Amaroo by Shaun Lockyer Architects and Eco Outdoor

Nestled serenely in the Queensland hinterland, Amaroo is a composed retreat by Shaun Lockyer Architects that embraces its connection to nature through the tactile presence of Eco Outdoor’s Luca and Andorra® stone.

Created for legendary Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber and wife Ann, Amaroo’s secluded site provided the ideal setting for rejuvenation and quiet. Gently supported by the landscape, the home sits lightly, with a relatively modest footprint of 350 square metres. Though small in scale, Amaroo maximises the opportunities of its rural block with a crucifix floorplan and draws inspiration from its surrounds to communicate a potent and dignified celebration of country.

Amaroo’s design embodies the natural beauty of Luca stone, where its rich texture and subtle imperfections connect the home to its serene environment.

Amaroo presents as a journey of discovery, with wings and courtyards connected via a series of corridors, pocket sliders and doors. The sunken lounge can be closed-off to become a more intimate place of gathering while, along the east-west axis, a discreet corridor leads to the master wing, affording an additional level of privacy and refuge. A central courtyard further divides the plan, with a guest wing and services to the south.

Designed to harmonise with the seasons, the home ebbs in the chill of winter with intimate spaces while, in summer, the home opens to the land, with views of the rugged eucalyptus backdrop. Amaroo references the environment through a pared-back material palette of timber, concrete and stone. With only three key materials, Eco Outdoor stone surfaces commune gracefully alongside native spotted gum and polished concrete to elevate the dwelling with evocative texture.

With a design ethos that minimised material variation and, instead, creatively played with form, Luca crazy paving proved the ideal selection for Amaroo’s flooring and walls.

Luca crazy paving resonated with the Webbers when they saw the stone within architect Shaun Lockyer’s own home. Identifying with the rich tactility and natural imperfections, the pair fell in love with the material, ultimately choosing it to form the bulk of Amaroo’s profile.

With a design ethos that minimised material variation and, instead, creatively played with form, Luca crazy paving proved the ideal selection for Amaroo’s flooring and walls. Hewn from hard-wearing gneiss natural stone, the subtle grey and tan tones of Luca’s split finish form a remarkable uniting surface across Amaroo. Combined with the natural timbers, the Eco Outdoor stone helps to unobtrusively integrate the built form with its surroundings.

Within Amaroo’s bathrooms, Andorra limestone pavers line the floors and wrap upward, traversing the walls. Delicate fair flecks pepper the grey stone, imparting gentle movement within. Lightly pitted, the tiles’ open grain and texture evoke nature’s inimitable beauty, further reinforcing connection to the setting.

Effortlessly complementing the contemporary architecture, Luca and Andorra stone adorn the home with natural imperfection.

Fluently engaging Eco Outdoor surfaces, Amaroo’s design is imbued with the rawness of textural tactility. Effortlessly complementing the contemporary architecture, Luca and Andorra stone adorn the home with natural imperfection, capturing the organic warmth of its rugged surroundings and helping to create a sanctuary that celebrates slower living.

Architecture and interior design by Shaun Lockyer Architects. Build by Envisage Building. Landscape design by Bluewater Landscaping.