Architect's own Edinburgh home wins House of the Year

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Final shortlist includes Henning Stummel鈥檚 Tin House

Architect Richard Murphy鈥檚 own house in Edinburgh has been crowned the 2016 RIBA House of the Year.

The five-level Murphy House was described by the judges as a 鈥渟urprising addition to an otherwise conservative sandstone terraced street鈥� in Edinburgh鈥檚 Unesco-listed New Town.

RIBA president Jane Duncan said: 鈥淭he Murphy House is this year鈥檚 best example of how to overcome challenging constraints 鈥� from planning restrictions and an awkward site in an urban location - to build a stunning house. Plus the architect overcame one of the biggest obstacles: a demanding client 鈥� himself!

鈥淣early a decade in the making, this house is a true labour of love for Richard. Part jigsaw puzzle, with its hidden and unexpected spaces, and part Wallace and Gromit with its moving pieces and disappearing walls, this is a model house of pure perfection and a worthy winner of the RIBA House of the Year 2016.鈥�

Richard Murphy said: 鈥淲e celebrated our 25th birthday last month and to receive this award is a wonderful present with such astonishing levels of public interest. It鈥檚 our 21st RIBA award, and takes its place in a long line of awards for buildings small and large and for whole variety of types including domestic, educational, health, arts and a new British Embassy. It emphasises yet again that the practice demonstrates both great versatility and consistently high quality in all its work current and past. It鈥檚 been a huge pleasure to develop a lifetime鈥檚 themes and now it gives me great pleasure to live there.鈥�

The judges said: 鈥淏uilt on an awkward plot at the end of a terrace, Richard Murphy has designed for himself a deeply personal space filled with tricks, surprises and references to his own design heroes. From a hidden bath in the master bedroom and a folding corner wall, to sliding bookshelf ladders that glide around the subterranean library, this house is filled with a unique and spirited charm. Murphy, inspired by the work of the late Carlo Scarpa, a 20^th-century Italian architect has created a house full of pure, beautiful craftsmanship.鈥�

The judges included Meredith Bowles from Mole Architects, Charlotte Skene Catling from Skene Catling de la Pena, and Jonathan Dallas from Dallas Pierce Quintero.