A Northern Ireland home has been crowned UK RIBA House of the Year 2019.

The Co Down house was presented with the award, which recognises the best example of a one-off house designed by an architect in the UK.

Designed by McGonigle McGrath, House Lessans came out on top against a longest of twenty projects.

The long listed projects were featured in 'Grand Designs: House of the Year on Channel 4' and over four weeks were whittled down to seven before the final winner was announced.

House Lessans has now received an RSUA Design Award and an RIBA National Award.

The RIBA judges recognised House Lessans as a "paradigm in creating relevant contemporary architecture that truly reflects its local context, vernacular and culture". It was also applauded for an "elegant simplicity achieved within a remarkably low budget without excesses".

Commenting on the winning project, Alan Jones, RIBA President said: "House Lessans demonstrates that life enhancing architecture does not have to cost the earth. Executed with incredible clarity and restraint, McGonigle McGrath have used simple and cheap materials to create a truly bespoke home that resonates with its owners and its context. Even with the tightest of budgets, House Lessans shows that a dream home, designed by a talented architect, can be a reality."

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Kieran McGonigle of McGonigle McGrath discussed his work on the award-winning home.

"It has been both a delight and a challenge to work on this project; a delight in the beautiful location in this archetypically Ulster landscape and in the simple brief, and a challenge in designing and delivering a precisely detailed and high quality building within a modest budget," he said. "The outcome, a small collection of forms in the landscape, contributes to this place and, we hope, extends our understanding of how to make buildings in our countryside. Our thanks go to our insightful and trusting clients, and to the contractor’s team and craftspeople who had the patience and skills to bring our designs to reality. We are thrilled with the outcome."

Explaining more about the idea behind the scheme, Sylvia and Michael, the owners of House Lessans added: "Like most non-architects about to build a home we had a clear idea about what we'd like in terms of rooms but no idea about how these rooms might be arranged or what the house might look like. The magic a gifted architect can work was evident from the moment we saw the initial plans and that appreciation deepened as the project progressed. We feel that the house respects and indeed enhances the landscape. It is a joy to live in – from seeing the soaring bedroom ceiling on wakening, being surrounded by the gentle landscape in the kitchen during the day, to enjoying the sunset in the top room. We're delighted to be a part of the RIBA celebration of the life enhancing potential of architecture."

(CM/MH)