The $80,000 prize was awarded to Jack Davies and team members Nicholas Roberts and Henry Stephens during a ceremony for The Lodge on the Lake Design Ideas Competition, held at the Gallery of Australian Design on Thursday.

The competition, a Centenary of Canberra initiative by the gallery and the University of Canberra, attracted 242 entries to visualise an official residence at Attunga Point on the south bank of Lake Burley Griffin. There is no intention to use the design to build a new Lodge.

Mr Davies said the collaboration with his fellow winners took three months to finalise.

“We did it after hours from our regular jobs,” he said.

“It really was a personal thing we wanted to do, so to win was unnecessary.”

Formerly a New Zealand resident, Mr Davies said his fellow winner Mr Roberts was still based across the Tasman, making the creative process slightly more difficult as the trio communicated through email and a blogging site. The third team member Mr Stephens is based in Copenhagen.

He said the upcoming exhibition of the finalists’ designs was likely to be as far as the winning work was taken, but said it would be an honour if a future lodge was based on the blueprints.

“I’m assuming it won’t, but it would be tremendous,” he said.

The design of concrete, timber and recycled material was described as "casual, yet imposing" by jury chairman Lyndon Anderson, who said the plan successfully integrated built forms with the landscape.

"It responsibly owns the landscape, is beautifully sited and celebrates the lake edge location," he said.

"It also reflects the informal nature of contemporary Australian lifestyles and architecture, while providing attractive larger spaces for public gatherings."

The designs, which needed to consider ceremonial, private and security functions, incorporated function spaces and landscape design into the private home and study across a 6.8 hectare site. Entries also included a jetty, swimming pool and areas for garden parties for up to 400 people.

The $20,000 second prize was awarded to Alan Pert and team members from the Nord architecture/landscape and Atelier 10 environmental /structures firms, while Monica Earl and Nic Moore took out $10,000 third prize.

Canberra designer Narendra Kaley's entry was also commended and will be displayed alongside other finalists' works as part of an exhibition at the Gallery of Australian Design from August 15 to October 19.