A little more about Elliston Estate Rosanna

Yesterday I revealed my crush on Cremlin Court but today I thought I would post a little more information about Elliston Estate. It was actually named after the landscape designer Ellis Stones and includes the following streets;

Bachli, Cremin, Ferrier, Pickworth, Hartley, Nagle and Devlin Courts; Stanton, Crampton, Phillips and Von Nida Crescents; the west side of Finlayson Street; and Thompson Drive(all Rosanna)

Elliston Estate - now Rosanna Parklands

From Heritage Victoria:
Merchant Builders assembled a consultant team of award winning domestic architects in the domestic field to design 50 basic house plans. Each purchaser would work with the architect to achieve personal design requirements as amendments to the basic plan. Materials were limited to a specified range.

The architects consulted were:
* Charles Duncan (winner of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (Vic.) Single House award for 1965 for the Williams House, 4 Glenard Drive, Heidelberg)
* Daryl Jackson and Evan Walker (later to win the RAIA (Vic.) Bronze Medal in 1970 for Lauriston Girls School, Malvern).
* David McGlashan and Neil Everist (winners of the RAIA (Vic.) 1968 Bronze Medal for the Reed House (Heide), Bulleen).
* Graeme C. Gunn (winner of RAIA (Vic.) Single House Award for 1966).

Merchant Building Pty Ltd's own landscape designer and Ivanhoe resident, Ellis Stones, created the general landscape concept and consulted with individual house owners on detailed design of the front gardens. The estate was named after him. The name of the adjacent open space has been changed from Ellison Park to Rosanna Parklands.

For this estate and for earlier smaller concepts, Merchant Builders Pty Ltd was given the RAIA (Vic.) Bronze Medal in the Robin Boyd Environment Award of 1972. Unfortunately Merchant Builders' involvement at Elliston was terminated in 1971 and the rest of the estate was sold for speculative development.


"The principal design philosophy for (Elliston) estate was the integration of the building and architectural professions to provide an integrated residential environment. Limited heterogeneity was stressed with personal home owner identity being expressed by house plan and finish selection, within a given framework. Housing estates in Columbia, Valencia and Reston in the United States and New Ash Green in England were cited as international precedents.

Ellis Stones stated the landscape philosophy ... 'Existing trees in the estate will be left wherever possible ... and any new trees planted will be native Australian trees. It will be a very informal design with no formal flower beds. The landscape must be strong and simple with one continuous flowing feeling.'


The concept embodied by Ellis Stones and the consulting architects was also not dissimilar to Walter Burley Griffin and Frank Lloyd Wright's planning philosophies, emphasising integration of built form and landscape. Full height glazing and courtyards were intended to integrate interior and exterior. The desire to eliminate footpaths by extending the united front garden to the kerb, relates to residential planning designs by Burley Griffin who conceived that front gardens should be communal parks to soften the impact of the built form as viewed from the road.
The cul-de-sac street form, limited materials and design choice, integrated with architect consultation and a limited range of materials were also concepts embodied in the Jennings' Beaumont Estate of 30 years before.
Natural stained finishes, clinker bricks and heavy beams continued the Wright influence at Elliston, which had been popularised in Victoria by Charles Duncan. The vogue for private courtyards, either fully or semi enclosed, was another repeating theme. Additional features embodied into the design of dwellings include wide overhanging eaves, pergolas or slatted sunshades, and full height windows facing north."
 

Cremlin Crush

I must admit I have a crush on 3 Cremlin Court Rosanna. I have a crush on the whole Merchant Builders Elliston Estate really. 

"The Elliston Estate is representative of the prevailing town planning and the architectural ideals of the late 1960s which aimed to integrate the private or personal living environment into a broader community context. This has been effectively achieved at Elliston where the estate layout, creekside public open space, Australian native landscape and the reticulation of services have been combined to create a visually harmonious communal environment."

(Images courtesy Miles Real Estate)

Now I think the less said about the updated interior the better at this point but the house is sited beautifully in the bush garden, taking full advantage of the Northern aspect in the living spaces. It also boasts solar electricity and a rainwater tank making it a very sustainable package.

Flashback Fashion Stakes for Cup Day

While I require very little prompting on the subject, I thought these gorgeous images shot by Jaclyn Adams, styled by Kate Gaskin and featured in the Melbourne Magazine (The Age) earlier this year might provide a little 70's inspiration for this upcoming spring racing carnival. We are finally getting some gorgeous weather so make hay while the sun shines! 

I admit the fantastic BoydBaker house in Bacchus Marsh almost steals the show in these photographs, but for those living in 'Banyule Modern' homes - Get frocked up, fire up the cocktails and have a fantastic Melbourne Cup Weekend! 

Tip Top Tamboon

Okay, so I couldn't think of something witty for the title for 53 Tamboon Drive Eltham but I am pretty confident this little house has some tip-top bones (underneath the brown shag pile carpet!!). But I also may have lost my mind trawling the suburbs for gems! 

 The living spaces are all orientated to the North / North West side of the house, there are heaps of bedrooms and the external facade has some great 70's style. I mean if you are going to have a carport on a sloping site - this is the way to do it!

