This Concrete House is a Design Lover’s Dream (House Tour)

A modern concrete house, Forever House by MCK Architects overcomes the complexities of a sloping site and a crowded suburb through a considered approach to design, the built form and the landscape.

Located in Seaforth, the modern concrete house is perched above the Middle Harbour foreshore, appearing as a simple concrete form more akin to an object floating on the land rather than something built to be entrenched in it. “It’s still a dense suburb, but it has a wonderful sense of calm to it,” notes Steve Koolloos, architect and director at MCK Architects.

Upon entry into the modern concrete house, there is a seamless departure from the busyness of the streetscape that any design lover would appreciate. “Visitors entering at street level climb up with the site’s topography,” says Koolloos. For the homeowners, entering the home is a slightly different experience. “They arrive at street level and are able to park their car in the garage, which acts as a basement, and enter at the rear.” This space features a glass wall into the pool, allowing filtered light to enter.

The home is blessed with vistas of the still waters of Middle Harbour. Glass walls and retractable doors connect to the views at every opportunity, allowing for cross-ventilation and natural light from the north, while smart landscaping by Lone Pine Landscapes creates privacy.

Similarly, as one makes their way through the modern concrete house, engaging with the landscape to north and south is inevitable. “On the northern side, we have the rear yard and pool … and on the southern side, we have a landscaped terrace from which people can sit and enjoy the views of Middle Harbour.”

The floor plan relies on vertical circulation via a stacked stairwell leading all the way from the basement up to the first floor. The first floor houses the more private rooms and is split into two zones – one for children and one for adults – separated by a slim void that allows natural light to penetrate deep into the living room. Meanwhile, the master bedroom is the only space on the first floor that runs the whole width of the plan, with a glass walk-in robe and sheer curtains. “The glass is curved to soften its feeling as one moves in and around the space, while the ensuite offers a very calm, private space but still enables its users to visually connect to the backyard,” says Koolloos.

The interior design is pared-back and minimalist, with materials and decor dominated by concrete and timber. Other textures throughout the home include natural stones and timber textures, as well as the blank, white canvases of the white plasterboard wall.

The resulting modern concrete house is a beautiful fusion of ideas and people, equal parts the architect and the client. “I am most proud of how the clients shared our vision,” notes Koolloos. “When I walk through this home, I can see and feel the parts we have brought to the table, and I’m equally as excited about the parts the owners have brought into the home.” Similarly, MCK Architects is deliberately not driven by a particular style or aesthetic, which was also a challenge at times.

00:00 - Introduction to the Design Lover’s Dream House
01:01 - A Walkthrough of the House
03:45 - Private Aspects of the House
05:05 - A Simple Material Palette
06:14 - Proud Moments

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Photography by Anson Smart.
Architecture by MCK Architects.
Interior design by MCK Architects and Taline Gabrielian.
Build by FCD Group.
Landscape design by Lone Pine Landscapes.
Doors and windows by Vitrocsa.
Lighting from Euroluce and Est Lighting.
Artwork by Heather B. Swann.
Filmed by The Local Production.
Edited by HN Media.
Production by The Local Production.

Location: Sydney, Australia

The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.

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