Comments on: A Case for Cleeve Court

By: Glen Camenzuli

Glen Camenzuli — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:39:00 +0000

Hi Dale, I was also at the auction for 9-11 Booyong Avenue. Your prediction was right and the house has been bulldozed!!! Such a shame, such a waste and so stupid and unsustainable. It truly was an amazing home, probably the best modernist home in Lugarno. I spoke to you briefly after the auction and I was disappointed for you and your partner. I could see how keen you were on the place. I really wanted it too but was never really in the hunt. I hope you have since found something to your good taste! It’s good to see that there are people out there who appreciate modernist architecture but sadly we can’t save every home. I agree with your sentiment regarding laws against this type of behaviour. Ideally people should be made to justify the demolition of a building on sustainability grounds – 40% of landfill waste in this country comes from the building industry which is simply ridiculous.

By: Dale Thurbon

Dale Thurbon — Sat, 21 May 2011 23:55:57 +0000

It is really sad to see these amazing homes destroyed to make a quick buck, I attended an auction yesterday for a house currently listed on the Modernist Australia website at 9-11 Booyong Avenue Lugarno. It was a perfect example of 60′s design, everything was original and in perfect condition, just waiting for another family to move in and love as the previous family had done for many years. Unfortunately I ended up in a bidding war with a developer constantly make calls to numerous people trying to round up more money. I got to $962,000 and had to pull out, the reserve was not met and I believe it was negotiated to $990,000 with the developer. So for $28,000 this beautiful piece of 60′s history will be destroyed and two ugly homes will be built for two families with no taste. All for the sake of “progress” it’s a huge step backwards if you ask me with no respect for our past. There should be laws against this, the energy it will take to knock down a perfect full brick with concrete slab house, excavate and build two more would be enourmous. All this destruction for a relatively small profit.

By: rohan

rohan — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 05:22:19 +0000

Sadly its more than likely that a Toorak buyer will want a McMansion, though the approved design looks almost Vienna Secession inspired, but is just as unresponsive to sun angles as any Tuscan Villa.

I would also like to comment on the McCartney quote -the danger point seems to be more like 30-40 years, for instance virtually every 50s – 70s office tower in the Melbourne CBD had at least the foyer, and more lately the cladding, done over between 1990 and now. The appreciation of anything 1930s Deco is now up there with Victorian, so the 70 year point marks their arrival at acceptance, even obsession by some. There is a significant appreciation of mid century modern growing right now, though sadly not enough to save the many great little houses (being little doesnt help either). But equally at risk right now is PostModern places, not appreciated, not old enough to be in heritage studies, not protected, and indeed probably seen as somewhat embarrassing by current generation of architects.