Coinciding with the tenth anniversary of Habitus magazine, Habitus House of the Year is a new program for celebrating the diverse, vibrant design and architecture of the Indo-Pacific region. A means of recognising both emerging talents and established luminaries alike, the program will take a deep dive into what it truly means to adopt design as a way of life within our unique part of the world.
True to the core values of Habitus, the winning project will be a home that responds deftly to its brief, context, and landscape in an exciting and innovative way. Our upcoming special edition will feature a shortlist of the best twenty homes from our region in the past twelve months, and will be supplemented by an online showcase of five projects hosted exclusively on Habitus Living. From the combination of these two shortlists, an independent jury of design experts will name the inaugural House of the Year and award commendations for Exemplary Integration of Environment and Outstanding Interior Architecture. Below, we introduce the members of this year’s Habitus House of the Year competition jury.
Meet The Judges
Paul McGillick (Chairman of the Jury)
A name that will be familiar to many of our readers, Paul McGillick is the Founding Editor of Habitus and the author of several books on residential architecture throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Paul has written extensively on visual arts and design for publications including the Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Indesign.
Narelle Yabuka
The editor of Indesignlive.sg and Singapore design publication Cubes, Narelle Yabuka is well versed in the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of design within our region. Originally from Perth – where she earned a Bachelor of Arts (Interior Architecture) from Curtin University of Technology – Narelle gained specialised knowledge of residential design in her roles as assistant editor of Architecture Australia and Houses magazines and joint editor of Designed Life: Apartments by Page One Publishing.
Howard Tanner
One of the co-founders of Sydney architecture firm TKD Architects, Howard Tanner is a prominent architect, educator, and author. Previously the National President of the Australian Institute of Architects, Howard takes an interest in both architecture and landscape, and has written widely on both topics and the nexus between them. In 2016, he was the curator of Planting Dreams: Grand Garden Designs, an exhibition of stunning landscape design presented at the State Library of NSW.
Karen McCartney
Few writers have written as prolifically and extensively about Australian interiors and architecture as Karen McCartney, Editorial Director of Temple & Webster and Architecture Editor of Belle magazine. The author of Twenty-one Australian Architects, Breaking New Ground; the Iconic Australian Houses series; The Alchemy of Things; Superhouse; and Perfect Imperfect, Karen is adept at recognising the qualities that make architecture and interiors exceptional and appealing to a mainstream audience.
Raj Nandan
Raj Nandan is the Founder, Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of the design industry’s premier regional media house, Indesign Media Asia Pacific. After acquiring his first magazine at the age of 22 in 1993, Raj continued to launch a suite of magazine titles throughout the 90s, which would become the foundation for his boutique publishing house. A mainstay on design boards and juries across the globe, Raj’s curatorial eye has allowed Indesign to grow into the most influential design voice in the Asia Pacific.
Neil Burley
The founder of interiors and architecture firm Burley Katon Halliday and furniture retailer Anibou, Neil Burley has been a leading light in Australian design for decades. Having worked across all disciplines of design from graphics and product design to interiors and furniture, Neil has unique insight into the characteristics that enable design to successfully strike a balance between practicality and aesthetics.
Read more about the inaugural Habitus House of the Year program here. Want the latest updates on the program and a number of exclusive events to commemorate our upcoming special issue? Sign up for our newsletter today.
We would like to extend a special thanks to our Major Sponsors for their support in the inaugural year of the Habitus House of the Year initiative. Thank you to StylecraftHOME, Sub-Zero Wolf and ZIP Water.