Sam and Nat Zaher designed and built their own mid-century modern bungalow in the village of Federal, buried in the hinterland of Byron Bay.
After moving from the city to the country, Sam and Nat rented an old house on the property for several years before deciding to buy it and build their dream home. Their new dwelling now sits, nestled in the garden as a graceful nod to modernism with clean linear forms that evoke memories of Sam’s childhood in the 1960s.
The clear vision was to create a house that stands like a modern sculpture in the garden, celebrates modernist architecture in the provincial Australian landscape and provides an impressive contrast between nature and man-made forms.
The completed home is a black and white box with interwoven geometrical shapes. It nestles into its context while sharply contrasting against the lush organic surroundings with strong-linear forms.
A large stone wall divides the public entry from the private zone and pool, while also providing a wayfinding device that leads people to a large custom-made feature entry door that appears to float in its alcove.
To complement the sculptural feel of the house, some of the furniture was bespoke designed by Zaher Architects.