Living With Brick: Designing for Every Style
Australia’s architecture & design landscape comprises a striking patchwork of styles, each grounded in their distinct forms, materialities and decoration. A defining feature in all these designs, however, is the ultimate sustainable material – brick. From sleek and minimal contemporary builds, back to classic Victorian terraces, brick elevates the unique aspects of our understanding and perception of design, enlivening the built environment and its lived-in experiences.
Below are five residences that harness the versatility of brick to curate spaces that span from gracefully historic to effortlessly modern.
Hailing from the aquamarine coast of the Mediterranean, The Casa emphasises the flexibility of brick and the vastness and beauty of Australia’s landscapes as an ideal canvas for a multitude of residences. Builders Webb & Brown-Neaves pair rich earthy tones with robust stone textures to allow this Spanish Mission home to transport its residences to the sandy coastlines and jewelled tones throughout the Mediterranean. Iconic terracotta roofing is achieved by utilising Bristile Roofing La Escandella Curvado in Roja, with the discrepancies between each tile creating a deeply authentic façade for The Casa.
Merricks Farmhouse by Nielsen Jenkins and Michael Lumby Architecture successfully executes the delicate practice of architectural restraint and striking material composition, resulting in a beautiful modern farmhouse style home. The architects deliver a modern interpretation of a quintessential Australian countryside residence, enriched with a contemporary perspective on rural lifestyles. Working to the timeless simplicity of Austral Masonry Grey Block, the design aims to minimise the impact on the surrounding coastal countryside, choosing instead to hero its coveted views in a discreet but impactful manner. Charcoal timber planks and rugged landscaping trail throughout the external spaces, creating intimate pockets to pause and take in the views, adding a magical element of warmth to the home from inside to out.
Foregrounding brick’s ability to restore historic spaces, Ponds is an eclectic and colourful project by architects WOWOWA. Reinterpreting a home with layout challenges from previous renovations, WOWOWA sought simplification and function, all while emphasising its striking Art Deco elements. Over the extension at the home’s rear, Bowral Bricks in Gertrudis Brown, Bowral Brown, Limousin Gold and Hereford Bronze were used to create a point of visual interest over undulating exterior walls. Inside, the rich colourway is intensified, with warm ambers, yellows, ochres, and rusts forming a quirky continuation of the brickwork.
Based on a barefoot experience of the home, Winter Architecture’s Bermagui Beach House is a considered iteration of the coastal experience through cooler months. The exceptionally modern home required a material that aligned with its ethereal interiors while offering a tactile and durable experience for its residents. GB Masonry Smooth in Porcelain warms the beachside home with textural depths, simultaneously setting the foundations for an all-white space that highlights its moody coastal backdrop. Its orderly rectilinear linework provides a basis for its carefully curated, minimalist furniture.
Doasis by Solis Estudio is a home in Queensland’s south-east, which fuses mid-century modern and coastal design. Located just off Tallebudgera Creek, the location informs every aspect of the home - blending the organic profiles of mid-century design with a Palm Springs resort feel. Austral Bricks La Paloma in Miro shines throughout Doasis, creating a seamless transition from its exterior façades through to its interior environments. Complementing the neutral-hued brickwork, the addition of natural stone and warm timber instils a sense of warmth and comfort in the open-plan residence. Across the rectilinear exterior, simple linework juxtaposes the organic forms found within the interiors designed by SMUB. With three-metre-high ceilings, the living spaces are free-flowing and spacious, offering endless possibilities for furnishing and design styles.
Spanning centuries of style cues and design inspiration, brickwork fosters creativity across Australian residences, delivering a striking variety of projects that will stand the test of time.
“Australia’s architecture & design landscape, comprises a striking patchwork of styles, each grounded in their distinct forms, materialities and decoration. A defining feature in all these designs, however, is the ultimate sustainable material – brick.”
“Australia’s architecture & design landscape, comprises a striking patchwork of styles, each grounded in their distinct forms, materialities and decoration. A defining feature in all these designs, however, is the ultimate sustainable material – brick.”
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