$72.25
- Hardcover
272 pages
- Release Date
4 November 2025
Summary
In the bushy north-eastern fringe of Melbourne, an enduring, uniquely Australian architectural aesthetic has been quietly gaining recognition. Emerging out of necessity in the post-war years, it reimagined the sleek ideals of modernism through the lens of the local landscape. Simple homes built ‘of the land’ from mud bricks and recycled timber captured the mood of those searching for an alternative way of life close to nature. The movement gathered momentum in the counter-cultural 1960s and c…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781760764807 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1760764809 |
| Author: | Sean Fennessy, Jessica Lillico |
| Publisher: | Thames and Hudson (Australia) Pty Ltd |
| Imprint: | Thames and Hudson (Australia) Pty Ltd |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 272 |
| Release Date: | 4 November 2025 |
| Weight: | 1.29kg |
| Dimensions: | 297mm x 242mm x 31mm |
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What They're Saying
Critics Review
The distinctive architectural vernacular of Melbourne’s north-eastern fringe is the subject of a beautiful new book, Bush Modern, by Jessica Lillico and Sean Fennessy.
Bush Modern features 23 houses from the 1940s to 2001 - many designed by Alistair Knox, who pioneered the local style of modernist buildings crafted from mud bricks and recycled timbers.
Often built by their original owners on challenging terrain, these houses showcase the possibilities of working in sync with nature, and embracing a bit of imperfection along the way.
Bush Modern documents 23 houses built between 1940 and 2001, pairing warm, evocative photographs with personal stories and architectural insight. Homes by Ian J. Smith, Sibbel Builders and Alistair Knox look just as agreeable and charming as the year they were designed - a testament to the enduring appeal of a design ethos grounded in landscape and community. – Adair Winder * Houses *
Bush Modern is a labour of love celebrating the unique mud-brick and timber homes dotted on Wurundjeri land in Victoria, mostly built in the mid-20th century, and owned by creative Melburnians longing to get back to nature… With warm photography and breezy words highlighting architectural insights and personal stories, this book will inspire any design aficionado tempted by a ‘tree change’ to go bush. * Luxury Travel & Style *
About The Author
Sean Fennessy
Jessica Lillico and Sean Fennessy are the co-creators of Bush Modern. Jessica is a creative director, interior stylist and first-time author. Sean is a photographer known for his warm, minimal style and unique sense of observation.
The couple lives in Warrandyte, on the outskirts of Melbourne, in a 1960s house designed by Alistair Knox, which they renovated in 2020.
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