Bush Modern | Jessica Lillici

In Melbourne's bushy north-eastern fringe, a quietly radical architectural movement has flourished for decades. Bush Modern documents this little-known chapter of Australian design—23 homes that reimagined modernist ideals through the lens of landscape, materiality, and an alternative way of living.

Co-created by interior stylist Jessica Lillico and photographer Sean Fennessy, this beautifully crafted volume explores houses built from the 1940s to 2001, many designed by pioneering figure Alistair Knox. These dwellings were constructed from mud bricks and recycled timber, often by their original owners on challenging terrain. They embody a philosophy of building 'of the land' rather than merely on it—grounded, tactile, and deeply connected to place.

The book traces how this aesthetic emerged from post-war necessity, gained momentum during the counter-cultural 1960s, and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1970s. After decades when earthy materials fell from favour, a new generation is rediscovering and reviving these warm, character-filled homes.

Through evocative photography, personal stories, and architectural insight, Bush Modern reveals an enduring Australian aesthetic that celebrates simplicity, sustainability, and the indivisibility of house and land.