Sustainable forest retreat wins DMN Building Design of the Year for Western Australia

WING HOUSE, a breathtaking, yet timeless, eco-friendly home by John Damant of Arcologic has won the Design Matters National Building Design Award of the Year (WA) for 2022. Described as a perfect response to the environment it is situated in as well as contextual and relevant, Wing House will be admired for generations. Not only did Wing House take out the top gong for the state, it was also the selected winner across the categories of Best New House between $1M - $2M (WA), and Best Residential Rural Design (WA).

The triple-win was announced at the glittering Annual Awards cocktail party held at The Raft, Perth. Local radio celebrity MC, Ross Wallman, hosted the magnificent evening in a room filled with Design Matters National Members, their guests, VIPs, and major sponsors.

In awarding the grand prize, the judges described the winning project as: “A design that reflects its rural setting, the use of natural materials, opening to the aspect and use of dividing partitions to create privacy. A great technical outcome”.

DMN Member, John Damant of Arcologic, was delighted to accept the Award and said “Wing House was designed in two offset 'wings' separated by the entry and alfresco, each wing representing the zoning required for different uses within the home. The skillion roof also sweeps up to the north to maximise solar gain, which also gives the impression of a bird about to take flight, hence the moniker, Wing House”.

Mr. Damant set out to design a thoughtful home for his clients who bought a forested subdivision just out of Margaret River to affect a "tree change" for their retirement. The clients wanted a large home to cater for visiting family and friends but also wanted it to be zoned, so each group could have their privacy during their stay.

The home is designed to solar passive principles to minimise additional heating and cooling requirements. With single depth rooms and large glazed openings to the north, the home makes full use of the winter sun, and in summer, the southerly breeze naturally flows throughout for cooling. Fans in all rooms and a featured slow combustion fireplace easily supplement additional heating and cooling.

The Judges remarked on the project’s skilfully-designed layout saying, “Looking from above, inside or outside, this design gives pleasure. Well thought out and integrated into its natural environment, the plan form embraces the landscape at the rear private space and creates a focus for the entry threshold at the front. A truly beautiful result.

While sustainable design is a significant feature of this project, the thoughtful future proofing within the home shows the care and consideration John Damant puts into understanding how the property will be used. Wing House is a single storey development, with a split level configuration, allowing half the home to be adapted to suit silver standard living requirements ensuring a forever home for the owners. Zoning also allows a carer to be accommodated discretely should the need arise, and fittings and fixtures are of the highest quality, removing the need for frequent replacement or servicing.

This project takes rural living to a whole new level, it displays an intelligent understanding of the site and orientation, and showcases a balance of materials, glass and partitions to provide a design that will stand the test of time.