National Award Winner

We were pleasantly surprised to receive a National Award from the Australian Institute of Architects, for Shelter@Rainforest, a low-cost house that reinterprets local traditions and materials. It is also self sufficient in water, energy and waste recycling.

Our approach included months of field research into building traditions, locally available materials and technologies; collaboration with engineers and environmental experts – the result holds many lessons for building with minimal waste, maximising resources, creating beautiful and functional spaces without big budgets.

As commented by the jury “The final result of this project, based on smart design, engineering and collaboration, is a low-cost and self-sufficient building that does much more than simply meet the functional requirements of its users. It sits with elegance and raw beauty in its surrounds and the wider community. This project is an excellent example of design and construction in remote locations with limited resources“