Situated in a Flame Zone overlooking a spotted gum forest, a non-combustible walling material was essential for this Northern Beaches family retreat. The owners wanted a white house but without the maintenance and upkeep of painted render. The solution was Bowral Bricks Charolais Cream, an off-white brick laid in a flush-finished light-coloured mortar. “Brick was an ideal solution, especially in terms of aesthetics,” says architect Tony Chenchow. The house is built in three volumes, linked by courtyards and constructed in full masonry, that is with brickwork inside and out. Some crosswalls are rendered and painted white as a backdrop to artworks, but there are substantial areas of face brickwork internally. The courtyards and sides of the pool terrace are sheltered from neighbouring properties by brick screens, also known as hit-and-miss brickwork, a simple technique that allows privacy without enclosure, and facilitates light and ventilation. Photographer: John Gollings, Katherine Lu