2016 Gallery
Winner: House Alteration and Addition under 200 square metres
Clare Cousins Architects for Baffle House
This contemporary garden pavilion is a compact addition to an Edwardian cottage. Conceived to maximise exposure to a small, sculptural garden, the pavilion achieves porosity between the interior and exterior. The structural steel baffle regulates sunlight, providing protection from the summer sun and casting dramatic shadows throughout the day.
Jury Citation
This simple addition to the rear of an Edwardian cottage in Melbourne integrates delightfully with both the existing bungalow and the garden area. The north-facing addition makes use of a baffle device to protect the house from the sun and as a transition to the garden space surrounding it. As well as acting as a sun regulator, the baffle casts dramatic shadows throughout the day.
The garden has been treated as an artwork that serves to bind the new addition and the older cottage. The scale of the addition sits happily with the existing building and the new spaces within are modest in size – yet the light-filled new living area acts as a joyous counterpoint to the rest of the house. The addition, with its light skeletal framework, is a distinct contrast to the brick-and-shingle cottage. The garden context skillfully shapes the perception of the house and the experience of the spaces within.
