Above: The winning design by Paul Focic and Jeremy Marsden with 3D visuals by Troy Rafton.

With a $34,000 prize fund up for grabs, it’s no wonder that entries to the Boral Design Awards multiplied threefold this year.

The brief challenged architects, building designers and architectural students to design a 150sqm family home and its landscape, including detailing that responded to specific challenges of the site.

Taking away first place in the professional category, and $20,000, Paul Focic and Jeremy Marsden from Cox Rayner Architects in Brisbane impressed the jury with their concept called Jacaranda House.

“Jacaranda House represents the most creative application of materials within a building that responds to climate, topography and orientation, to create maximum comfort and delight for its inhabitants,” the jury said.

“The existing tree and park adjacent to the site have generated the project’s two most impressive features: a spacious private courtyard and a covered deck traversing its length and continuing through the building (where it acts as a circulation path) to the front. Here, the deck rises to terminate four metres above ground amongst the tree canopy of the park.”

In second place, Shane Plazibat, Tony Jemmott, Vincent Teo and Jindrich Hozak from Plazibat + Jemmott Architects (Brisbane) created a design that explored the spaces of two courtyards, winning $10,000.

Lachlan Joseph of Queensland University of Technology took home the student prize of $4,000.

The jury comprised Drew Heath of Drew Heath Architects in Sydney, Nick Drougas from Metricon in Melbourne, James Russell of James Russell Architects in Brisbane, Andrew Mackenzie, editor-in-chief of Architectural Review magazine and Glenn Simpkin from Boral.

“With submissions increasing threefold this year, our job was made much harder. All participants are to be commended for their approaches to exploring the potential of Boral products in design that truly inspires better living in the average Australian home,” Glenn Simpkin said.

Below: Paul Focic and Jeremy Marsden's Jacaranda House; Brisbane studio Plazibat + Jemmott Architects' running up design; Student winner Lachlan Joseph's proposal.