Turner, ACT / High-performance residence

Hackett Gardens

Refined architecture. Precisely coordinated construction.

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2026 Master Builders ACT awards

House of the Year

Custom Built/Project Home of 2026

Passive House Plus

Delivered by Homes by Habitat
with Gen5 Constructions.

View awards recognition

The residence

Performance and craftsmanship, considered together.

Hackett Gardens is a Passive House Plus residence in Turner, delivered by Homes by Habitat in collaboration with Gen5 Constructions. The home brings together a coordinated building envelope, detailed interiors and a restrained palette of timber, brick and stone.

High levels of insulation, airtight construction, triple glazing and heat-recovery ventilation underpin the building's performance. Solar generation and battery storage complement this approach, while planted rooftop gardens extend the connection between the home and its landscape.

Inside, oak joinery, full-height doors and natural stone finishes give the rooms a consistent material character. Generous living spaces connect with outdoor areas, while a wine cellar, gym, steam sauna and media room add layers to the home. A viewing window between the media room and pool creates a relationship between these spaces.

Delivery required close coordination of the structure, building envelope, services and finishes. An underground spring added complexity to the basement works and was incorporated into a system for collecting non-potable water.

Recognised at the 2026 Master Builders ACT awards, Hackett Gardens demonstrates how demanding construction requirements and refined residential architecture can be brought together through careful planning, technical coordination and attention to detail, without losing sight of everyday comfort and practical living.

In focus

Detail at every scale.

Building performance

Insulation, airtight construction, triple glazing and heat-recovery ventilation, coordinated as part of the building envelope and services.

Material continuity

Oak joinery, full-height doors, brick and natural stone establish a consistent character across the home.

Landscape and water

Rooftop gardens and a system for collecting spring water form part of the project's response to its site.

Project photography

Inside Hackett Gardens.

Explore the spaces, materials and details of the home. Select any photograph to view it in full.

Front elevation with timber cladding, brickwork and landscaped entry at Hackett Gardens — Front elevation

Timber-lined entrance with full-height doors and brickwork at Hackett Gardens — Entrance

Glazed view along the water feature between brick walls at Hackett Gardens — Entry water view

Living room with timber joinery, brick walls and large garden-facing windows at Hackett Gardens — Living room

Dining room opening to the garden beside timber-framed glazing at Hackett Gardens — Dining room

Kitchen with timber cabinetry, stone island and a long garden-facing window at Hackett Gardens — Kitchen

Timber window seat beside full-height glazing at Hackett Gardens — Window seat

Brick and metal-clad walls beside a narrow water courtyard at Hackett Gardens — Water courtyard

Underwater pool viewing window above a timber bench in the media room at Hackett Gardens — Pool viewing window

Ensuite with timber vanity, stone surfaces and a large timber-framed window at Hackett Gardens — Ensuite

Bathroom with a walk-in shower, timber vanity and stone basin surrounds at Hackett Gardens — Bathroom

Powder room with a round mirror, dark stone basin and textured wall finishes at Hackett Gardens — Powder room

Timber-lined sauna with bench seating at Hackett Gardens — Sauna

Wine cellar with wall-mounted bottle storage and timber finishes at Hackett Gardens — Wine cellar

Awards recognition

Recognised by Master Builders ACT as House of the Year and Custom Built/Project Home of 2026. The official entries identify the project as Turner and credit Gen5 Constructions and Habitat Constructions (NSW).

House of the Year entry Custom Built/Project Home entry

Your project

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