Puneet Varma (Editor)

Sydney School

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit

The Sydney School, also the Nuts and Berries style, refers to an architectural style by a group of architects in Australia who reacted against international Modernism with their own regionalist style during the 1960s. In contrast to the purism of the international style, they were drawn to rustic materials, clinker bricks, low gutter lines, and raked roof lines rather than flat roof lines.

This loose collection of architects, comprising, among others, Peter Muller, Bill Lucas, Bruce Rickard, Neville Gruzman and Ken Woolley, favoured organic and natural houses, often built on steep slopes and hidden from view in natural bushland. These projects were largely on the city's North Shore such as Woolley's own house, and to a lesser extent in the Eastern Suburbs. The alpine village of Thredbo is also notable for its many houses designed in this style.

Following on from Walter Burley Griffin's work in the Sydney suburb of Castlecrag, this style of Australian architecture was visually sensitive to the environment and, like Griffin, often utilised natural local materials as structural elements.

References

Sydney School Wikipedia