architecture in australia

While influenced by different factors – maybe more than other countries – architecture in Australia still has its own character. From its past as a colony of Britain to its cultural richness, distinctive landscapes, vast agricultural areas, and often harsh climate, Australia has developed its own architectural style. On this page, you can admire some of the most striking and inspiring projects completed by skilled architecture and design studios all over the country. Whether they draw inspiration from nature, agricultural buildings, or abstract concepts, these living spaces are distinctly Australian.

Projects range from compact cabins in nature and urban houses to coastal retreats and modern farmhouses. Regardless of location, architecture in Australia needs to take the local climate as well as the threat of the bushfire season into account. For examples, houses built in areas that are more exposed to seasonal fires may feature materials that withstand the heat or designs that protect living spaces with ingenious layouts. Charred wood cladding also provides protection against insects and the elements while also giving a nod to aboriginal building techniques. Many Australian houses also feature adjustable screens that protect interiors from the heat of the sun.

Designs include everything from modern interpretations of a traditional farmhouse to restored and modernized 1900s Victorian buildings. Creative details also set architecture in Australia apart, from geometric volumes that establish private outdoor areas in busy urban neighborhoods to curved glass walls that remind of organic forms and immerse inhabitants into spectacular landscapes. Some of these houses follow the topography of the land in creative ways, with living spaces partly buried into a steep slope or designed to create a flow of movement between different elevations.