In the 2023 National Architecture Awards, a Sydney home that looks like a Picasso masterpiece won first place.

The Australian Institute of Architects awarded the Robin Boyd Award in Residential Architecture to the stunning home at 19 Waterloo Street, located in Sydney’s Surry Hills.

The house at 19 Waterloo Street was awarded the Robin Boyd Award in Residential Architecture. Image: supplied

It was designed by architecture firm SJB and was constructed on a 30 square meter plot left between a new mixed-use building and an existing factory.

The home has a small footprint, but it features a kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, and a workspace. A central stairway connects all of these.

The top of the stairway is a small rooftop garden surrounded by greenery and art.

The home was built using sustainable practices, with solar panels powering the adjacent building. It also has a high thermal performance and is airtight.

Indoor plants and indoor greenery are used in the home. 

The jury said it was a spectacular example of a new approach to urban infill.

The jury stated that “at a time when we face a housing crisis once in a generation, we need new approaches.”

A central staircase connects the different living areas. 

“Most importantly, perhaps, we need to move beyond the Australian tradition of the four-bedroom, standalone house being our only residential offering.

By letting go of the old notions of what a home in a city looks like, it’s possible to design houses in the gaps between. This allows us to create homes that are both functional and whimsical and full of joy inside and out.

SJB is an architecture firm that designed 19 Waterloo Street. 

The Sydney home was one of the 47 residential, commercial, and public projects recognized by a jury of industry experts this year.

The winning designs were world-class examples of sustainability, adaptive reusing, dynamic collaboration among designers, connection to country, thoughtful higher-density housing, and generosity towards a broader community.

A pocket-sized rooftop garden offers outdoor space at 19 Waterloo St. 

Jury chair Shannon Battisson said Australia was in dire need of new approaches to its built environment.

“Our goal was to send a clear message to all Australians on where our industry needs to go in terms of sustainability and learning from Country,” said Ms Battisson.

Nightingale Village

The Frederick Romberg Residential Architecture Award was given to the Nightingale Village, a multi-housing development in Melbourne’s inner city suburb Brunswick.

Nightingale Village was awarded the Frederick Romberg Residential Architecture Award for Multiple Housing. Image: Supplied

The urban village comprises six neighboring buildings, each designed by different architects using social, environmental, and financial sustainability principles.

Nightingale Village is a collection of six buildings designed by different architects. 

Architecture, Austin Maynard Architects, Breathe, Clare Cousins Architects, Hayball, and Kennedy Nolan each designed a different building in the Nightingale Village.

The village does not have any parking spaces for personal cars but has enough space to park sharecars. It also features a passive design; there is no air-conditioning; it offers shared laundry facilities; the interior finishes are minimal; and it’s located near multiple public transport routes.

The jury stated that “despite their similarities in terms of the overall design, the buildings are all as different as one would expect from a group consisting of architects who normally compete with each other but are now on the same team.”

Merricks Farmhouse

The Merricks Farmhouse, designed by Michael Lumby and Nielsen Jenkins, won the National Award for Residential Architecture.

The Merricks Farmhouse has won the National Award for Residential Architecture. Image: Supplied

The Mornington Peninsula property offers a different take on the rural shed, with concrete walls topped in succulents that are reminiscent of a moss-covered ruin.

A large courtyard with giant stepping stones and native plants surrounds the pond.

Merricks Farmhouse has a partially submerged concrete water tank that can be used as a swimming pool.

There are four modest bedrooms at the rear, a sunken lounge, and a kitchen and dining area that blend into a courtyard dining area.

The black timber ceilings rise to hidden skylights and then drop to bedroom height.

Michael Lumby and Nielsen Jenkins designed the Mornington Peninsula property. Image: Source

The Merricks Farmhouse comes with a pool – a partially sunken concrete water tank – which offers a tranquil spot to cool off in summer.