Lavewan Court (Brisbane's Red Hill, Queensland)
The residential suburb of Red Hill is one of Brisbane’s oldest suburbs with land in the area first subdivided for semi-rural estates in the 1860s. The land on which ‘Lavewan Court’ is situated was surveyed and alienated in 1865 as portions 604 and 605, parish of North Brisbane. At this time Red Hill was sparsely populated, with the steepness of the hills initially deterring settlement. However, from the 1870s, its proximity to the town centre, the availability of cheap residential allotments in the valleys and the later provision of a tram service through the district (opened along Musgrave Road, 1897-98), encouraged residential and accompanying commercial and religious development of the area.
Portions 604 and 605 were purchased by Thomas Reynolds in October 1873 and February 1874 respectively. Thomas Reynolds used the land, totalling almost two roods (2023.4m2) to build an estate. Thomas Reynolds came to Brisbane as the chef of George Augustus Constantine Phipps, 2nd Marquis of Normanby who was Governor of Queensland from 1871-74. When the Marquis went to New Zealand to be governor, Reynolds went with him, but returned in 1876 when the climate did not agree with him. Reynolds then became the chef at Queensland’s Parliament House for 37 years prior before retiring in 1913. Upon his death in 1935, Thomas Reynolds left his house “Millwood” in Upper Clifton Terrace, then valued with its grounds at £4.286, to the Christian Science Church (First Church of Christ Scientist).
The church trustees subdivided portion 605, selling the first subdivision in 1941. In 1946 portions 604 and 605 contained at least two substantial houses and some outbuildings. The current site of 25 Upper Clifton Terrace containing 703 m2 (27.8 perches) was created in February 1947 as a subdivision of portions 604 and 605 but remained vested in the trustees of the First Church of Christ Scientist. In 1960 the trustees of the estate of Thomas Reynolds applied to erect Multi Dwelling Apartments on the property. In March 1961 Lavewan Investments Pty Ltd bought the land and applied to erect nine (9) flats on the site.
While early twentieth century flats were often large houses turned into multiple dwellings, the interwar period saw the emergence of the modern purpose-built flats. They were seen as the epitome of modern living which emphasised the pursuit of individual freedom. New planning regulations in 1936 allowed large planned blocks of fats with their height restricted to two or three storeys in special locations. This resulted in the construction of enlarged domestic style and multi-storey blocks of units.
When the material shortages following World War Two waned in the late 1950s, a new architectural form of multiple dwelling emerged. The 1960s “walk up” or “six pack” replaced the flats which were formed from subdivided large houses or interwar flats. ‘Lavewan Court’ is an innovative and creative development of the ‘walk up’ unit block.
In December 1960 architects Curro, Nutter and Charlton applied on behalf of the Trustees of T. Reynolds, to build a Class “A” Multiple Dwelling flats on the site. The approval for nine (9) flats was issued to Lavewan Investments Pty Ltd in April 1961. The partnership of John Curro, Dan Nutter and Ian Charlton had recently formed with Charlton joining Curro and Nutter after working with notable postwar architects Hayes & Scott in 1954, 1958-1960. Curro, Nutter and Charlton studied architecture together at the University of Queensland under Karl Langer and Ron Voller, and practised from 1960-1972. They designed domestic houses as well as units.
‘Lavewan Court’ is a three-storey multi-unit set of flats. It differs from the standard ‘walk up’ in having an extra storey and an unusual triangular shape responding to the shape of the lot located on a bend in Clifton Terrace. The high quality, innovative design utilises concrete and columns to create a distinctive design-response to the site and to organise the internal spaces framed by the triangular building into nine units with modern living spaces with compact kitchens and bathrooms.
Curro, Nutter and Charlton went on to win the Royal Australian Institute of Architects “Building of the Year” in 1965 with the high rise “Gleneagles” Senior Citizens Home containing 98 self-contained units in twin towers in Moray Street, New Farm. ‘Lavewan Court’ was finished and registered as Flat Buildings for 24 persons in March 1962 which was subject to the stipulations of the Chief Health Officer who was required to approve all flats to ensure that slum conditions did not develop.
The units were let prior to the introduction of strata titling in 1965, and remained owned by Lavewan Investments Pty Ltd until a subdivision was created for the Strata Title Plan in December 2002. Since that time the property has been under the management of the Body Corporate for ‘Lavewan Court’. Some units’ kitchens and bathrooms have been modernised but the original configuration of the flats remains the same.
Source: Brisbane City Council Heritage Register.
