After the Second World War, the international style put its stamp on cities throughout the western world. Sometimes it pushed regional architectural forms into the background or caused them to disappear altogether. Despite this trend towards uniformity (and perhaps because of Australia’s relative isolation), some recognisably regional modern architectural styles developed in Australia’s major capital cities. These styles were most often found in houses and small buildings.

The idea of a Melbourne interpretation of modern architecture was first articulated (and in many ways driven) by Robin Boyd. His book Victorian Modern (1947) traced the history of Victorian architecture and described a style of architecture that he hoped would be a response to local surroundings as well as the popular international style. He identified the early stages of a Melbourne regional style, seen in the work of Roy Grounds and in some outer suburban bush houses of the 1930s.

The houses were typically narrow, linear, single storey with a low pitched gable roof with exposed rafters and wide eaves. Walls were generally bagged or painted brick and windows large areas of glass with regularly spaced timber mullions. As the 1950s progressed, larger, more expensive versions of the style began to appear in the better suburbs of Melbourne (and Canberra) and the flat roofed house with the wide, overhanging eaves became more acceptable. The Fenner House is of particular interest: it was one of Robin Boyd’s first commissions not built to a tight budget and is a superb example of the style.

Features

• Generally found in the Melbourne region
• Simple, unpretentious architecture, mainly residential
• Flat or low pitch gable roof, steel roofing
• Low roofline emphasising the horizontal nature of the plan
• Narrow edge to roof
• Widely projecting eaves
• Long, unbroken roofline
• Exposed rafters and joists
• Timber posts, verandahs
• Large areas of glass with regularly spaced timber mullions
• Vertical or horizontal boarding often left unpainted
• Paint and colour used to highlight surfaces and edges

On this site

• 11 Tasmania Circle, Forrest. Robin Boyd, 1952.
• Fenner House, 8 Monaro Crescent, Red Hill. Robin Boyd, 1952-53.
• 4 Bedford Street, Deakin. Robin Boyd, 1954.
• 14 Jansz Crescent, Griffith. D F Wrigley, 1957.
• 73 National Circuit, Deakin. E J Scollay, 1958.
• Forrest Townhouses, 3 Tasmania Circle, Forrest. Roy Grounds, 1959.
• 42, 44 and 46 Vasey Crescent, Campbell. Roy Grounds, 1960.

Other examples in Victoria

• House, Oliver’s Hill, Frankston. Roy Grounds, 1952.
• House, Hill Street, Toorak. Roy Grounds, 1953.
• McIntyre House, Hodgson Street, Kew. Peter McIntyre, 1952-54.
• Myer House, Mt Eliza. Robin Boyd, 1957.
• Boyd House, South Yarra. Robin Boyd, 1957-59.