Forever House by MCK Architects

A modest and modern family home, Forever House by MCK Architects overcomes the complexities of a sloping site through a considered approach to form and landscape.

Standing in the kitchen of Forever House and looking out to the deep blue waters below, it almost feels like you could scramble down the hill to reach the Middle Harbour foreshore. From that foreshore, peering back towards the home, what you see is a simple concrete form more akin to an object floating on the land rather than something entrenched in it. That unadorned structure was at the heart of MCK Architects’ intention: to create an unassuming family home that is unashamedly contemporary, casual and calm.

“It is simply a modest family home, but in this day and age, maybe the modesty is kind of extraordinary.”

“It is simply a modest family home, but in this day and age, maybe the modesty is kind of extraordinary,” says Steve Koolloos, director of MCK Architects. While the construction of Forever House took four-and-a-half years, the home was conceived as a place where the family would live for generations to come as well as being a source of comfort. “We wanted the home to be somewhere you could gather and enjoy each other’s company but could also retreat to.”

Forever House is blessed with vistas of the still waters of Middle Harbour, where placid waves lap against Sydney’s iconic sandstone cliffs. Given its pristine location, engaging with these views was a no-brainer. “This typically would imply that you turn your back on the north but bringing that natural light in from the north was also a big part of the brief,” says Koolloos. The site is also heavily sloped and shared with many neighbouring homes. “The challenge was how to engage with natural light and still embrace the views to the south and, more importantly, provide privacy.”

Forever House is blessed with vistas of the still waters of Middle Harbour, where placid waves lap against Sydney’s iconic sandstone cliffs.

Entering into the sunken open kitchen- living-dining zone, there is a seamless departure from the busyness of the streetscape. While the rear of the house floats above the back lawn, “we were able to leave the front yard in a way so that it flows neatly from the open-plan space,” says Koolloos.

Oversized retractable glass doors connect to the views at every opportunity as well as allowing cross ventilation through the home. “Sydney has that wonderful north-easterly breeze, which makes the difference between a house being comfortable or not during summer,” says Koolloos.

“The east and the western sides of the house remain quite solid, providing privacy and amenity to the home.” The other sides remain open to welcome natural light from the north and access views from the south, while smart landscaping by Lone Pine Landscapes creates privacy.

Oversized retractable glass doors connect to the views at every opportunity as well as allowing cross ventilation through the home.

Located in Seaforth in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where houses clamber along the escarpment searching for the best view, Forever House doesn’t try to compete. When asked if the residence reflects its Northern Beaches vernacular, Koolloos says, “I want to say yes, but I want to say no.” Having spent most of his life living in the area, he argues the locale doesn’t have a distinct style.

“It’s always been a hodgepodge of ideas from different eras, and quite often the buildings that adorn our headlands are the wrong buildings for that location,” he says. Forever House emulates the laid-back coastal aesthetic typical of Seaforth’s contemporary architecture and seeks to be humble, modern and durable.

“Even though it’s contemporary and has quite a strong form, the home is actually very casual.”

Walking through the home – with its glimpses of the harbour and the omnipresence of the water – feels incredibly peaceful. “Even though it’s contemporary and has quite a strong form, the home is actually very casual.” This sense of welcoming calm is elevated by materials, defined by a beautiful dance between the raw quality of off-form concrete and the warmth of timber. “The decision to embrace off- form concrete was to create something robust, so that in 30 years you aren’t replacing it.”

Furnishings in a neutral palette featuring soft curves sit comfortably within the materiality. Given the home’s pared-back aesthetic, a steel-framed robe by Iron Worx adds an element of drama to the main bedroom, while a feature staircase with a balustrade by Steadly Steel creates a striking centrepiece.

The dwelling’s charm lies in its modesty and the way light and harbour views are cast through the space at every possible junction.

Pure in its brutalist concrete facade and minimal when it comes to materiality and furnishings, the dwelling’s charm lies in its modesty and the way light and harbour views are cast through the space at every possible junction. As well as this tangible sense of serenity, Koolloos is proud of the collaborative outcome – architecture is about people and Forever House embodies this. “The family love it … that sends a shiver down my spine and that’s why we do what we do.”

Architecture by MCK Architects. Interior design by MCK Architects and Taline Gabrielian. Build FCD Group. Landscape design by Lone Pine Landscapes. Doors and windows by Vitrocsa. Lighting by Est Lighting and Euroluce. Artwork by Heather B. Swann