Two Blue Mountains building designers recently took out awards at the Building Designers Association of Australia, 2019 Greater Sydney Region Design Award.
Mark Davis of Wentworth Falls won the modest scale category for residential new homes for a design in Katoomba, and another Mountains designer, Greg McTavish, received a commendation for large scale residential new homes for a project in Wentworth Falls.
The event was held on May 3 at the Radisson Blue Plaza Hotel in Sydney. Covering all of the Sydney, the Illawarra and the Blue Mountains, the awards showcased a variety of architecture including both residential and commercial projects. The judges were Caroline Pidcock, Peter Downes and Annalesia Hampshire.
Mark Davis, who specialises in naturally comfortable, healthy and energy efficient homes, said it was fantastic to win this particular category.
"The best way to achieve the most sustainable home is to only build as large as you really need, with flexible spaces and good design achieving your wants, " Mr Davis said.
His Rupert Street home design was commended for the "many sustainable features integrated within the design. Exposed timber trusses, recycled door jambs and the reverse brick veneer skin is left unrendered for thermal mass and helping the house relate to its raw bushland setting".
Greg McTavish, of McTavish Design in Hazelbrook, is not just a Building Designers Association Australia member but also an accredited Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme sustainability assessor.
His energy efficient house design was, according to the judges, a "visually beautiful house to look at, but digging beneath its skin, reveals a great lifestyle outcome as well".
"Soaring roof windows to the rear angles to capture the light and trick the eye into thinking you are already outside. Small details add to its aesthetic like the raw timber posts holding up the alfresco roof ... the house has well thought out proportions and looks beautiful from the street without dominating".
The Building Designers Association of Australia is a not-for-profit association for building designers nation-wide. It accredits building designers to meet legislative requirements and provides professional education and support to both building designers and their clients. These design awards are held either on a chapter/multi chapter basis or nationally along with the annual conference.
