Roots of Style: How Did Your Urban Australian House Gets Its Look?
You can find snapshots of Australia's cultural history right at your doorstep in the form of urban residential architecture
Rebecca Gross
27 October 2014
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design, and I study cultural history through the lens of architecture, design and visual culture. I have a Masters in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from Parsons The New School for Design, New York. My latest book is called "Ornament is not a crime: Contemporary Interiors with a postmodern twist."
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design,... More
Urban Australian architecture is intimately linked to the nation’s prevailing economic, social and cultural conditions. Indeed, the style of the country’s suburban and inner-city houses is a reflection of Australia’s history, and there’s a lot that can be learned just from looking at the form or ornamentation of these houses.
So, in this, the third story in the Roots of Style series, we’re examining Australia’s urban residential architecture. Let’s trace a selection of city and suburban houses, terraces and villas – from the 1880s to the present day – to better understand how these particular houses got their look.
So, in this, the third story in the Roots of Style series, we’re examining Australia’s urban residential architecture. Let’s trace a selection of city and suburban houses, terraces and villas – from the 1880s to the present day – to better understand how these particular houses got their look.
Boom Style (1875 to 1890)
Melbourne architecture in the late-19th century had a style all of its own. This ornately detailed and highly picturesque villa is what’s know as Boom Style, and it could be seen in Melbourne suburbs during the late-Victorian era – a time when the city was christened “Marvellous Melbourne” for being such a big, booming and cosmopolitan city by world standards.
Fuelled by the prosperity of the gold rush and an influx of migration, a large number of terraces were built, distinctively with intricate and elaborate details. These details are abundant on this one-storey terrace – set back from the street in typical Melbourne style – including cast-iron lacework and polychrome brickwork influenced by the early work of local architect Joseph Reed.
Elements of the Italianate style are most prominent on this style of house. Influenced by the British, the Italianate style was immensely popular in Australia during the late-Victorian era. During the 19th century British architects looked to Classical archetypes, drawing on Italian Renaissance architecture and synthesising these historic features with picturesque aesthetics.
Translated to Australian domestic architecture, you can see the highly rendered parapet – the large decorative, rectangular structure above the cast-iron lacework – used to deliberately hide the corrugated gable roof. As was typical of the era, the parapet featured the name of the house, and was topped with a pediment and crown. On each side of the pediment is a lion and unicorn – symbols of the United Kingdom on the Royal Coat of Arms.
WHY WE LOVE IT: This house is not just unique to Australia, it is unique to Melbourne and to a very specific period in time. It not only reflects the growing wealth and prosperity in Victoria in the late-19th century, it also expresses the patriotism that many Australians and migrants still felt for the British empire at this time.
Melbourne architecture in the late-19th century had a style all of its own. This ornately detailed and highly picturesque villa is what’s know as Boom Style, and it could be seen in Melbourne suburbs during the late-Victorian era – a time when the city was christened “Marvellous Melbourne” for being such a big, booming and cosmopolitan city by world standards.
Fuelled by the prosperity of the gold rush and an influx of migration, a large number of terraces were built, distinctively with intricate and elaborate details. These details are abundant on this one-storey terrace – set back from the street in typical Melbourne style – including cast-iron lacework and polychrome brickwork influenced by the early work of local architect Joseph Reed.
Elements of the Italianate style are most prominent on this style of house. Influenced by the British, the Italianate style was immensely popular in Australia during the late-Victorian era. During the 19th century British architects looked to Classical archetypes, drawing on Italian Renaissance architecture and synthesising these historic features with picturesque aesthetics.
Translated to Australian domestic architecture, you can see the highly rendered parapet – the large decorative, rectangular structure above the cast-iron lacework – used to deliberately hide the corrugated gable roof. As was typical of the era, the parapet featured the name of the house, and was topped with a pediment and crown. On each side of the pediment is a lion and unicorn – symbols of the United Kingdom on the Royal Coat of Arms.
WHY WE LOVE IT: This house is not just unique to Australia, it is unique to Melbourne and to a very specific period in time. It not only reflects the growing wealth and prosperity in Victoria in the late-19th century, it also expresses the patriotism that many Australians and migrants still felt for the British empire at this time.
Edwardian (c.1901 to c.1915)
The Edwardian style is classified by the reign of King Edward VII and is similar in character to Australia’s Federation Bungalows from the same era. However, while Federation Bungalows often had motifs of Australian flora or fauna in celebration of the new Australian nation, Edwardian villas did not. Rather, they retained their English character, perhaps in acknowledgement of the Britishness of Australian national identity at this time.
Externally, Edwardian-style villas often exhibit red brickwork with cream bands in brick or painted render, as can be seen in the horizontal strip across this villa. From the street, Edwardian-style houses can also be characterised by steeply sloped hip roofs, front facing gables, and timber – rather than cast-iron – fretwork.
