Jury citation
Shadow House is a finely calibrated response to domestic reuse, foregrounding restraint, spatial nuance and user experience. Rather than dominate its 120-year-old timber cottage context, the 90-square-metre addition recedes – both formally and materially – through charred timber cladding and secondary massing. Named for its choreographed relationship with light, Shadow House orchestrates shifting volumes and apertures that filter, frame and temper natural light, enriching the daily rhythms of its inhabitants. Flexible internal arrangements balance seclusion and openness, while deep window reveals and courtyards extend the modest footprint. This project exemplifies how adaptation, not erasure, can yield deeply contextual, enduring and livable architecture.
Shadow House is located in Bayswater, Western Australia on Whadjuk country and was reviewed by Lucia Amies for Houses.
Project credits
Architect Grotto Studio; Project team Craig Robert Nener; Builder Owner-builder.