AV Jennings House
Prepared by: Context Pty Ltd
Address: 7 Leura Grove, Hawthorn East
Name: House
Survey Date: 22 Nov. 2012
Place Type: Residential
Grading: Individually Significant
Architect: Edward Gurney
(attributed)
Builder: A V Jennings
Extent of Overlay: To title boundaries
Construction Date: 1940
Historical Context
AV Jennings, builders
A V Jennings, founded in 1932 by Albert Victor Jennings, was Melbourne's first project
builder, Australia's largest private home builder and the largest and most influential
provider of house and land packages (Built Heritage 2012:135; NT citation B7247). The
company was known for providing superior brick homes at an affordable price. The
company's most notable pre-war housing estates were located in Ivanhoe (Beauview and
Beaumont estates) and Murrumbeena (Beauville Estate). During the interwar period, no
A V Jennings estates were built within the current City of Boroondara, although one
suburban dwelling was constructed at 7 Leura Grove, Hawthorn (1940). This house is the
company's earliest identifiable project within the City (Built Heritage 2012:135).
The designer of all of the AV Jennings houses from late 1932 until 1939, and many after
that time, was their in-house designer, Edgar Gurney. Garden (1992:19) notes that while
Guerney was 'essentially designing houses for the middle market, he nevertheless
exhibited an awareness of the latest trends in home architecture'. The majority of his
designs in the 1930s were in the Old English style and a conservative interpretation of
the Moderne style (a standard, hip roof house with Moderne detailing). Garden goes on:
'Few of his homes could be described as avant-garde, but he did include one flat-roof
modern house at Beauville [Estate, Ivanhoe] and of particular interest architecturally is
the flat-roofed, functional Bauhaus which he designed for himself at 17 Melcombe Road,
Ivanhoe.'
In 1943, the company headquarters moved to Trent Street, Burwood. From the early
1940s, A V Jennings began to move away from private housing, in favour of a general
contracting service, which incorporated projects for the Housing Commission of Victoria
and experimentation with prefabricated houses. An example was the prefabricated
plywood house at 55 Birdwood Street, Balwyn (c1940s; demolished), presumably
designed by architect Edgar Gurney, and commissioned as a proto-type by plywood
manufacturers Romcke Pty Ltd. This house was praised as the first wholly prefabricated
house in Australia. In addition to these houses, the company's activities in the 1940s
were limited to a small number of houses in Balwyn North and additions to its
headquarters in Burwood (Built Heritage 2012:135).
A V Jennings is most notably known for their planned community developments in the
post-war decades (NT citation B7247). In the mid-1950s A V Jennings built four
residential estates located around Melbourne, intended to re-establish the company as
providers of high-quality housing. One of these estates was the Trentwood Estate in
Balwyn North, in which cul-de-sacs branched off the central street, Trentwood Avenue.
The estate was progressive for its inclusion of a commercial strip, kindergarten and baby
health centre and RSL clubrooms (Built Heritage 2012:135).
History
In August 1938, Harry Cole, horticulturalist, purchased over one acre (Crown portion
105A, Parish of Boroondara) of land bounded by Leura Grove to the south and Saint
Helens Road to the north. Cole subdivided the land from 1939, and sold 7 Leura Grove to
Frank A G Norton, professional photographer, in April 1940 (LV:V6237/F278). The house
was sold to Louis Pogonowski in November 1950 (LV: V6378/583).
Garden (1992:48) states that the two-storey house at 7 Leura Grove was built in 1940 by
A V Jennings. Jennings was simultaneously building Beauview Estate in Ivanhoe, yet
venturing into other markets. Built Heritage (2012:135) notes that this house is the
company's earliest identified project within the City of Boroondara.
Considering its similarities to houses designed around this time by AV Jenning's in-house
designer, Edgar Gurney, it is believed that he designed the 7 Leura Grove house as well.
Description & Integrity
The house at 7 Leura Grove, Hawthorn East, is a two-story cream-brick Moderne house
set on a slight rise behind a generous front yard. The front yard is enclosed by a low brick
fence (now rendered) with pyramidal tops to the piers. It curves inward at the east side,
to sweep in along the entrance drive.
The house has a flat, concrete-slab roof. The central, two-storey mass is surrounded by
projecting single-storey wings. The front (south) wing has the most dramatic projection,
and curved walls which mirror the curved corner of the east side of the facade. There is a
decorative band at the top of the curved wall, of recessed bricks with projecting soldiers.
The projecting curved wing has a simple, horizontal metal balustrade set on a projecting
concrete slab, creating a broad terrace accessed via a door with a decorative metal
screen. The front door, at the south-east corner of the house, appears to have a similar
metal screen.
Windows are a combination of fixed and casement timber windows, with a horizontal
band of glass block highlights on the curved corner (at first-floor level). The projecting
curved bay has a continuous curved picture window along its entire length, clearly
demonstrating the capabilities of steel framing.
