Hakea House by Bligh Graham Architects.
A stunning house rebuilt from ashes and a quirky home with a breezeblock skin are among Queensland’s short-listed entries in the 2026 Houses Awards.
The almost 170-strong list of houses from across the country represents the latest in contemporary Australian architecture from the nation’s sharpest design minds.
Hakea House by Bligh Graham Architects.
Hakea House by Bligh Graham Architects.
The Houses Awards are the country’s premier design award for residential architecture andswhocase the very latest modes in Australian home design.
“Building is high-cost and comes with environmental consequences, and the jury observed architects rising to the challenge, seeking innovative ways to deal with the financial pressures affecting the industry,” said Houses Awards jury chair Alexa Kempton.
“Designing something that will last well into the future and adapt to the changing needs of the occupants is essential, from a financial and sustainability standpoint.”
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Hakea House by Bligh Graham Architects.
Hakea House, in Brisbane’s Paddington was named after a tree that blooms after a fire.
The project came about after the former house burnt down — part of the house was saved and used in the new design of Hakea House.
Birdwood, on a steep hill in Mount Cootha includes a series of objects and volumes which emerge from the steep terrain.
A large part of the home is wrapped in reclaimed brick latticework, variously frayed and edited to allow a play of light to the interior.
Birdwood by Peter Besley.
“We saw designs that employed materials economically, and others that explored material reuse and championed retention over raze-and-rebuild,” said Ms Kempton.
“There were also homes designed using prefabricated or modular elements, which makes construction costs more predictable and is an efficient construction method, particularly in regional and remote areas.”
Birdwood by Peter Besley.
Ms Kempton said updating an existing house rather than replacing it is was a more sustainable approach to design.
“Many homes in this year’s shortlist were innovative reworkings of existing dwellings rather than knockdown rebuilds,” she said.
“Homes with heritage overlays have been lovingly upgraded, but we also saw homes that might be overlooked or under-appreciated being valued and revived to better prepare them for modern use.”
Birdwood by Peter Besley.
“As demand for housing in urban areas increases, the architects in this year’s Houses Awards shortlist show us how density can be done well.
“Examples included thoughtful subdivisions as well as the addition of studios that increase the amenity of a site.”
The shortlist for this year’s awards was selected by a panel of residential design industry leaders and specialist advisers, who provided expertise in the sustainability and heritage categories.
The 2026 jury includes Andrew Burges, principal, Andrew Burges Architects, Zuzana Kovar, co-director, Zuzana and Nicholas, Qianyi Lim, co-director, Sibling Architecture, Michael Roper, director, Architecture Architecture, Alexa Kempton, editor, Houses magazine, Architecture Media (jury chair), Christine Phillips, associate professor, RMIT (heritage adviser), Pippa Soccio, senior research scientist in building monitoring, CSIRO (sustainability adviser).
Birdwood by Peter Besley.
The winners of the 2026 Houses Awards will be announced at a gala event on September 4 with projects awarded across nine categories.
One winner will be crowned the premier title of Australian house of the year.
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