Reasons to Love Cinder Blocks

Because They're Simple

For their Australian vacation house, architect Rachel Nolan and her buisness partner, Patrick Kennedy, strove to make a practical structure. They opted for prototypical materials, like cinder blocks for a privacy screen, to hit that note. “It has an association with old beach houses and public buildings at the shore,” Nolan says. After trying different self-supporting configurations, they chose a zigzag pattern. The wall shields the courtyard from wind and doubles as a step for gutter maintenance. During parties, the family likes to place candles into the recesses.

A table made of recycled hardwood from Flinders Pier is stationed in the central courtyard where Nolan and her family frequently take their meals.