2021 National Commendation for Interior Architecture

Jury citation

Divided House is a sophisticated dwelling that deftly entwines urbanity, architecture and art. The interior architecture of the building is generated through an impressive and intriguing overlay of longevity, comfort and craft, with the latter deployed with a level of detail and expression that elevates the everyday experience. This condition is exemplified in the contrasting of the raw, natural materials that define the interior envelope and the pops of striking, kaleidoscopic colour that peek out from the insides of the thoughtfully conceived joinery or lie just behind the door of one of the surprise-inducing bathrooms.

The building and its interior demonstrate a profound commitment to environmental sustainability; the use of locally sourced and Australian-made construction materials embeds this approach in the fabric of the building. This is a house that is of, and about, its place; and the interior spaces unfold as a narrative of the city of Melbourne and its unique cultural milieu.

Elements of inventiveness demonstrate a farm-shed, first-principals know-how alongside moments of calibration and operation that have something of a James Bond (Sean Connery-era) quality. Divided House constitutes an enduring record of the architect-owner’s considered approach.

Project credits

Architect: Jackson Clements Burrows Architects; Project team: Jon Clements, Hanah Wexler, Rob Majcen, Will Christian, Jessie Legge, Tim Jackson, Graham Burrows; Landscape architect: Tim Nicholas Landscape Architect; Structural engineer: Adams Consulting Engineer; Lighting consultant: Light Project; Renewable energy consultant: Metta Energy; Other consultants: Leeda Projects; Artist: Ian Strange

Divided House is located in Richmond, Victoria, on the land of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation.