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Colorbond shearing shed-style home celebrated in ACT architecture awards
By Lucinda Garbutt-Young
June 22 2025
The territory's best architectural work has been recognised in the 2025 ACT Architecture Awards.
The awards included categories for houses, schools, hospitals and toilet blocks.
The award for residential architecture new houses was awarded to Mymymy Architecture for their project Ochre House.
Principal architect of Mymymy Mark Brook said the project was an interpretation of a traditional shearers' shed building.
Inside the award-winning Ochre House. Picture supplied, Anne Stroud
"The dramatic colour and Colorbond cladding was an idea where we wanted to take one of the most affordable products and detail it in the best way you possibly can," Mr Brook said.
"We've said for a long time that you can make even the most honest, hard-wearing, affordable materials look really good if you invest in good quality detailing and quality construction."
The material needed to be ember-proof and not combustible, in case of bushfires.
The facade of Ochre House. Picture supplied, Anne Stroud
"We chose to do one consistent material so you really read the form of the building rather than being broken up," he said.
Instead of trying to blend in with the surrounding landscape of eucalypt and grass, Mr Brook and his team wanted an earthy colour to complement the surroundings.
"Indigenous flowers are often red, so that's why the colour sits nicely alongside the landscape," he said.
Mr Brook also won the 2025 emerging architect prize for his design, leadership, and advocacy.
Speaking before the event, Mr Brook said taking home a prize would be "massive".
"We are a young firm - very young by comparison to others," he said.
"It would be a huge recognition of the type of project we are considering to value in architecture.
"A modest, small house without an extreme budget shows the prioritisation of quality: build quality and good quality design but not needing to be exorbitant."
The highest honour given at the ACT Architecture Awards, The Canberra Medallion, was awarded to Stewart Architecture for their work on the Daramalan Performing Arts Centre.
The Daramalan Performing Arts Centre. Picture supplied, PJ Lilly
The jury noted the "vibrant, student-oriented facility" marked a "bold new chapter for Daramalan College".
The work reinterprets the school's red brick heritage with a playful twist a dynamic black box theatre is wrapped in the brick.
Carter Williamson Architects took home the prize for small project architecture with their design of Denman Village Park amenities.
Denman Village Park amenities in full swing. Picture supplied, Brett Boardman
"The Denman Village Park amenities demonstrate a generosity that we rarely see in built works of this nature, with joy, whimsy and robustness of thought evidenced in every element," the judges notes said.
The project was inspired by Canberra's Clem Cummings-designed bus shelters, taking on a form familiar to Canberrans so they feel invited into the park.
Carter Williamson Architects also won the social impact award for their ability to bring architectural elements into a public space, promoting "dignity and social equality".
