A small 1972 house tucked away in Sydney's Castlecrag has won the Herald's most beautiful heritage home title. The Buhrich House II, designed by architect Hugh Buhrich and his wife Eva, received the highest number of nominations among about 220 homes.
Architect and academic Stephen Varady described the house as self-built with minimal means and limited materials. Its adventurous design includes a copper-clad wave-shaped roof, a floating front wall and a shocking-red bathtub, sink and walls moulded from a single piece of fibreglass by Buhrich, a yacht lover. The spiral stairs have no handrail and the narrow deck juts over a steep drop to Middle Harbour.
Judge Gabrielle Pelletier described the house as an incredible expression of living and building in the bush. 'It's simply sublime,' she said. Architect Neil Durbach recalled discovering the house and falling 'heels over head' in love with it. The home's son, Neil Buhrich, said his father 'wasn't very strong on railings'. Buhrich pointed to a railing he had installed and said his friends, who were getting old, weren't prepared to visit any more.
The house was so influential that a major NSW award for alterations and additions is named after Eva and Hugh Buhrich. Architect Stephen Varady called it a 'unique, inspired, exuberant, yet extremely comfortable example of what is possible'. The winners of Australia's most beautiful homes across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane will be announced on Friday.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Architecture enthusiasts gain a spotlight on a hidden modernist gem that has long been admired by the design community.
- The award highlights the importance of preserving self-built, experimental homes that push material and spatial boundaries.
- It draws attention to the Buhrich legacy and the influential Buhrich Award for alterations and additions in NSW.
Background
Buhrich House II was completed in 1972 in Castlecrag, a suburb of Sydney. Architect Hugh Buhrich and his wife Eva designed and built the small two-bedroom home with limited materials and means. It sits amid bushland overlooking Sydney's middle harbour and was nominated by a panel of 50 architects, heritage and design experts for the Herald's most beautiful heritage home project.
Key Perspectives
Architect Gabrielle Pelletier: described the house as simply sublime and an incredible expression of materiality and design, calling the bathroom the most beautiful in the world.
Architect Neil Durbach: said he fell in love with the house upon first visiting and that it inspired his career in architecture.
Neil Buhrich, the architect's son: noted that his father 'wasn't very strong on railings' and that he had to install a railing so older friends would visit.
Architect Stephen Varady: called the house a 'unique, inspired, exuberant, yet extremely comfortable example of what is possible' despite being self-built with minimal means.
What to Watch
- The full list of Australia's most beautiful homes across three cities will be announced on Friday.
- Potential heritage protection or increased public interest that may affect the house's future.
- Further recognition of the Buhrichs' other works and their influence on Australian architecture.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedBuhrich House II was named the Herald’s most beautiful heritage home in Sydney.WA Today - Latest News: “that has won the Herald ’s most beautiful heritage home”
- SupportedThe home was completed in 1972 and designed by Hugh Buhrich with his wife, Eva.WA Today - Latest News: “The small two-bedroom home, completed in 1972, was designed by architect Hugh Buhrich with his wife, Eva, an architect and columnist.”
- SupportedThe home received the most nominations among about 220 homes.WA Today - Latest News: “The home received the most nominations out of about 220 homes suggested by our panel of 50 architects, heritage and design experts including the jury.”
- SupportedThe house has a floating wall and a wave-shaped roof.WA Today - Latest News: “the Castlecrag home that features a floating wall and a copper-clad, wave-shaped roof.”
- SupportedThe house has a shocking-red fibreglass bathroom.WA Today - Latest News: “The bathroom is the most beautiful in the world, Pelletier said. It includes a shocking-red bathtub, sink and walls moulded from a single piece of fibreglass by Buhrich, who was a yacht lover.”
- SupportedGabrielle Pelletier said, “It’s simply sublime.”WA Today - Latest News: ““It’s simply sublime,” said architect Gabrielle Pelletier, a director of Sam Crawford Architects, as she entered the Castlecrag home”
- SupportedNeil Durbach recalled falling “heels over head” in love with the house.WA Today - Latest News: “By the time I had crossed the room and was standing on the precariously thin deck, I had fallen heels over head in love with this house.”
- SupportedNeil Buhrich said his father “wasn’t very strong on railings”.WA Today - Latest News: ““Dad wasn’t very strong on railings,” his son, Neil Buhrich, said.”
- SupportedStephen Varady described the house as self-built with minimal means and limited materials.WA Today - Latest News: “Architect and academic Stephen Varady said though it was self-built with minimal means and limited materials”
- SupportedThe external spiral stairs have no handrail, and the narrow deck juts over a steep drop.WA Today - Latest News: “Its wave-shaped front wall seems to hover in space while its external spiral stone stairs have no handrail nor does the narrow deck. “Dad wasn’t very strong on railings,” his son, Neil Buhrich, said. They used to clamber up and down the stairs to the narrow deck that juts over a steep drop to the water’s edge.”
- SupportedA major NSW award for alterations and additions was named in Eva and Hugh Buhrich’s honour.WA Today - Latest News: “It was so influential that a major NSW award from the Institute for Architects for alterations and additions was named in Eva and Hugh Buhrich’s honour.”
- SupportedThe winners of Australia’s most beautiful homes from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane will be announced on Friday.WA Today - Latest News: “We announce the winners of Australia’s most beautiful homes (from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane) on Friday.”