There is a flat-roofed garage attached to the east side of the house, which appears to be
original. It retains double ledged timber doors. A later carport has been added to the
front.
While a small band of cream bricks are visible above the door to the first-floor terrace, the
rest of the walls have been bagged with cement slurry. It is likely that the majority of the
bricks are cream-coloured, but there may be clinker brick accents, like other AV Jennings
houses of this style and era.
Comparative Analysis
The Moderne, or Streamlined Moderne, style was introduced to Australia in the 1920s via
the USA, but also shares some traits with European Modernism of the time, such as flat
roofs, corner windows (exhibiting steel's capabilities). It was first used for commercial
buildings, before being translated to residential buildings from the early 1930s. Moderne
buildings generally have asymmetric massing, strong horizontal lines sometimes
strengthened by a parapet and flat roof, ribbon windows, rounded corners and semicircular wings jutting out from the central mass. Many Australian designers compromised
the strong horizontals by including a hipped tiled roof, though the more avant-garde and
purist approach was to have a flat roof.
Stylistically, three houses included in the Schedule to the Boroondara Heritage Overlay
compare most closely with 7 Leura Grove.
The first is 15 Walbundry Avenue, Balwyn North, of 1936 (HO189). This two-storey,
rendered Moderne house has similar massing, with a curved corner to the two-storey part
of the facade, and a projecting curved single-storey section to the right, used as a
terrace. These two flat-roof, curved volumes are set in front of a more conservative,
hipped roof body of the house. Windows are modern, steel-framed with a porthole near
the front door. The house retains its low, rendered front fence.
The second is 2 Beatrice Street, Glen Iris, of 1941 (HO370). This two-storey cream-brick
Moderne house has an asymmetrical massing, parapeted walls concealing the flat roof,
projecting semi-circular bays at ground-floor level with terraces on their roof, and a flat
concrete hood above the windows. It is believed that the original windows have been
replaced by the current timber casements.
The third is 89 Studley Park Road, Kew, of 1940-41 (HO347). It is another two-storey
cream-brick Moderne house with asymmetrical massing, curved corners, particularly fine
steel windows with curved plate glass, etched-glass porthole windows, and a curved
projecting single-storey bay. The roof is hipped and tiled, but is largely hidden by a high
brick parapet.
7 Leura Grove compares well in its massing and detailing with the above examples. It
represents the purist end of the style, with a wholly flat roof. The windows lack the quality
of the curved steel-framed windows seen at 89 Studley Park Road. The bagging of the
face brick compromises its presentation, but this alteration is fairly simple to reverse (with
a careful acid wash).
Further afield, the development of the Moderne style by Edward Guerney is seen at the
two 1930s AV Jennings estates in Ivanhoe: Beaumont and Beauview.
The Beaumont Estate of 1936-39 (Banyule, HO4) comprises houses in the Olde English
style of clinker brick, and Moderne in clinker, apricot and cream brick (one of these three
the dominant material with accents of the others). While most of the houses have pitched
roofs, a handful show more influence from International Modernism, with flat roofs hidden
by a parapet. The roofs were constructed of hollow-block reinforced concrete slabs.
Other indicators of this style include corner windows, curved balconies and glass blocks.
With their sculptural, three-dimensional form, these houses were given pride of place on
corner blocks (6, 17 and 25 Melcombe Avenue; no 17 was Edward Guerney's own
house). In comparison with the slightly later 7 Leura Grove, the Beaumont Estate houses
are far more severe and rectilinear. Only 6 Melcombe Road has small curve concrete
balconies.
At the Beauview Estate (Banyule HO91), construction began in 1939, and was halted by
the war. The house at 20 Beauview Parade shares with 7 Leura Grove a prominent
projecting curved bay with a terrace on top, while the roof is a combination of hipped and
flat sections (the face brick has also been given an unfortunate bagged finish). Other
houses have pitched roofs and are in a variety of styles.
AV Jennings also constructed houses for individual clients in the area, such as the house
at 4 Maltravers Road, Ivanhoe (City of Banyule, HO2) of 1939-40. It is a two-storey
cream-brick house with a clinker-brick base, with a flat roof, and a band of recessed
details along the top of the parapet. Also similar to 7 Leura Grove, it has a large curved
wall to one side of the facade.
Assessment Against Criteria
Criteria referred to in Practice Note 1: Applying the Heritage Overlay, Department of
Planning and Community Development, September 2012, modified for the local context.
CRITERION A: Importance to the course, or pattern, of the City of Boroondara's cultural
or natural history (historical significance).
