In this extract from Modern Heritage, which celebrates Australia’s pre-war heritage homes, an Art Deco 1940s brick home in suburban Melbourne’s Glen Iris is given a sensitive renovation by Clare Cousins Architects.
Legacy
Waterfall House is in Summerhill Estate in Melbourne’s Glen Iris. By the end of the 1920s,
The development of Summerhill Estate has a close connection with Thomas Burke, a famed entrepreneur and philanthropist who contributed to the inaugural Made in Australia exhibition in 1904. He was one of the nation’s best-known real estate agents and was responsible for the sale of the Summerhill Estate lot. Burke took advantage of the economic uncertainty of the war years, cannily purchasing land that would be subdivided and sold after the war ended. He signed up purchasers on the payment of a modest deposit and with favourable terms.
The house styles embraced by Melburnians in their new southeastern suburbs reflect the architectural modernity and eclecticism of the 1930s. The heritage character of the area comes from the delightful mingling of Old English, Art Deco, Mediterranean and Moderne styles. Today this character is the subject of local heritage status, with a small number of houses in Glen Iris considered individually significant and others contributing to the heritage status.
The original low fences and gates are also noted for their contribution to the value of the intact suburban setting. Much of the housing was built by designer-builders, with just a few architects identified, such as Leslie Reed, who set up his architectural office in Glen Iris in the 1930s.
Lifestyle
When Emily and Patrick purchased Waterfall House in 2014, they fell in love with its waterfall, cream brick front with its elegant, curved entrance wall and intimate front porch with glazed, brown brick banding. Inside this suburban gem, the original Bakelite light fittings and doorknobs, decorative glass panels, and intricate ceiling roses and plasterwork were all remarkably intact.
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After living in the house for about four years, they engaged Clare Cousins Architects for the renovation. They wanted an open-plan living area, but still wanted the home to be cosy and warm — “not cold and hard or too modern”. Also high on their list of priorities were a seamless connection to the backyard and a generous space to entertain.
The renewal of this character-filled home came with a raft of design challenges. The brief sought to work carefully with the existing house, retaining and restoring the original front rooms and features, and carrying the architectural themes of the original dwelling through into the renovation. Emily and Patrick wanted the works to not just preserve the heritage fabric, but celebrate their home’s architectural legacy and quirky details. “We think it deserves that.”
The renovation has completely changed the way they use their house. They now spend a lot of time with family and friends in the kitchen and dining area and around the barbecue, which wasn’t possible before.
The renovation has not only preserved the heritage fabric but also celebrated it. We didn’t realise what top-quality designers and builders were capable of until we went through this process.
Reimagining
Clare Cousins, founder and director of Clare Cousins Architects, felt an immediate affinity for Waterfall House. “We love the scrolling waterfall brick facade, the steel windows and the decorative sandblasted windows — Waterfall House has leaping dolphins in the original bathroom.”
Cousins and her team embraced the period features of this modest suburban dwelling as they worked to extend the house and make it more liveable for its occupants. “There were lots of interesting quirks to incorporate, which we love.”
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The brief asked for greater connection to the large rear garden and expanded spaces for contemporary living in a two-storey addition, and was clear on the need for the period charm to be retained and celebrated.
There were also very specific functional requirements, including a plumbed-in barbecue with a sink, an outdoor bath, a sunken lounge, sensitive and adjustable lighting instead of a sea of downlights, a shared bathroom with a separate toilet, a large study that could be secluded when necessary or opened for greater familial connection, and no privacy glazing or screens on the outside.
Each of these requirements has been addressed in the renovation and there is precise architectural affinity between new and old. The portholes in the curvaceous facade of the extension are a clever nod to the 1930s.
The materials and finishes are key. They include painterly handmade clay bricks that were locally sourced; a sinuous glass wall that addresses the lush garden; beautifully detailed spotted-gum joinery, furniture and wall panelling; and lush caramel leather that wraps the cushions in the immersive sunken lounge. This palette perfectly complements the vintage furniture lovingly collected by the owners.
The renovation of Waterfall House adroitly embraces its setting through gentle level changes that address its topography and creates the perfect stage for daily life, from entertaining family and friends to working from home and bathing outside on a secluded roof terrace that provides a private year-round retreat.
The details
Dwelling type: Detached house
Total site area: 650sw m
Original internal area: 99sq m
Current internal area: 324sq m
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3
Architect: Clare Cousins Architects
Project team: Clare Cousins, Oliver Duff, Alistair Nancarrow
Builder: Original Projects
Structural engineer: Ipsum Structures
Landscape designer: Eckersley Garden Architecture
Extracted with permission from Modern Heritage: Cherishing Australia’s interwar homes: Old English, Spanish Mission & Art Deco by Cameron Bruhn, published by Thames & Hudson Australia, $87, available now.
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