2025 Gallery

Wonderful architecture is the sum of many things. Blok Three Sisters is an example of successful experimentation not only in design, but also in procurement, assembly and – most importantly – the ways an extended family can live alongside each other. Located on Minjerribah, the unit is one of three that replace a derelict home, which had been a gathering place for several generations of the same family. The architects have skilfully negotiated the coming together of three sisters and their own respective families, giving each unit autonomy and privacy but allowing for equal and shared amenity across the site. Each unit is an example of the minimum needed to get the most out of living in this coastal location. The project is pragmatic and shows that architecture doesn’t need to be flashy: simple materials are used economically and applied to a common, rigorous plan. The terrace-like arrangement is such that a similar approach, with fewer or more units, could be applicable for co-living as infill housing across the suburbs of our towns and cities. Blok Three Sisters is a clever model for stealth density, replacing one house with three units without increasing the scale of the streetscape. Beyond this, it shows the benefit of a modular, transportable building method on an island where timely access to materials and labour is limited, costs are high and future relocation may be required.