(Images courtesy Fletchers Real Estate)

Sibbel Garden Open

From time to time Sibbel Homes such as this one come up for sale in the Banyule area. The founder and namesake of the company, Meyer Sibbel and his wife have since moved to Healesville where they have built a home much more in the Australian vernacular with a native garden to match. This weekend the Sibbel's are opening their garden as part of the Open Gardens Australia program. Check out details here or below if you are keen to head along!

Ely Ely

Ok, so 15 Ely Street Eltham is actually a new house but it has certainly been influenced by the aesthetics and principles of mid-century design. Great use of timber externally and inside it looks light and simple. The agents are quoting $690,000-$780,000 which is either dramatically under quoted or a bargain!

Fantastic Views and contemporary kitchen design

Love that bedroom window - great proportions!

Perfect for Summer - All images courtesy Barry Plant

Mervyn and Shakin'

This unit at 4/1 Mervyn Crescent Ivanhoe is a bit of a time capsule of the 60's era! With 3 bedrooms and a fantastic location, it would be the perfect first 'mid-century' home for those out there house hunting!

 

(Images courtesy Miles Real Estate)

Grandview Out, Grandview Up

72 Grandview Grove Rosanna wouldn't usually elicit a post here at Banyule Modern - the design of the old house is neither here nor there - but I must confess I was taken with the lime ceilings used in the living spaces. As a designer I often try to convince clients to take a chance and use an exciting colour in an unexpected place and this is a fantastic illustration of how subtle and joyous that surprise can be... lovely views outside, and when you look up too!

(Images courtesy Miles Real Estate)

Great Girraween

Featuring Daniel Robertson bricks and trademark floor to ceiling windows and raked ceilings, this Fasham house at 9 Girraween Drive Eltham is just as fresh and live-able today as the day it was built. Unsure when that day was exactly - possibly 80's/90's? I just adore Fasham homes and think they are really only one of two current package builders who design and build homes of lasting integrity and quality.

(Images courtesy Fletchers Real Estate)

Going going Greenmeyer..

When I showed this home to my friend T, she confessed that an old friend lived there and - when she was in primary school - had often visited to practice calisthenics! Nice little bit of a personal connection to this classic 60's home at 14 Greenmeyer Court Greensborough. Obviously it was just what someone was looking for - it has already sold!

(Image courtesy Fletchers Real Estate)

 

Creation of Adam

Okay, so the attempt to 'modernise' this modern home hasn't been too successful but the essence of this 60's home at 58 Adam Crescent Montmorency is in tact.... sort of.

(Image courtesy Fletchers Real Estate)

Byron Beauty

This house at 26 Byron Avenue Lower Plenty has been updated throughout with the owners enhancing the lovely simplicity of the original 70's exterior.

(Image courtesy Fletchers Real Estate)

Meakin Mild

Last but not least for today's updates is 65 Meakin Street, Watsonia North (Hocking Stuart Greensborough). Love that chimney from the outside. I just think this little house has terrific mid-century bones. Even the kitchen joinery is great.

(Images courtesy Hocking Stuart Greensborough)

 

Golden Diosma

Probably more from the late 80's/early 90's rather than of a 'mid-century' era, 26 Diosma Road, Eltham (Barry Plant Eltham) there is just something about this house that is too interesting to overlook .

(Images courtesy Barry Plant Eltham)

Very Vabiro

5 Vabiro Court, Greensborough (Darren Jones RE). I wasn't sure whether to include this property or not but the timber lined ceiling in the living room tipped me to say yes...

 

(Images courtesy Darren Jones Real Estate)

Eagles Nest

5 Eagle Court, Eaglemont has classic appeal from the outside but inside is a strange hybrid of 60's & 70's design. I think the best feature of this home is the sensational picture window in the living room. It is for sale through Miles Real Estate.

Fabulous Picture Window

Library / Studio

(all images courtesy Miles Real Estate)

Souter Sweetie

While it is certainly not big, this 50's shack at 2/7 Souter Street, Eltham is cute as a button and has potential plus. A new paint scheme inside and out, new window coverings and some inspired garden design would make the world of difference. It is the perfect foot in the door for first home owners and it's listed with Barry Plant Eltham.

New exterior colour scheme and a new garden please!

Cute as a button kitchen! (Images courtesy Barry Plant)

Yallambie Surprise Package

Classic low, asymmetrical front

 At a mystery location in Yallambie, this potential packed 70's era home is currently listed with Ray White Greensborough.

Great kitchen! (images courtesy Ray White)

Banyule Homestead controversy

Thoughts about the controversial plan to subdivide land surrounding historic Banyule Homestead for three new townhouses: 

What will the townhouses look like? 
Please no periana / repro / neo-classical facadism, I just couldn't cope!!! How about something sympathetic, yet contemporary to juxtapose with the simplicity of the Elizabethan homestead? This is afterall the preferred way of siting new building works with heritage significant ones.

My other concern is that $400,000 will not go far on restoration works, particularly when the developer stands to make considerably more profit here....