An Art Deco Streamline Moderne Villa - Ballarat
Set back from the road behind its original low brick garden wall, this wonderfully sleek and stylised Art Deco villa may be found near to Lake Wendouree in the provincial Victorian city of Ballarat.
The clean uncluttered lines of the villa are very Streamline Moderne in design. The villa is made almost entirely of clinker brick, with the exception of some brown and red feature bricks along the angular planter boxes enclosing the front entranceway. It features a wide circular porch and a very tall chimney, both signature design elements of Ballarat’s most renowned architect of the 1930s, Herbert Leslie Coburn (1891 – 1956). Built in 1939 for a middle class family, it cost £950.00, not an insignificant sum in the late 1930s. It has very functionalist windows and once had an oeil de boeuf window to the right of the front porch. The difference in colour of the mortar makes where it once was just discernable. Aside from the small band of feature bricks, it is entirely devoid of decoration.
This style of house would have appealed to the up and coming middle-classes of Ballarat whose money came from local merchant trade, the wool or farming industries that developed in the Twentieth Century. Comfortable and very English, it would have shown respectablity and a certain level of avant garde style and modernism that money could provide.
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.
The community minded Herbert Coburn was elected a Councillor with the City of Ballarat in 1938, and Mayor in 1945. Herbert’s motivation was the 'proper development and advancement of his city.' He held the position of Councillor until 1952.
An Art Deco Streamline Moderne Villa - Ballarat
Set back from the road behind its original low brick garden wall, this wonderfully sleek and stylised Art Deco villa may be found near to Lake Wendouree in the provincial Victorian city of Ballarat.
The clean uncluttered lines of the villa are very Streamline Moderne in design. The villa is made almost entirely of clinker brick, with the exception of some brown and red feature bricks along the angular planter boxes enclosing the front entranceway. It features a wide circular porch and a very tall chimney, both signature design elements of Ballarat’s most renowned architect of the 1930s, Herbert Leslie Coburn (1891 – 1956). Built in 1939 for a middle class family, it cost £950.00, not an insignificant sum in the late 1930s. It has very functionalist windows and once had an oeil de boeuf window to the right of the front porch. The difference in colour of the mortar makes where it once was just discernable. Aside from the small band of feature bricks, it is entirely devoid of decoration.
This style of house would have appealed to the up and coming middle-classes of Ballarat whose money came from local merchant trade, the wool or farming industries that developed in the Twentieth Century. Comfortable and very English, it would have shown respectablity and a certain level of avant garde style and modernism that money could provide.
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.
The community minded Herbert Coburn was elected a Councillor with the City of Ballarat in 1938, and Mayor in 1945. Herbert’s motivation was the 'proper development and advancement of his city.' He held the position of Councillor until 1952.