Unknown Housing
This is a grouped dwelling on Malcolm Street about to be demolished, and i think it is a great shame. These are beautiful little modern houses, in the vein of the ’sydney school’( for lack of a better descriptor) in the way they hug the site as it falls away towards the back, and the use of organic materials/colour choice. ie the proliferation of green paint, and also greenery in general. Great split level planning and generally very considerate and workable planning inside. Flexible. Each level has a large plane of glazing providing a great amount of natural light. Clerestories to the top level are also an exellent addition. Very cute little modern excercise in small housing and tight planning. Although in a pretty awful state at the moment, it would not take much to make these excellent little houses again, and to retain some character within the street. Although i greatly admire the architects that are doing the thing thats replacing these houses, GresleyAbas architetects, I just really want these to stay. there are vacant blocks around,build on those! Anyways, these will be a great loss to West Austrlaian architecture. And i hate that.
May 19, 2008 at 10:04 am
Did you get away with the chair? Its so painful to watch them knock down good stuff. Why couldnt anyone see the potential of these?
June 20, 2008 at 1:44 am
I was interested to read your comments regarding the existing townhouses on Malcolm Street. I’m not sure if they can be regarded as a archetypal example of modern design. These townhouses would be 1970’s at best.
I would also question the organic materials choice to which you refer I can’t see any evidence of this, the material seem pretty typical of buildings it’s age and just painting it green doesn’t make it more sustainable.
I agree the planning is good but not reason enough to restore these buidlings.
These buildings have reached a point where they will no longer function adequately without major restoration, given the location and Density coding, it makes sense to rebuild.
July 3, 2008 at 4:54 am
these buildings were actually part of a failed development project (by others) that was eventually completed & designed by Geoffrey Howlett. The split level planing is an excellent use of space with minimal circulation yet a spacious outcome with an internal width less than 4m per unit! the typology matches other medium density designs carried out by Howlett & Bailey in south perth & north perth from the 70’s.
i lived there myself for about 2 years… the cool design suffered from bad orientation and almost no insulation..but a gem nevertheless.
as architects for the new development: we are ensuring that some docmentation of the existing is undertaken before demolition.