MICROHOME #10 competition Kingspan Award winners - Josephine Clare Harris and Luke Cotsford John Austin

 We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce the Kingspan Award winners of MICROHOME #10 competition – Josephine Clare Harris and Luke Cotsford John Austin from Australia!

Kingspan Award winners from Australia

Please tell us about your company (when it was founded, where it is based, how many employees, etc) Alternatively, if you do not have a company, please give us some insights on your own professional/academia background.

We aspire to create honest architecture that prioritises both people and place. Our approach embraces handmade, locally sourced materials and traditional methods of craftsmanship. Our experience studying and working in both academia and practice in Sydney, Australia, grounds this project in a deep understanding of the city and the issues we encounter within it. We believe that contextual, site-specific responses are essential to creating meaningful architectural solutions.

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with. For instance, what scale have you focused on/preferred, any significant projects where the company/ individuals have been Involved?

 Our architectural experience working across single dwellings and multi-residential buildings provides opportunity for a cross-pollination of craftsmanship with construction efficiency. Our architectural approach is grounded in a deep commitment to people and place. Housing projects provide meaningful opportunities to embed this ethos, ensuring that each project responds thoughtfully to its context and contributes positively to the built environment.

What does architecture mean to you and what is the role of an architect in your society?

Architecture, at its core, should provide shelter. To achieve this appropriately, it must respond intelligently to environmental, social, and economic contexts. As a discipline, we believe architecture is most effective when traditional knowledge is combined with innovative solutions.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

We participate in architecture competitions as they provide opportunities to explore new design methods and test ideas beyond the constraints of typical briefs. Competitions encourage a level of experimentation that expands our architectural thinking and allows us to investigate how theoretical concepts can translate into tangible solutions.

What advice would you give to individuals who struggle to decide whether it would be beneficial for them to participate in architecture competitions?

Participating in architecture competitions offers a valuable platform to express and develop your architectural ideology. Competitions can spark new ways of thinking. It is an opportunity to challenge yourself creatively and develop your architectural language.