I’m even going to go out on a limb and say that the villa pictured features Art Nouveau characteristics, also evident in Britain during the late-19th and early-20th century, But, rather than the sinuous curves of French Art Nouveau, these draw on the more rectilinear and geometric forms of Scottish architect, designer and artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh from around the turn of the century.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Edwardian villas display beauty in simplicity. They were designed for sunshine and ventilation, and an ever-growing desire for cleanliness. Therefore, they are still beautifully ornamented without being overly fussy.
The Edwardian style is classified by the reign of King Edward VII and is similar in character to Australia’s Federation Bungalows from the same era. However, while Federation Bungalows often had motifs of Australian flora or fauna in celebration of the new Australian nation, Edwardian villas did not. Rather, they retained their English character, perhaps in acknowledgement of the Britishness of Australian national identity at this time.
Externally, Edwardian-style villas often exhibit red brickwork with cream bands in brick or painted render, as can be seen in the horizontal strip across this villa. From the street, Edwardian-style houses can also be characterised by steeply sloped hip roofs, front facing gables, and timber – rather than cast-iron – fretwork.
I’m even going to go out on a limb and say that the villa pictured features Art Nouveau characteristics, also evident in Britain during the late-19th and early-20th century, But, rather than the sinuous curves of French Art Nouveau, these draw on the more rectilinear and geometric forms of Scottish architect, designer and artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh from around the turn of the century.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Edwardian villas display beauty in simplicity. They were designed for sunshine and ventilation, and an ever-growing desire for cleanliness. Therefore, they are still beautifully ornamented without being overly fussy.
Tudor Revival/Old English (c.1915 to 1940)
Another style of housing that really draws on the character of English architecture and patriotism for the British empire is Tudor Revival or Old English, popular in Australia between WWI and WWII.
Australia still had very dominant Anglo-Saxon ties during the inter-war period, and perhaps in a time of upheaval and economic instability – after WWI and through the Depression – there was security and virtue in drawing on a sense of nostalgia for English tradition.
The Tudor style is distinctly associated with England and the days of Henry VIII. In Tudor Revival, architects translated the simple, rustic and more modest aspects of Tudor architecture, such as the characteristic half-timbering (seen above the windows here), and the steeply pitched roof.
Another style of housing that really draws on the character of English architecture and patriotism for the British empire is Tudor Revival or Old English, popular in Australia between WWI and WWII.
Australia still had very dominant Anglo-Saxon ties during the inter-war period, and perhaps in a time of upheaval and economic instability – after WWI and through the Depression – there was security and virtue in drawing on a sense of nostalgia for English tradition.
The Tudor style is distinctly associated with England and the days of Henry VIII. In Tudor Revival, architects translated the simple, rustic and more modest aspects of Tudor architecture, such as the characteristic half-timbering (seen above the windows here), and the steeply pitched roof.
This house in Perth, known as Kulahea – pronounced coola-here (get it?) – is also a revival of Tudor architecture. It is the only remaining residence designed by George Thomas Temple-Poole, a British architect well-known for his work in WA between 1885 and 1930. Built in 1922 for Charles North, who would be Mayor of Cottesloe in 1923, the heritage-listed property has recently been restored and updated. However, true to its historic character, the house still retains its Old English charm through the half-timbering, steep gabled roof and vertical windows.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Tudor Revival and Old English architecture evoke a sense of romance and nostalgia for a simpler world. It directly expresses the influence of British architecture and, perhaps, the deep cultural ties between Britain and Australia at this time.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Tudor Revival and Old English architecture evoke a sense of romance and nostalgia for a simpler world. It directly expresses the influence of British architecture and, perhaps, the deep cultural ties between Britain and Australia at this time.
Art Deco (1930s to 1940s)
Art Deco is one of the most recognisable architectural styles out there – distinctive for both its aesthetic and its cultural connotations. Just say the words Art Deco and we all have vivid images of glitz and glamour, fabulous fashion and very distinctive design.
Art Deco was much-aligned with being ‘modern’ and living a ‘modern’ life and it took the world by storm, emerging in the 1920s before flourishing in the 1930s and ‘40s. In France, designers created luxury objects with expensive, glossy materials; in America, architects played with the forms and motifs of capitalism and industry; while in Shanghai, designers incorporated traditional Chinese motifs. In Sydney, architects added Art Deco flourishes to suburban houses, beachside apartment blocks and civic buildings.
Most striking, you can find the stepped skyscraper silhouette (as can be seen in the pediment of the house pictured, effectively hiding the hipped roof), as well as streamlined, geometric curves and horizontal lines indicative of speed or movement (as seen in the balcony railings).
