Every year World Architecture News (WAN) run a series of major international competitions to celebrate and expose the latest and most innovative design from all corners of the globe. The winner of the 2012 WAN House of the Year Award has just been announced, and with all the inspiring design we see today, there is no surprise that it was an incredibly difficult decision.

The WAN House of the Year Award celebrates the most innovative and creative solutions for single-family houses, which are all judged on their originality, innovation, sustainability, context, and most importantly their ability to fulfill the client brief.

The winning entry for the 2012 award, came from Sforza Seilern Architects, for their Gota Residence in East Africa. The home is set among the wild and harsh African landscape, perched atop a dramatic granite cliff. Inevitably, the natural beauty of the area and breathtaking views dictated and inspired all elements of the winning design. Large cantilevered roofs protrude from the dramatic granite cliff, creating a spacious and gutsy design.  Almost all materials used throughout were sourced locally on site making for an incredibly harmonious design that was responsive to the immediate surroundings. This, combined with the originality and attention to detail, were the true winning elements of the design.
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