This is the first known house to be built by the AV Jennings Construction Company in the
City of Boroondara, and one of its last individual residential commissions prior to World
War Two. Founded in 1932 to provide high-quality brick houses at affordable prices, the
company began building individual houses but expanded into entire housing estates by
the mid-1930s. The company went on to have a significant presence in the area with the
Trentwood Estate in Balwyn North, and became Australia's largest private home builder
and the largest and most influential provider of house and land packages.
CRITERION B: Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the City of
Boroondara's cultural or natural history (rarity).
This was the first AV Jennings house built in the City.
CRITERION C: Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of
the City of Boroondara's cultural or natural history (research potential).
Not applicable
CRITERION D: Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of
cultural or natural places or environments (representativeness).
The house at 7 Leura Grove is a representative and largely intact example of a Moderne
style two-storey residence of the late interwar period.
CRITERION E: Importance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics (aesthetic
significance).
The house exhibits typical features of the Moderne style, including asymmetric massing,
rounded corners, strong horizontal lines strengthened by the parapet and steel railing to
the terrace, ribbon windows to the single-storey, semi-circular wing at the front, horizontal
bands of glass blocks, and a flat concrete roof.
CRITERION F: Importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical
achievement at a particular period (technical significance).
Not applicable
CRITERION G: Strong or special association with a particular community or cultural
group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. This includes the significance of a place to
Indigenous peoples as part of their continuing and developing cultural traditions (social
significance).
Not applicable
CRITERION H: Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of
persons, of importance in the City of Boroondara's history (associative significance).
The design of the house is attributed to AV Jenning's in-house designer, Edgar Gurney.
Gurney designed in many popular styles of the interwar period, but a small number were
more avant-garde interpretations with flat roofs and complex massing, including his own
house at 17 Melcombe Road, Ivanhoe, as well as 7 Leura Grove.
Statement of Significance
What is Significant?
The cream-brick Moderne house at 7 Leura Grove, Hawthorn East, is significant to the
extent of its 1940 fabric. The house was constructed by developer AV Jennings for owner
Frank Norton, a professional photographer. The design is attributed to Jenning's in-house
designer, Edgar Gurney.
The front fence and the attached garage contribute to the significance of the place.
The carport is not of significance.
How is it significant?
The house at 7 Leura Grove is of local historical and representative significance to the
City of Boroondara.
Why is it significant?
Historically, the house is significant as the first known house to be built by the AV
Jennings Construction Company in the City of Boroondara, and one of its last individual
residential commissions prior to World War Two. Founded in 1932 to provide high-quality
brick houses at affordable prices, the company began building individual houses but
expanded into entire housing estates by the mid-1930s. The company went on to have a
significant presence in the area with the Trentwood Estate in Balwyn North, and became
Australia's largest private home builder and the largest and most influential provider of
house and land packages. (Criterion A)
The house at 7 Leura Grove is a representative and largely intact example of a Moderne
style two-storey residence of the late interwar period. It exhibits the aesthetic
characteristics of this style, including asymmetric massing, rounded corners, strong
horizontal lines strengthened by the parapet and steel railing to the terrace, ribbon
windows to the single-storey, semi-circular wing at the front, horizontal bands of glass
blocks, and a flat concrete roof. While its presentation has been compromised by
bagging of the cream face bricks, its overall composition is still clearly legible. It is also
one of the small number of avant-garde Moderne houses built by AV Jennings in the
interwar period, and appears to be part of the oeuvre of Edgar Gurney, whose own house
in Ivanhoe was designed in this style. (Criteria D, H)
Grading and Recommendations
Recommended for inclusion in the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay of the Boroondara
Planning Scheme as an individually significant place.
Recommendations for the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay (Clause 43.01) in the
Boroondara Planning Scheme:
External Paint Colours
Is a permit required to paint an already painted surface?
Internal Alteration Controls
Is a permit required for internal alterations?
Tree Controls
Is a permit required to remove a tree?
Victorian Heritage Register
Is the place included on the Victorian Heritage Register?
Incorporated Plan
Does an Incorporated Plan apply to the site?
No
No
No
No
No
Outbuildings and fences exemptions
Are there outbuildings and fences which are not exempt from
notice and review?
Prohibited uses may be permitted
Can a permit be granted to use the place for a use which would
otherwise be prohibited?
Aboriginal Heritage Place
Is the place an Aboriginal heritage place which is subject to the
requirements of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006?
No
No
No
Identified By
Built Heritage (2012), 'City of Boroondara Thematic Environmental History'.
References
Built Heritage (2012), 'City of Boroondara Thematic Environmental History', prepared for
the City of Boroondara.
Garden, Don (1992), Builders To The Nation, The A.V. Jennings Story, Melbourne.
Land Victoria (LV), Certificates of Title, as cited above.
National
Trust
citation
B7247,
'Beauville
Estate',
http://www.nationaltrust.org.au/vic/Home, January 2013.
viewed
online
at