If there is something that architecture professionals are good at – apart from designing unique and elaborate projects – it’s celebrating in style.
Habitus House of the Year 2024, hosted and supported by Winnings, is a perfect example of that; the night had it all, from unlimited espressos martinis, champagne fountains flowing endlessly and a painter capturing likenesses on the go to a Rogerseller Speakeasy on level one.
With around 600 guests in attendance, rivalling in grace and pizzazz, the night kicked off with an aria sung by soloist Hilana Alouani-Roby, while dance artist and Mer Island-Pajinka Wik descendent Waangenga Blanco took the stage to execute an interpretative dance in front of her.
Editor of Habitus Living and Indesign Live, Timothy Alouani-Roby, was the Master of Ceremony for the evening. He started off by thanking the outstanding jury of Habitus House of the Year 2024, composed of himself alongside Andy Carson, Charlotte Wilson, David Flack, Genevieve Hromas, Gillian Serisier, Greg Natale, Jet Geaghan, Polly Harbison and Sarah-Jane Pyke.
Kicking of the formalities by thanking the Major Partner of the night, Winnings, and Silver Partner, Rogerseller, Alouani-Roby invited Winnings’ Victorian State Manager, Tahir Hunter, to the stage to say a few words about the company’s involvement in this unique celebration, and announce the first winner of the night.
“Our investment in this showroom demonstrates our commitment to the Victorian market, and our appreciation and respect for Melbourne’s exceptionally talented architect and design community we are proud to have in attendance this evening,” said Hunter. “Thank you again for joining us. Here’s to a wonderful evening celebrating Melbourne’s vibrant design community and the outstanding talent that continues to shape the future.”
Hunter then announced the winner of the Winnings Award for Emerging Talent, Little More House by MEGA, with Sawsee and Kim Kneipp.
The design intention for this house was to create a modest-sized dwelling as beautiful for everyday life as it is versatile for the practicality of family living. The four segmented forms each serve multiple uses, connected via an indoor-outdoor backbone orientated to bring in natural light and maximise the outlook of the native Shoreham landscape.
MEGA founder, Michael Graham, came to the stage to convey his excitement after receiving the prestigious award.
“I am very proud of this award,” he said – live and without preparation! “I caught a few eyes tonight from a few people I went to uni with, so it’s pretty funny to win this award tonight. It just feels amazing. Thank you.”
The next recognition, the People’s Choice Award winner, was awarded to Speargrass House by Arent&Pyke. Set amongst 85 acres in Queenstown, New Zealand, Speargrass House blends robust elegance with refined practicality. Within, instinctive materials complement its bucolic surrounds that take in mountain views of The Remarkables and Coronet Peak while ably weathering the wear and tear of country life for a family including four active young boys.
“This particular project has been such an amazing project for our studio. It was designed for collaboration with Sumich Chaplin Architects, who are amazing architects in New Zealand,” said Lauren from the Arent&Pyke team upon receiving the award. “We loved working with these clients. They became amazing friends to our studio, and we’re so glad that we resonated in so many areas, so thank you.”
After a short mingling break, during which guests and winners enjoyed the many surprises of the Winnings space and indulged in the endless flow cocktails and canapés, Alouani-Roby invited Mim Design Studio Principal and Founder Miriam Fanning to the stage to present the last award winners. Indeed, this year there are two Winnings Habitus House of the Year winners!
“A home is a safe haven: It’s a footprint of our clients or of ourselves, and a place where each day that house can feel different,” Fanning said, as she described a bit about what the idea of home means to her. “And that’s the beauty of what we do. We can create these spaces where we can make people feel different, a collection of spaces. I think that’s really important, that we can affect the way people live.
“A home is a yardstick somebody’s life. Because once you start and you’ve built a home with a client, it really is that growth period where they keep creating memories and legacies.
“In presenting this award tonight, it is great pleasure to see that we have not one, but two projects awarded with the House of the Year 2024 award: Proclamation House by State of Kin and Burnt Earth Beach House by Wardle – congratulations!”
At first sight, Proclamation House certainly stands out from its neighbours in the suburbs of Perth – a highly textured, sculptural presence with its olive-green hues which then give way at important thresholds to striking steel frames.
“The most important part of this project was the collaboration with the client,” said the State of Kin team, with Ara and Alessandra having flown over from Perth to attend the event in Melbourne. “They really trusted our process and our designing trust while we were getting to learn about them. That’s why this house is successful: it’s authentic to the client. So thank you.”
Burnt Earth Beach House combines material invention, experimentation and collaboration with accomplished placemaking. This is a multi-generational home that utilises terracotta in two primary forms – through the exterior brickwork, internally to line walls, floors and joinery elements. This house is our special playbook,” said John Wardle alongside members of his team upon receiving the award.
“It’s fabulous,” added Chloe Lanser, Associate at Wardle. “There were such amazing projects that were shortlisted tonight and to win with such a great team is really lovely. It’s just really nice to have all that hard work actually be recognised along with everybody’s efforts. We’re happy. Thank you so much.”
Attendees then revelled in Winnings’ generous Richmond showroom space until late in the evening. Congratulations to all shortlisted practices and winners, and a huge thank you to Winnings and Rogerseller, the jury, party attendees, readers and voters.
