Looking at awe-inspiring residential designs is a daily task here at the Wallpaper* architecture desk, but there’s one event that is guaranteed to give us instant house envy; the annual RIBA House of the Year announcement. The architecture institute has just announced its longlist for 2018, which proves, once more, that no matter how many gorgeous residences one can visit, there’s always something new to delight and inspire.
Indeed, in this list, there’s something for everybody; from wood-clad cottages to modern country homes and urban retreats, to sensitive restorations and small-but-beautiful city homes, the list is wide-ranging and diverse. This year’s nominees include well-known names such as 6a Architects for its Black Stone Building and Coastal Home, and Carmody Groarke and its Fitzrovia House; but also younger, dynamic practices, such as Soup Architects and Open Practice Architecture with their imaginative transformation of a Victorian Gin Distillery into a family home.
The list totals 20 contemporary homes which are either newly built, anywhere in the country, or have been recently refreshed in creative and adapted reuses of existing space. Materials are as varied as ever, spanning brick, timber, concrete and stone – material being a feature that the winning design has traditionally stood out for. Past winners have included Richard Murphy Architects for Murphy House (2016), Skene Catling de la Peña for Flint House (2015), Loyn & Co for Stormy Castle (2014) and Carl Turner Architects for Slip House (2013).
The coveted spots on the shortlist will be announced this autumn, with the winner revealed later in the year during a TV series exploring the homes in detail. Watch this space. §
