Modernist Masters Inspired This Australian Home—Which a Father and Son Built by Hand

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Project Details:

Location: Lorne, Australia

Designer: Keep Studio / @keep___studio

Footprint: 1,700 square feet

Structural Engineer: Grain Structural

Photographer: Alexander William

From the Designer: "Designed for Keep Studio’s codirector, Will, this home presented a rare opportunity: to be designed by Keep Studio, and be built entirely by hand with his father, Tim. This personal process shaped a home that is both cost-conscious and full of character.

"The brief called for a long-term home tailored to a couple who love to cook, entertain, and work from home. The design responds with warm, flexible spaces, dedicated work zones, and strong connections to the outdoors. Influenced by postwar modernists like Robin Boyd, Craig Ellwood, and Richard Neutra, the home prioritizes honest expression of structure and materiality, clarity, and connection to nature. Elevated on steel posts, the structure avoided a costly excavation and ensures the home touches the earth lightly. Exposed beams, columns, and cross-bracing met with glazing give a clear structural logic and lightness to the project.

"The project deviates from the rectilinear postwar language with the introduction of a series of functional curves, which in the living spaces strategically smooth junction, conceal storage and other messy items. In the kitchen curves soften what would otherwise have been sharp harsh edges, giving the house an overall organic vibe.

"Materials throughout the project were selected with a strong focus on resource efficiency. The cladding was designed to align with standard cement sheet dimensions, eliminating waste from off-cuts. This logic extended across the build, with spaces planned around standard material modules to reduce excess."