank discussion about whether the homeowners were willing to consider another renovation. Their trust in the architects led to a decision: if they could design a renovation that met the couple’s needs and did not cost more than a new home, they could proceed with this course.
The clients now have the best of both worlds. They enjoy the art deco character, familiarity and history of the original Art Deco home and its seamless integration with a new extension. The whole home is wrapped up in a new airtight building envelope with top quality Passivhaus components, ensuring a warm, comfortable and healthy home. In fact the building surpassed the requirements for the EnerPHit standard for retrofits and fully meets the same standard as a Passivhaus new build, which is a remarkable achievement.
Big thank you to BDAA for the recognition and congratulations to all other award winners!
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