WHY WE LOVE IT: If you’ve followed my Roots of Styles series, it is notable that Art Deco is one of the first styles of architecture (along with the California Bungalow in the 1910s to 1940s) in which Australian architects have looked beyond Britain for style, or have been stylistically influenced by countries other than Britain. This embrace of a worldwide phenomenon reflects the modernisation and budding globalisation of Australia as it began to look to other cultures in the interwar and post-war period, specifically America.
Art Deco is one of the most recognisable architectural styles out there – distinctive for both its aesthetic and its cultural connotations. Just say the words Art Deco and we all have vivid images of glitz and glamour, fabulous fashion and very distinctive design.
Art Deco was much-aligned with being ‘modern’ and living a ‘modern’ life and it took the world by storm, emerging in the 1920s before flourishing in the 1930s and ‘40s. In France, designers created luxury objects with expensive, glossy materials; in America, architects played with the forms and motifs of capitalism and industry; while in Shanghai, designers incorporated traditional Chinese motifs. In Sydney, architects added Art Deco flourishes to suburban houses, beachside apartment blocks and civic buildings.
Most striking, you can find the stepped skyscraper silhouette (as can be seen in the pediment of the house pictured, effectively hiding the hipped roof), as well as streamlined, geometric curves and horizontal lines indicative of speed or movement (as seen in the balcony railings).
WHY WE LOVE IT: If you’ve followed my Roots of Styles series, it is notable that Art Deco is one of the first styles of architecture (along with the California Bungalow in the 1910s to 1940s) in which Australian architects have looked beyond Britain for style, or have been stylistically influenced by countries other than Britain. This embrace of a worldwide phenomenon reflects the modernisation and budding globalisation of Australia as it began to look to other cultures in the interwar and post-war period, specifically America.
Postwar cream brick house (1945 to 1965)
Australia experienced a severe housing shortage in the 1940s, after the Great Depression and World War II, due to a lack of materials, equipment and skilled labour. Therefore, across the country, federal and state governments introduced legislation and housing programs to accommodate Australia’s growing population.
In Perth, the federal housing agreement of 1947 enabled the WA government to implement a public housing program that would “provide modest accommodation on a massive scale – and quickly”. As a result, Perth’s metropolitan area almost doubled in size between 1945 and 1960 – 20,000 houses were constructed making up about 41 per cent of the houses built in WA at the time.
Many of these houses were similar in style and characteristics with double- or triple-front cream brick facades and minimal decoration. Designed for family living, they often incorporated a carport or garage as suburbs expanded and automobiles became a necessity. Additionally, low fences and neat gardens with large lawns were standard for the day.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Modest and understated, postwar cream brick houses are often a product of Australia’s state and government housing programs responding to the needs of its citizens.
Australia experienced a severe housing shortage in the 1940s, after the Great Depression and World War II, due to a lack of materials, equipment and skilled labour. Therefore, across the country, federal and state governments introduced legislation and housing programs to accommodate Australia’s growing population.
In Perth, the federal housing agreement of 1947 enabled the WA government to implement a public housing program that would “provide modest accommodation on a massive scale – and quickly”. As a result, Perth’s metropolitan area almost doubled in size between 1945 and 1960 – 20,000 houses were constructed making up about 41 per cent of the houses built in WA at the time.
Many of these houses were similar in style and characteristics with double- or triple-front cream brick facades and minimal decoration. Designed for family living, they often incorporated a carport or garage as suburbs expanded and automobiles became a necessity. Additionally, low fences and neat gardens with large lawns were standard for the day.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Modest and understated, postwar cream brick houses are often a product of Australia’s state and government housing programs responding to the needs of its citizens.
International Style (c.1948 to current)
In the 1920s and 1930s progressive architects in Europe – and later in America – embraced the ‘box’ as the foundation of architectural form. These modern designers sought to create an architecture for the modern age that would later be known as the International Style. Working to the ethos of ‘form follows function’, architects eschewed tradition, rejected superfluous ornament and stripped architecture to its purest forms. They designed from geometric boxes making use of industrial materials and modern technology.
Austrian-born Harry Seidler moved to Australia in 1948, bringing the principles of the International Style with him. In his radical-at-the-time Rose Seidler House (completed in 1950) – the beginning of the International Style in Australia – Seidler did away with the traditional standards of residential design we’ve seen thus far, and instead elevated a large rectangular volume above the ground. His use of windows accented the volume’s well-defined edges and comprised small integrated rectangular forms, and his entrance way played on sharp angles.
In the 1920s and 1930s progressive architects in Europe – and later in America – embraced the ‘box’ as the foundation of architectural form. These modern designers sought to create an architecture for the modern age that would later be known as the International Style. Working to the ethos of ‘form follows function’, architects eschewed tradition, rejected superfluous ornament and stripped architecture to its purest forms. They designed from geometric boxes making use of industrial materials and modern technology.
