Delighted to be included in Vogue Living’s annual list of the very best in Australian design talent for 2026.
“The VL50 is a veritable snapshot of Australia’s most dazzling creative talent, a mix of visionaries, rule-breakers and maestros of materiality.
Prized for their commitment to the wider design community and indicative of this country’s extraordinary ability to punch far above its weight.”
Thank you @vogueliving@mobilia_
#vl502026 #vl50
Photo @arorygardiner
House Freddie….
Submitted for Vic Awards this week
Studio Bright lead: @jaxonwebb
Builder: @frank_buildingexcellence
Landscape: @peachy_green_
Photography: @gavin__green
On a humble suburban corner site, this unassuming 1960s, mid-century house retained its low horizontal form and clear presentation to the street, however, the original planning had lost its strong relationship with the landscape.
At a time when modest houses of this period are routinely demolished in favour of larger, generic replacements, the project instead adopts a strategy of repair, rigour & restraint. The existing house remains largely intact, continuing to read as a grounded, horizontal figure within the suburban fabric. A new vertical companion—a singular, stacked breezeblock tower—rises from this base, introducing a contrasting yet carefully proportioned element.
Crescent House …..
submitted for Vic Awards this week.
Studio Bright lead: @robertlesliehillman
Builder: @basisbuilders
Landscape: @joferguson.gardens
Photography: @gavin__green
Crescent House is a renovation of a 1970s beach home, set within a bush-edged site on the Mornington Peninsula. While demolition would have been a common response, the project instead adopts a surgical approach, reworking the existing house to accommodate a family of four relocating full-time from the city.
A unifying external veil wraps the house, bringing together old and new elements. Formed from a simple timber post structure, the veil is shaped through three subtle crescent geometries.
What a year it’s been for our Hedge and Arbour house. Winner of Dezeen Awards 2025 urban house of the year!
Chosen from over 4,300 entries from 89 countries around the world. We are super proud!
@dezeenawards_
#dezeenawards
Pic @arorygardiner
Landscape @emergent_studios_design
SB lead @emjwatson
The Debutaunt with Paul McCann for Warnambool Art Gallery’s ‘Regional’ show that opened this weekend.
We have loved working with the fabulous team from @warrnamboolartgallery on this exhibition for the incredible @paul.mccann_art
Some words on the show:
The Debutante is Marrithiyel fashion designer Paul McCann’s most ambitious exhibition to date. For The Regional, McCann examines the colonial legacy of debutante balls, which largely reinforced strict fashion, gender and racial codes.
Reflecting on Australian history through his own family story, McCann faithfully recreates his grandmother Elizabeth Clarke’s dress from her 1952 debut at the St Mary’s Club debutante ball in Darwin. An homage to his late grandmother, the dress is a time stamp of 1950s Australia and a foundation upon which the additional dresses—with their hand-painted designs and material adornments—become acts of reclamation, protest and, ultimately, cultural celebration.
By interweaving the traditional and the contemporary, McCann brings our attention to the historical ways European clothing was weaponised against First Nations peoples as a tool to force assimilation. Instead, he transforms it into a celebration of autonomy and power through glitz and glamour.
Thanks to @peishelee for the pics and Tara and Safiya from the SB team for the great work on this exhibition.
Congratulations to Studio Bright for their project Hedge and Arbour House which has received The Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture - Houses (New) at the National Architecture Awards.
Jury citation:
"One of the most exciting themes in this year’s awards is the way architects and clients are exploring new approaches to living. Hedge and Arbour House by Studio Bright is a standout example. Guided by the client’s wish to foster a closer connection to nature, the house is designed to be almost entirely enveloped by the landscape.
Conceptually, it draws the bushland at the rear of the block forward. From the street, a formal hedge conceals the unexpectedly wild landscape beyond. This sharp contrast underscores the house’s radical rethinking of how we might live. The entry sequence through walled gardens makes the choice explicit – offering visitors two scenarios, and in doing so, prompting reflection on how we want to inhabit our world. It is rare for a house to so directly challenge us in this way."
Builder | Built by Guild and Frank (Victoria) Pty Ltd
Traditional Owners | Wurundjeri
Photographer | Rory Gardiner @arorygardiner
Don’t miss the November architecture issue of WISH magazine featuring Australia’s leading architects, including @studiobright .
Take a look at art galleries around the world that are artworks themselves. Also, @officialnormanfoster unpacks the AI revolution and how it will affect the future of architecture.
Secure your copy of @wishmagazine in tomorrow's edition of @the.australian
JOIN OUR TEAM
Experienced Graduate of Architecture / Architect
We are looking for someone to join us in our Melbourne studio. You will work with our team across some of our exciting new housing, education, public & residential projects. The role is full time and will be diverse, working across all project stages.
We’re seeking someone who is design focused, has excellent communication skills, thrives in a collaborative environment, and brings a thoughtful, rigorous approach to documentation and coordination. The applicant must have min 3 years experience and should be highly proficient in Archicad with documentation experience.
Send applications to [email protected] by 31/10/25
PDF only - max 15mb (no external links)
Email subject title ‘SB Graduate 2025’
Direct candidate applications only and please no phone calls (email correspondence only).
2025 Houses Awards
Winner
New House over 200
Hedge and Arbour House
These are hard to win. So many incredible projects from so many very clever architects all over Australia. We are so proud. Thanks to Houses for all the support over the years.
Great to see our @emjwatson get the recognition she deserves for all the years of hard work and care.
Huge thanks to our clients for their patience, support and perseverance in what has been a long journey together. So wonderful to stand together at the end and feel so proud of this incredible team effort. Big shout out to @emergent_studios_design who have been instrumental in the projects success. Thank you Sarah!
Pic @arorygardiner
We are delighted to be included in this excellent initiative by the AIA Vic Chapter Housing committee
Density Done Well.
@architecture_vic@wpi_homes@arorygardiner cropped pic. 😬x
Congratulations to Hedge and Arbour House by Studio Bright, which has been shortlisted in the Residential Architecture - Houses (New) category of the 2025 National Architecture Awards.
Upholding excellence and recognising best practice in the built environment, the National Architecture Awards have been Australia's premier architecture awards since 1981.
The National Architecture Award winners will be announced at the 2025 National Architecture Awards on Thursday 6 November 2025.
See the complete shortlist with link in bio.
Hedge and Arbour House | Location: Wurundjeri Country (Ivanhoe, VIC) | Architect: Studio Bright @studio__bright | Builder: Built by Guild and Frank (Victoria) Pty Ltd | Photographer: Rory Gardiner @arorygardiner .
#design #architecturedesign #AustralianArchitecture #architect #architecture #architecturephotography #australiandesign #architectural #architects #architectureanddesign #AustralianArchitects #contemporaryarchitecture #25NationalArchitectureAwards
