ARCHITECTS TURN TO BRICK FOR DURABILITY, DESIGN FLEXIBILITY & CLIMATE PERFORMANCE
Three Australian residential projects highlight how brick is being used in contemporary home design to support comfort, resilience and long-term performance.
1 min
Brick continues to play a significant role in contemporary Australian residential architecture, with a series of recently highlighted projects demonstrating how the traditional building material is being adapted to meet modern design expectations and environmental demands.
The case studies focus on three homes in NSW, Queensland and Victoria, where brick has been used to balance aesthetic considerations with practical performance benefits such as durability, thermal efficiency and reduced maintenance requirements.
At a suburban residence on Badgery Avenue, pale-toned brickwork has been used to reinterpret established streetscapes through a more contemporary architectural approach, with uniform masonry emphasising sculptural curves and clean structural lines.
In regional Queensland, a rural property known as Springdale demonstrates brick’s ability to withstand challenging environmental conditions.
The use of textured brickwork helps the home blend with its natural surroundings while providing strength against heat, wind and long-term weather exposure.
“Australian homes ask a lot of their materials, and brick has always been one of the few that can deliver beauty and performance in equal measure,” says Brickworks spokesperson, Brett Ward.
“These homes show just how versatile brick can be — whether it’s creating a striking façade, providing year-round comfort, or offering the kind of durability that stands up to the harshest conditions.
“Brick gives homeowners confidence. It’s a material that looks incredible on day one and continues to perform for generations.”
Thermal performance is also highlighted in a coastal home at Point Leo on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, where brick has been used both internally and externally to help regulate indoor temperatures.
Its density also contributes to acoustic insulation, supporting quieter living environments in both coastal and urban settings.
According to Brickworks, the featured homes reflect growing interest in materials that combine architectural versatility with long-term resilience and passive design benefits suited to Australia’s varied climate conditions.
The 1860s Darlinghurst mansion Stoneleigh could become Sydney’s most expensive home ever sold under the hammer when it goes to auction. Clint Ballard is giving buyers a $28 million guide for the heritage-listed mansion on Darley Street, opposite Iona, the former home of Hollywood royalty Baz Luhrmann. Stoneleigh is being offered for sale for the …
Set on one of the city’s last absolute riverfront sites, The Riversdale by Mosaic combines irreplaceable waterfront ownership with one of Brisbane’s most significant residential opportunities.
2 min
A landmark Watsons Bay residence formerly owned by businessman Mark Bouris has returned to the market, bringing one of the harbourside village’s most distinctive homes back into play.
The five-bedroom property at 23 Robertson Place occupies 654 square metres opposite Robertson Park, within footsteps of Watsons Bay Beach, the ferry wharf and the celebrated restaurants lining the foreshore.
Its position places the home at the centre of one of Sydney’s most recognisable harbour villages, yet its substantial proportions, private outdoor areas and garaging give it a degree of separation rarely found so close to the waterfront.
The residence was previously owned by Bouris, the founder of Wizard Home Loans and chairman of Yellow Brick Road. Property records show it last changed hands in November 2013 for $7 million, having sold for $890,000 in 1995.
That 2013 transaction was handled by prestige agent Bill Malouf through Highland Double Bay. Bouris was the vendor when the home last sold.
Architect Malcolm Sholl designed the contemporary residence around a fluid connection between its interiors and outdoor entertaining areas. Extensive glazing draws natural light into the principal rooms, while district views take in the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Travertine flooring extends through the principal living areas and out towards the terraces, reinforcing the relationship between the home and its coastal setting.
At the centre of the residence is a marble kitchen equipped with Gaggenau gas appliances and an integrated Miele coffee machine. It connects to expansive open-plan living and dining areas designed for both family life and large-scale entertaining.
Five double bedrooms are accompanied by three bathrooms and a guest powder room. Informal living spaces include a home cinema.
Outside, there’s a 23-metre lap pool and an alfresco entertainer’s terrace. Internal access from the garage and accommodation for four cars are especially valuable in the tightly held village location.
The address also carries an unusual fragment of local architectural history. Woollahra planning material identifies portions of an early Victorian cottage dating from about 1839 within the contemporary three-storey residence, placing the property within the wider Watsons Bay heritage conservation area.
The home made headlines for another reason in January 2025, when a Ferrari left the road and struck the property. Two occupants of the vehicle were taken to hospital following the incident.
The Agency’s Ben Collier has a $20 million guide.
Watsons Bay remains one of Sydney’s smallest and most tightly held prestige markets. There have only been two house sales in the suburb so far in 2026. The suburb record was set late last year when yachtie Linda Goddard paid $35.5 million for a Pacific Street waterfront.
BMW has unveiled the Neue Klasse in Munich, marking its biggest investment to date and a new era of electrification, digitalisation and sustainable design.
A bold new era for Australian luxury: MAISON de SABRÉ launches The Palais, a flagship handbag eight years in the making.