Austrian-born Harry Seidler moved to Australia in 1948, bringing the principles of the International Style with him. In his radical-at-the-time Rose Seidler House (completed in 1950) – the beginning of the International Style in Australia – Seidler did away with the traditional standards of residential design we’ve seen thus far, and instead elevated a large rectangular volume above the ground. His use of windows accented the volume’s well-defined edges and comprised small integrated rectangular forms, and his entrance way played on sharp angles.
These characteristics of Rose Seidler House would continue to be seen in progressive Australian architecture throughout the decades; but they have really come to the fore in contemporary architecture in recent decades, as can be seen in this Sydney house. Like Rose Seidler House, it is raised above the ground, has strong geometric forms and expansive glass windows.
WHY WE LOVE IT: As the 20th century progressed, Australian architects continued to look beyond Britain to America and Europe. While radical when first introduced in the mid-century, the International Style has proven to highly influential and enduring – its impact readily seen in contemporary architecture today.
WHY WE LOVE IT: As the 20th century progressed, Australian architects continued to look beyond Britain to America and Europe. While radical when first introduced in the mid-century, the International Style has proven to highly influential and enduring – its impact readily seen in contemporary architecture today.
Warehouse conversion/loft style (1990s to current)
If you’re into inner-city living, warehouse conversions and loft-style apartments have been all the rage for the last couple decades. Since the 1990s developers have been turning Sydney and Melbourne’s abandoned and unused warehouses and factories into funky, luxurious and convenient inner-city apartments.
Many of these warehouses and factories were built between the mid 19th century and the 1930s, before the Great Depression slowed manufacturing. But as industry expanded in the postwar era and warehouses and factories moved out of the city, people slowly moved back into the city. In the gentrifying process of urban renewal, warehouses and factories became prime real estate with many covetable design features. Warehouse conversions often have exposed timber beams and floors, exposed brickwork and oversized windows. Plus unusual floor plans and size are often big attractions.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Warehouse conversions synthesise the past and the present, as 19th- and early 20th-century buildings – deserted for decades – are repurposed into characterful apartments with age value and exclusivity.
If you’re into inner-city living, warehouse conversions and loft-style apartments have been all the rage for the last couple decades. Since the 1990s developers have been turning Sydney and Melbourne’s abandoned and unused warehouses and factories into funky, luxurious and convenient inner-city apartments.
Many of these warehouses and factories were built between the mid 19th century and the 1930s, before the Great Depression slowed manufacturing. But as industry expanded in the postwar era and warehouses and factories moved out of the city, people slowly moved back into the city. In the gentrifying process of urban renewal, warehouses and factories became prime real estate with many covetable design features. Warehouse conversions often have exposed timber beams and floors, exposed brickwork and oversized windows. Plus unusual floor plans and size are often big attractions.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Warehouse conversions synthesise the past and the present, as 19th- and early 20th-century buildings – deserted for decades – are repurposed into characterful apartments with age value and exclusivity.
Modern Art Deco (current)
In a modern take on Art Deco, this contemporary house exhibits a distinctive strain of Art Deco architecture from the 1930s as it draws on the form of an ocean liner.
Can you see the overall shape of a cruise ship formed by this contemporary home? Imagine the bridge of the ship being on the second level to the right of the house; and the deck above the garage to the left.
French and American Art Deco designers in the 1930s often referenced images of ocean liners, which represented a luxury world of travel at that time. With a little imagination, I think you can see the form of a cruise ship in this house, which also incorporates the stepped silhouette, sweeping corners and vertical lines as if arrested in motion, and strong geometric forms.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Art Deco captures the modern glamour of a bygone era. It has very distinctive architectural roots and is perhaps a period many of us would have loved to experienced in our lifetime (I certainly know I would have).
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Roots of Style: How Did Your Australian Home Get Its Look?
Roots of Style: How Did Your Rural Australian Home Get Its Look?
In a modern take on Art Deco, this contemporary house exhibits a distinctive strain of Art Deco architecture from the 1930s as it draws on the form of an ocean liner.
Can you see the overall shape of a cruise ship formed by this contemporary home? Imagine the bridge of the ship being on the second level to the right of the house; and the deck above the garage to the left.
French and American Art Deco designers in the 1930s often referenced images of ocean liners, which represented a luxury world of travel at that time. With a little imagination, I think you can see the form of a cruise ship in this house, which also incorporates the stepped silhouette, sweeping corners and vertical lines as if arrested in motion, and strong geometric forms.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Art Deco captures the modern glamour of a bygone era. It has very distinctive architectural roots and is perhaps a period many of us would have loved to experienced in our lifetime (I certainly know I would have).
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Roots of Style: How Did Your Australian Home Get Its Look?
Roots of Style: How Did Your Rural Australian Home Get Its Look?
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