Friday 29 February 2008

The McClune House (1969), Frankston South, is Available for Long-Term Rental





Another Boyd home is available for long-term rental. This house is owned by Peter Mitrakas (the owner of the Baker House) and has recently been sympathetically restored. Like the Baker House, the McClune House is a courtyard house and is, essentially, a number of connected volumes sheltered beneath a suspended roof. On page 105 of Living in Australia Boyd wrote:

"The McClune House, 1969, near Frankston… has a big parasol roof of steel and fibreglass sheeting in the shape of a square doughnut, supported on steel-braced timber posts independent of the structure of the rooms. These follow a comparatively free plan beneath a raised roof, avoiding the central open square where a garden court receives the rain. The rooms are conventionally framed as flat-roofed boxes lined externally and internally with off-saw pressure-treated pine boards, stained grey".

I have not seen the house since the restoration but Peter stressed to me that the new works were very sympathetic to the original design and that all of the original features were kept. No current photos are available of the house: the attached photos were taken prior to the restoration, and include the former owner’s furniture.

Serious enquiries only please!

Verge House Website (& 'Last Call' for Sydney & Canberra Tour)



The owners of the Verge House, Canberra (1964), have published a website dedicated to their unique house. It’s a fantastic and informative read. I was not aware of the relationship between the original client, W. G. Verge, and the Australian colonial architect John Verge (1788–1861). Boyd was a big fan of ‘the finest house in the colony’, Verge’s Elizabeth Bay House (1839). I’m very much looking forward to seeing the Verge House in the upcoming tour of Canberra (please contact me if you wish to attend but haven’t registered!).

Monday 4 February 2008

Noble House Listing

The listing for the Noble House can be seen here and includes new photos (scroll down to VERMONT SOUTH VIC - 3 Villa Mews 3133).

Friday 1 February 2008

Noble House (1966) and McManamny House (1955) For Sale




The owners of the Noble House contacted me to advise that their property is on the market (links to agent’s website will be posted shortly). They are, regretfully, selling and would like to speak to interested parties (especially enthusiasts and those sensitive to the issues associated with owning a Boyd property).

In Boyd’s book Living in Australia (1970) the Noble House is featured as one of four properties on a double page spread (see images above). On page 117 Boyd wrote:

“ … (on) pages 120 and 121 is a glimpse of … four houses designed for different people with different requirements in about as many different environments as the Melbourne region can offer. They are: top left, Noble House, 1966, in the woody outer suburb of Vermont; bottom left, the Simon House, built in two stages, 1965 – 68 … top right, the Baker Dower House, 1968 … and bottom right The Crawford House, 1970 …”

As mentioned, links to the agent’s site, including some new photos, will be posted here when they are available. In the meantime, if you would like to reach the current owner, please contact me and I can arrange introductions.

In other news, it was brought to my attention that the McManamny House, in Beaumaris (Melbourne) is also on the market. The property and agent’s site can be viewed here.