"Trelawne", a Streamline Moderne Art Deco Mansion - Ballarat
Painted in crisp grey, "Trelawne" is a stylish Streamline Moderne Art Deco mansion that may be found nestled amid a well establish garden of exotics on the corner of Drummond and Webster Streets in the provincial Victorian city of Ballarat.
The flat roof of "Trelawne", the rounded wall treatment, the use of porthole windows and glass brick windows and the minimal decoration across the building all pay homage to the chic, uncluttered lines of Streamline Moderne Art Deco architecture popular around the world in the 1930s.
"Trelawne" has been designed in Modern Ship Style, as Streamline Moderne was known in Australia in the 1930s. This nickname was used because the buildings designed in this style often looked very much like the cascading upper superstructures of ocean liners with their towering decks, railings and porthole windows. The enclosed stairwell of "Trelawne", with its rounded facade, porthole window and banks of glass bricks does not look unlike the prow of a ship. Built in 1930 for manufacturing magnate Herbert John Tippett, "Trelawne" was designed by Herbert Leslie Coburn for the Ballarat architect firm Richards, Coburn and Richards, and is not unlike Harry Norris's Sherbrooke Forest mansion "Burnham Beeches" which he built for millionaire Alfred Nicholas just three years later in 1933. The fence that surrounds the large corner block upon which "Trelawne" is situated is made of bluestone blocks from an earlier house that originally stood on the site.
Ballarat born Herbert Leslie Coburn grew up to be a renowned Ballarat architect, practicing from 1905 to 1956. He taught Architecture and Building Construction at the Ballarat School of Mines from 1922, resigning in 1948 due to ill health. The Royal Victorian Institute of Architects awarded Herbert Coburn a Silver Medal for the designs of an Anglican Gothic Suburban Church in 1913 while he was still a student of the institute. In 1917 Herbert became associated with Percy Richards, and they formed a partnership in 1918, Richards, Coburn, Richards, which lasted until 1933, when they separated owing to artistic differences. Whilst Percy Richards wished to retain a more traditional style in keeping with the popular conservative tastes of their clients, Herbert Coburn wanted to be at the vanguard of architectural design and was very interested in following the sleeker and stylised designs of the Streamline Moderne movement which was coming out of Europe. Herbert Coburn therefore started his own architectural practice. Coburn studied for formal qualifications by correspondence with the International Correspondence School, obtaining an architectural diploma two years later. His rooms were in the Clyde Chambers at 313 Sturt St, Ballarat. He was a Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects. Some of Herbert Coburn's architectural achievements include: St Patrick's Primary School in Drummond Street Ballarat (1935), the Shire of Wimmera Council Offices in Firebrace Street Horsham (1936), Paterson's Furniture Store in Horsham (circa 1936), the Railway Hotel in Maryborough (1938) and the clock tower of the Stawell Town Hall (1939). In addition to these, there are many beautiful, well designed and executed modernist Art Deco villas around Ballarat that bear his distinct architectural style.
Hebert John Tippett was born in 1872 at Newlyn, Victoria. He was a Newlyn farmer and grazier before making his name as an engineer. He joined Ronaldson and Co., a machinery manufacturing company located in Creswick Road, in 1905. The business manufactured chaff cutters and corn crushers. After Mr. Tippet joined the firm and moved up its ranks, he eventually became the director of the business and it was renamed Ronaldson and Tippett. Under his management, it manufactured internal combustion engines and water cooled engines. During the Second World War the company won major contracts to supply, pumps, filters, diesel engines and gun cradles for the war effort. They also made marine engines that were reportedly very quiet, making them excellent to use behind enemy lines. Mr. Tippett died aged 84 at his beloved Streamline Moderne home "Trelawne" in 1957.
"Trelawne", a Streamline Moderne Art Deco Mansion - Ballarat
Painted in crisp grey, "Trelawne" is a stylish Streamline Moderne Art Deco mansion that may be found nestled amid a well establish garden of exotics on the corner of Drummond and Webster Streets in the provincial Victorian city of Ballarat.
The flat roof of "Trelawne", the rounded wall treatment, the use of porthole windows and glass brick windows and the minimal decoration across the building all pay homage to the chic, uncluttered lines of Streamline Moderne Art Deco architecture popular around the world in the 1930s.
"Trelawne" has been designed in Modern Ship Style, as Streamline Moderne was known in Australia in the 1930s. This nickname was used because the buildings designed in this style often looked very much like the cascading upper superstructures of ocean liners with their towering decks, railings and porthole windows. The enclosed stairwell of "Trelawne", with its rounded facade, porthole window and banks of glass bricks does not look unlike the prow of a ship. Built in 1930 for manufacturing magnate Herbert John Tippett, "Trelawne" was designed by Herbert Leslie Coburn for the Ballarat architect firm Richards, Coburn and Richards, and is not unlike Harry Norris's Sherbrooke Forest mansion "Burnham Beeches" which he built for millionaire Alfred Nicholas just three years later in 1933. The fence that surrounds the large corner block upon which "Trelawne" is situated is made of bluestone blocks from an earlier house that originally stood on the site.
Ballarat born Herbert Leslie Coburn grew up to be a renowned Ballarat architect, practicing from 1905 to 1956. He taught Architecture and Building Construction at the Ballarat School of Mines from 1922, resigning in 1948 due to ill health. The Royal Victorian Institute of Architects awarded Herbert Coburn a Silver Medal for the designs of an Anglican Gothic Suburban Church in 1913 while he was still a student of the institute. In 1917 Herbert became associated with Percy Richards, and they formed a partnership in 1918, Richards, Coburn, Richards, which lasted until 1933, when they separated owing to artistic differences. Whilst Percy Richards wished to retain a more traditional style in keeping with the popular conservative tastes of their clients, Herbert Coburn wanted to be at the vanguard of architectural design and was very interested in following the sleeker and stylised designs of the Streamline Moderne movement which was coming out of Europe. Herbert Coburn therefore started his own architectural practice. Coburn studied for formal qualifications by correspondence with the International Correspondence School, obtaining an architectural diploma two years later. His rooms were in the Clyde Chambers at 313 Sturt St, Ballarat. He was a Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects. Some of Herbert Coburn's architectural achievements include: St Patrick's Primary School in Drummond Street Ballarat (1935), the Shire of Wimmera Council Offices in Firebrace Street Horsham (1936), Paterson's Furniture Store in Horsham (circa 1936), the Railway Hotel in Maryborough (1938) and the clock tower of the Stawell Town Hall (1939). In addition to these, there are many beautiful, well designed and executed modernist Art Deco villas around Ballarat that bear his distinct architectural style.
Hebert John Tippett was born in 1872 at Newlyn, Victoria. He was a Newlyn farmer and grazier before making his name as an engineer. He joined Ronaldson and Co., a machinery manufacturing company located in Creswick Road, in 1905. The business manufactured chaff cutters and corn crushers. After Mr. Tippet joined the firm and moved up its ranks, he eventually became the director of the business and it was renamed Ronaldson and Tippett. Under his management, it manufactured internal combustion engines and water cooled engines. During the Second World War the company won major contracts to supply, pumps, filters, diesel engines and gun cradles for the war effort. They also made marine engines that were reportedly very quiet, making them excellent to use behind enemy lines. Mr. Tippett died aged 84 at his beloved Streamline Moderne home "Trelawne" in 1957.