Brazilian Modernism on the Shores of Sydney Harbour – Mosman House by Shaun Lockyer Architects

A house made of concrete inspired by Brazilian modernism, Mosman House by Shaun Lockyer Architects stretches out across its coastal site in Sydney, capturing views of the water and of the landscape by Dangar Barin Smith. A series of landscaped terraces through the site are experienced before one comes to the home, and as a house is made of concrete, this emphasis on the landscape provides an important natural balance and juxtaposition to the strength of the building.

The architects’ interest in Brazilan modernism is expressed in the building’s long linear form and its material palette, which emphasises the raw and the natural. As a house made of concrete, the project required close collaboration between architect and builder. County Construction were responsible for the project, meticulously planning the concrete superstructure to ensure that every piece was perfectly in place before the concrete was poured. Timber formwork was used to create a textural ceiling, another process that required significant expertise on the part of the builders.

Balancing the linear form and raw materiality of the house, the ephemeral qualities of light and space bring the building to life. Mosman House may be a house made from concrete that overtly expresses its Brazilian modernist inspiration, yet the movement of light over the concrete walls, the curated apertures that emphasise the primacy of the landscape, and the layering of the interiors all contribute to the project’s delicate balance of intimacy and extraversion, lightness and weight.