2022 National Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)

Jury citation

Brisbane architect John Ellway’s solo career to date has been defined by a series of inventive and thoughtful homes for clients on modest budgets. Cascade House is a fine continuation of this tradition.

On a hilly Paddington street, a weatherboard cottage has been modified solidly inside, but the magic of this project lies in the way the architect has backed the addition down the hill. A series of perfectly scaled, cascading spaces enable the new kitchen, dining room and inbuilt lounge to bask in the sun and interact with the lush and enchanting garden. During their visit, jury members found themselves living into the space, rather than judging – perhaps the definition of a successful design.

Ellway has delivered a humble project that is playful and full of life. It sits perfectly in the evolution of a Brisbane typology that is full of regional romanticism, fit for both purpose and climate.

— Cascade House was reviewed by Kirsty Volz in Houses 146. Read the review here.

Project credits

Architect John Ellway Architect; Project team John Ellway, Hannah Waring; Builder Newman Building Contractors; Engineer Ingineered; Town planner Bartley Burns; Landscape consultant Tom Collins; Interior designer Jacqueline Kaytar

Cascade House is located in Paddington, Queensland on the land of the Turrbal and Jagera peoples.