Ngunnawal
Australian Capital Territory
This compact 139m² family home in leafy Hackett is designed around intelligent space planning, comfort and long-term value. A hidden loft is created within the roof form — a “room by stealth” that adds flexibility for work, play or guests without increasing the home’s scale. The main bedroom and ensuite can function as a separate bedsit.
The house achieves an 8-star energy rating, operates entirely on electricity and harvests rainwater. Lifecycle carbon modelling indicates it can be carbon-neutral over its lifespan with the installation of a 6kW solar power system, demonstrating that environmental responsibility can be achieved without complexity or compromise.
Solar-passive orientation, exceptional airtightness and low-VOC, healthy interior finishes support year-round comfort and excellent quality of life. Delivered within a carefully managed, accessible family budget, the project shows how thoughtful optimisation — not extravagance — can create homes that are sustainable, adaptable and deeply enjoyable to live in.
Award for Sustainable Architecture
Live Love Loft is a confident and intelligent demonstration of how environmental thinking can be embedded within the architecture itself, shaping the way the home is conceived, constructed and inhabited.
The project pairs a compact footprint with a highly refined building envelope, achieving strong performance outcomes that directly enhance comfort, durability and long-term efficiency. These moves are not expressed as technical add-ons, but are intrinsic to the spatial and material resolution of the building.
What distinguishes the project is its pragmatism. Through the careful reuse of materials and systems, a commitment to all-electric living, and a focus on building less, it engages directly with the realities of cost, constructability and long-term affordability. Environmental performance becomes a means of reducing both operational costs and reliance on external resources.
Live Love Loft presents a compelling model for contemporary housing, where clarity of intent delivers a more resilient, generous and enduring way of living.
Award for Sustainable Architecture
Live Love Loft is a confident and intelligent demonstration of how environmental thinking can be embedded within the architecture itself, shaping the way the home is conceived, constructed and inhabited.
The project pairs a compact footprint with a highly refined building envelope, achieving strong performance outcomes that directly enhance comfort, durability and long-term efficiency. These moves are not expressed as technical add-ons, but are intrinsic to the spatial and material resolution of the building.
What distinguishes the project is its pragmatism. Through the careful reuse of materials and systems, a commitment to all-electric living, and a focus on building less, it engages directly with the realities of cost, constructability and long-term affordability. Environmental performance becomes a means of reducing both operational costs and reliance on external resources.
Live Love Loft presents a compelling model for contemporary housing, where clarity of intent delivers a more resilient, generous and enduring way of living.
“The house is the perfect design and size for our family: we each get our own space but no one’s too far away. It’s a cool oasis on baking summer days and a cosy, sun-drenched haven during the winter. The communal spaces are practical for daily living and flexible for entertaining – we particularly love gathering with friends around the bench while we cook. The loft has been a fun space for our kids and their friends, as well as a quiet office space during the day.” – Christine Mackay