WA Architecture Awards 2021: A showcase of stunning design

An oceanfront home on an original coastal dune, additions to an East Fremantle heritage cottage, a downsizer home with a difference – these are among the residential designs vying for the Australian Institute of Architects’ annual WA Architecture Awards.

Peter Hobbs, Australian Institute of Architects WA Chapter president, said the 2021 entrants showcased a theme of designing spaces that were flexible, adaptable and ultimately brought delight to the community.

“These considerations are evident across the breadth of entries; from significant hotel restorations, to disability housing that sets a new benchmark in Perth, contemporary learning facilities to inspire fresh thinking and workspaces that balance flexibility with productivity,” he said.

For architect Nic Brunsdon, the design of East Fremantle House, a contender in the Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions) category, was not without its challenges.

“Firstly, within the first week as we were digging up the old asbestos shed we found a hand grenade and that shut down the street, so we had to get that safely removed,” he said.

“The second challenge was the first builder went bust and the whole family had to continue renting for another year and we had to get another builder to pick it up and finish it off.”

The result is described as a “contextually responsive addition to a heritage cottage,” where the most important feature of the design was one that was not built, rather it was a large northern void, a space for sun, light, sky, sound, and breeze to reside.

“A couple of my other projects are really obvious why they are really nice but this is much more subtle … it is a project I had my moods with as well, where I have been like, ‘Is this actually good, I am not sure?’

“But then you turn up and go, ‘Yeah, it’s one of those ones that just feel right.’ And the only thing I can put that down to is getting those base fundamentals right of addressing the north, and bringing that northern light and having the opportunity of having a narrow plan that the breeze can flow through.

“It always feels light and bright and warm and you are connected to the natural environment. It doesn’t feel artificial. It doesn’t feel forced.”

Creating strong connections to the garden, a palette of white painted brick, concrete and natural timber and tactile detailing form Garden House Rule Street, another entrant in the Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions) category.

Architect Dimmity Walker, of spaceagency architects, said the heritage limestone cottage had a strong history with its owner; it was her “town home” when she was growing up in regional WA.

“I think they (the owners) have spent time thinking about how to make it work for them as a family house with their young kids in a relatively small footprint and how they can extend it to make it more user friendly for their lifestyle,” she said.

“I think there’s a nice balance between the dark retreat of the original house and then the very luminous beachy feeling of the new section and it’s kind of interesting at different times of day, or in different weathers, to move between the zones and have quite distinctly different experiences.

“I like that there is a sense of fun and playfulness. It is really a robust family home. It’s not a gallery or a museum-like house, its definitely a house for real people doing real stuff. I like that.”

Other residential entrants include City Beach Residence 2 by Hillam Architects, which is described as a “striking, three-storey residence”; Dawesville House by Tim Wright Architect, a two level home with no built form between the site and the oceanfront; and Macdonald Road House by Philip Stejskal Architecture, which is a downsizer home replacing a 1980s triplex.

This year’s awards feature 78 entries across 10 categories that include commercial architecture, public architecture, educational architecture, urban design and interior architecture.

Winners will be unveiled live via YouTube at a presentation evening on Friday, June 11.