Lavewan Court (Brisbane's Red Hill, Queensland)
The residential suburb of Red Hill is one of Brisbane’s oldest suburbs with land in the area first subdivided for semi-rural estates in the 1860s. The land on which ‘Lavewan Court’ is situated was surveyed and alienated in 1865 as portions 604 and 605, parish of North Brisbane. At this time Red Hill was sparsely populated, with the steepness of the hills initially deterring settlement. However, from the 1870s, its proximity to the town centre, the availability of cheap residential allotments in the valleys and the later provision of a tram service through the district (opened along Musgrave Road, 1897-98), encouraged residential and accompanying commercial and religious development of the area.
Portions 604 and 605 were purchased by Thomas Reynolds in October 1873 and February 1874 respectively. Thomas Reynolds used the land, totalling almost two roods (2023.4m2) to build an estate. Thomas Reynolds came to Brisbane as the chef of George Augustus Constantine Phipps, 2nd Marquis of Normanby who was Governor of Queensland from 1871-74. When the Marquis went to New Zealand to be governor, Reynolds went with him, but returned in 1876 when the climate did not agree with him. Reynolds then became the chef at Queensland’s Parliament House for 37 years prior before retiring in 1913. Upon his death in 1935, Thomas Reynolds left his house “Millwood” in Upper Clifton Terrace, then valued with its grounds at £4.286, to the Christian Science Church (First Church of Christ Scientist).
The church trustees subdivided portion 605, selling the first subdivision in 1941. In 1946 portions 604 and 605 contained at least two substantial houses and some outbuildings. The current site of 25 Upper Clifton Terrace containing 703 m2 (27.8 perches) was created in February 1947 as a subdivision of portions 604 and 605 but remained vested in the trustees of the First Church of Christ Scientist. In 1960 the trustees of the estate of Thomas Reynolds applied to erect Multi Dwelling Apartments on the property. In March 1961 Lavewan Investments Pty Ltd bought the land and applied to erect nine (9) flats on the site.
While early twentieth century flats were often large houses turned into multiple dwellings, the interwar period saw the emergence of the modern purpose-built flats. They were seen as the epitome of modern living which emphasised the pursuit of individual freedom. New planning regulations in 1936 allowed large planned blocks of fats with their height restricted to two or three storeys in special locations. This resulted in the construction of enlarged domestic style and multi-storey blocks of units.
When the material shortages following World War Two waned in the late 1950s, a new architectural form of multiple dwelling emerged. The 1960s “walk up” or “six pack” replaced the flats which were formed from subdivided large houses or interwar flats. ‘Lavewan Court’ is an innovative and creative development of the ‘walk up’ unit block.
In December 1960 architects Curro, Nutter and Charlton applied on behalf of the Trustees of T. Reynolds, to build a Class “A” Multiple Dwelling flats on the site. The approval for nine (9) flats was issued to Lavewan Investments Pty Ltd in April 1961. The partnership of John Curro, Dan Nutter and Ian Charlton had recently formed with Charlton joining Curro and Nutter after working with notable postwar architects Hayes & Scott in 1954, 1958-1960. Curro, Nutter and Charlton studied architecture together at the University of Queensland under Karl Langer and Ron Voller, and practised from 1960-1972. They designed domestic houses as well as units.
‘Lavewan Court’ is a three-storey multi-unit set of flats. It differs from the standard ‘walk up’ in having an extra storey and an unusual triangular shape responding to the shape of the lot located on a bend in Clifton Terrace. The high quality, innovative design utilises concrete and columns to create a distinctive design-response to the site and to organise the internal spaces framed by the triangular building into nine units with modern living spaces with compact kitchens and bathrooms.
Curro, Nutter and Charlton went on to win the Royal Australian Institute of Architects “Building of the Year” in 1965 with the high rise “Gleneagles” Senior Citizens Home containing 98 self-contained units in twin towers in Moray Street, New Farm. ‘Lavewan Court’ was finished and registered as Flat Buildings for 24 persons in March 1962 which was subject to the stipulations of the Chief Health Officer who was required to approve all flats to ensure that slum conditions did not develop.
The units were let prior to the introduction of strata titling in 1965, and remained owned by Lavewan Investments Pty Ltd until a subdivision was created for the Strata Title Plan in December 2002. Since that time the property has been under the management of the Body Corporate for ‘Lavewan Court’. Some units’ kitchens and bathrooms have been modernised but the original configuration of the flats remains the same.
Source: Brisbane City Council Heritage Register.