A Queensland property that is wrapped around a swimming pool has taken a top housing award.
TAK Acquisitions, who designed the property with Project Designs Architects, has won the 2009 Housing Industry Association-CSR Australian Home of the Year at Brisbane’s HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards.
The residential property in Queensland's Yeronga, was described by judges to be "as much a tangible art form as a luxury home".
Architect Colin Lewington believes that the riverfront property's use of water is what makes it unique. "The house is actually wrapped around a swimming pool area. In all these jobs we make great use of water and usually have a water feature running through the actual house, so you've got that feeling and sound of water all the way through the house, from the front entry right through to the river, to join the two together," he said.
Lewington believes that the property's spaciousness, large volumes and use of covered glass to created an introverted atmosphere contributed to its success at this year's awards. "It's more than a roof-over-your-head type of experience. Every part of the house is interesting and there are a number of different spaces contained within the same building, with each space feeling different from another because of different ceiling levels, different paths of travel through the house and different views as you travel the length of the house."
NSW, a traditional heavyweight at the awards, took out five titles this year, including the HIA-Vodafone Australian Apartment Project of the Year, HIA-Hyne Australian Residential Building Designer of the Year and HIA-Laminex Group Australian Kitchen Project of the Year.
