From Curve to Craft: Balancing Sculptural Ambition and Refined Minimalism

In architecture, expressive form and disciplined execution are often seen as opposing forces. buck&simple’s recent projects, Punto Di Vista and Gateway House, demonstrate how sculptural ambition can coexist with refined minimalism, producing homes that respond elegantly to dramatic coastal landscapes.

To explore this approach, we spoke with Peter James Ahern, principal architect, about the role of curvature, context and authorship in contemporary Sydney residential architecture.

Punto Di Vista: Curvature in Progress

Currently under construction, Punto Di Vista takes its name from apertures carefully framed to maximise views. Swept curves blended mass and plane to provide an elegant site response, guiding light and movement through the interior.

Early sketches and models reveal how these curves were studied to balance form and function. The architecture shows that sculptural gestures emerge from rigorous attention to proportion, structure and spatial sequencing, not stylistic flourish.

“Curvature is never decorative. It is a response to light, landscape and movement. Each gesture is resolved to serve the experience of the home.” – Peter James Ahern

Gateway House: Sculptural Resolution

Gateway House translates a similar sense of movement into built form, with sweeping rooflines and articulated planes defining circulation. Detailing is precise, ensuring curves feel integral rather than applied.

Every element was coordinated with engineers and builders to achieve precision, demonstrating that expressive form can be executed with the same discipline that defines our minimal work.

“Some practices repeat signature curves or shy away from dramatic lines. For us, every line is calibrated to the site, bold, intentional and fully resolved.” – Peter James Ahern

Thinking About Form and Context

buck&simple’s approach positions the studio between two extremes. It avoids formulaic repetition while embracing the technical and aesthetic challenges of dramatic coastal landscapes. As Peter James Ahern observes, this balance allows architecture that is sculptural yet disciplined, expressive yet contextually grounded.

This invites reflection on contemporary Sydney residential architecture. How can form, light and structure coexist without compromising refinement? How does authorship emerge when working with specialists and complex sites?

Punto Di Vista and Gateway House exemplify Buck&Simple’s philosophy. Architecture where refined minimalism and sculptural form coexist in dialogue, every gesture purposeful, every curve fully resolved.

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