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HeritageAdvicefortheVictoriaPlanningAuthority,‘MyerHouse’,MintaFarm,Berwick(Stage2)
Figure1:MyerHouse(27March2017)
25May2017Preparedfor:VictorianPlanningAuthority
by:
DrLeoMartin,Director RenaeJarman,DirectorLLB,BPD,BA(Hons) BA,GradCert(PlanningandEnvironment) GJMHeritage t:0433671914 e:[email protected]:www.gjmheritage.comm:GPOBox2634,Melbourne,VIC3001
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Contents1. Introduction...............................................................................................................................................................................3
2. TheMyerHouse.........................................................................................................................................................................3
2.1 HistoricalInformation..........................................................................................................................33. TheMyerHouse,MintaFarm..............................................................................................................................................5
4. ComparativeAnalysis...............................................................................................................................................................8
4.1 Eynesbury,EynesburyRoad,Eynesbury(VHRH0362).......................................................................94.2 659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouth,CityofMoreland(HO120)................................................114.3 RoyalVictorianInstitutefortheBlind(VHRH1002)(demolished)....................................................11
4 AssessmentofSignificance..................................................................................................................................................12
5.Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................................................................13
Appendix1.........................................................................................................................................................................................15
ImagestakenbyGJMHeritageon27March2017.....................................................................................15
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1. IntroductionMintaFarmisasiteofsome288.9hectareslocatedinthesuburbofBerwickonMelbourne’surbanfringe.A‘HistoricCulturalHeritageAssessment’oftheentirefarmwasundertakenbyTardisEnterprises‘ArchaeologistsandHeritageAdvisors’in2011(theTardisReport).TheAssessmentidentifiedaseriesofstructuresonthesite,includingthe‘MintaHomestead’,asmalldairy,workersquarters,acottageanda‘MyerHouse’.TheassessmentidentifiedtheMyerHouseashaving‘moderatehistoricculturalheritagesignificance’andsuggestedaseriesofmanagementoptions,butdidnotexplicitlyrecommendaHeritageOverlayforthesite.
WehavebeenengagedtoprovideadditionaladviceonthesignificanceoftheMyerHouse,asperthefollowingtasks.Thetaskshavebeenbrokenintostagesasagreed.
Stage1
- Undertakeapeerreviewofthe‘HistoricCulturalHeritageAssessment’- DesktopresearchintothehistoryoftheMyerHouse- PreparationofacontextualhistoryoftheMyerHouse
Stage2
- PreparationofheritageassessmentoftheMyerHouse- CollationandIndexationofthephotographicrecord
Stage3(ifrequired)
- PreparationofaheritagecitationfortheMyerHouse- Preparationofareportmakingrecommendationsinrelationtointegration,conservationand
managementwithinthePrecinctStructurePlan(PSP)
ThisReportcontainsalldeliverablesrequiredinStage2.Itisinformedbyanexternalandinternalinspectionofthebuilding,whichwasundertakenon27March2017.ImagesinthisreportweretakenbyGJMHeritageonthatdate,unlessotherwisestated.
2. TheMyerHouse2.1 HistoricalInformationTheHistoryoftheMyerHouseasatypologyhasbeenexploredintheStage1Report.Inbrief,MyerHouseswereconstructedinsmallnumbersinVictoriaoverabriefperiodaftertheendofWorldWarII.Inresponsetothehousingshortagecausedbyreturningservicemenandaninfluxofimmigrants,anumberofdifferentprefabricatedhousingtypesweredevelopedinAustraliainthe1940s.1TheseincludedtheMyerHousewhichwasdevelopedbytheMyerEmporium,andtheBeaufortHousewhichwasdevelopedbytheVictorianHousingCommission.Bothoftheseprefabricatedhousingschemescontinuedforonlyabriefperiod.TheBeaufortHouseceasedproductioninearly1948,afterachangeingovernmentthepreviousyear,andtheMyerHouseceasedproductionsoonafter.ItisprobablethatonlyaverysmallnumberofbothMyerandBeauforthouseswereactuallybuiltdespiteplanstospeedilyconstructthousandsofaffordablehouses.Acolouredbrochure‘TheMyerHouse’,producedin1947bytheMyerEmporium,illustratedanddescribedthisparticularprefabricatedhousetype.Thehouse,tobeerectedbyJCTaylor&SonsPtyLtd.ofRichmond,wasdescribedas‘theresultofthreeyearsofworld-wideinvestigationonmodernhomebuilding’andas‘asubstantialstructureinconcrete,brickandtimber,combinedwithfactoryproduced‘zincanneal’roofing,joinery,plumbingandallgenerousinteriorfittings’.
1UniversityofMelbourneArchives,HaroldBartlettCollection,filesofprefabricatedhousetypes.
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Threeplantypeswereoffered,aswellasthemirrorimageoftheseplans,resultinginsixplanvariations.ThematerialsoftheMyerHousesweredescribedasfollows:
• reinforcedconcretefoundations• steelandtimberfloors• timberexternalwalls,withconcretesheetingandstuccoorsandfinish• timberinteriorwallswithplastersheeting• steelrooftrusseswithzinctiles,bargesandfascias• aluminiumdoors• timberandaluminiumwindows• timberarchitraves,picturerailsandskirtings.
Built-infurnitureincludedbedroomcupboardsanddrawers.Kitchens,laundriesandbathroomswereproducedasunitsatthefactoryandtransportedtositeinafinishedcondition,withallequipmentandservicesbuiltin.Futureextensionofthehouseswasmadepossiblebytheinclusionofadoorintheexteriorwall,enablingathirdbedroomtobeprovidedifrequired.2Figure2:TheMyerHouse,ALmodelandplantype Figure3:TheMyerHouse,BLmodelandplantypeFigure4:TheMyerHouse,CLmodelandplantype
2Plantypestakenfrom:TheMyerEmporium‘TheMyerHouse’brochure(1947).
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3. TheMyerHouse,MintaFarmTheMyerHouse,MintaFarmisanALmodelandplantype.Itissitedwiththemainfacadefacingnorthandappearstohavebeenbuiltwiththeoptionalthirdbedroomatthewestend.ThehouseishighlyintactandisverysimilarinappearancetothehouseillustratedintheMyerHousebrochure(seeFigure2).Thehouseisofsimplerectangulargableformwithtwoslightlyoffsetgablesmeetingatthemid-point,asmallprotrudinggable-endtotheeastandalargeprotrudinggabletothewest.Thelatteraccommodatesthethirdbedroom.Apartlyopen,coveredareaislocatedtothenorthofthisgabledsection.Thishasaflatroof,roughcastendwallandgutteringwhichmatchesthatofthehouse,suggestingitformedpartoftheoriginalconstruction.Adeeprecessedporch,locatedatthemid-pointofthenorthfaçade,providesentrytothehouse.Theexternalwallsaretimberframedwitharoughcastfinishandtheroofiscladwithcorrugatedgalvanisediron.Thelattermayhavereplacedoriginalzinctiles,whichwerespecifiedinthepromotionalbrochure,ormaybetheoriginalcladding.Zincpressedshinglesheetslinethegableends.Abroad,unadornedtaperedchimneybreastprotrudesfromthenorthfaçade.Thisdiffersfromtheexposedbrick,straight-sidedchimneyillustratedinthebrochure.Windowsaretimber-framedwithdouble-hungaluminiumsashes.Theinteriorofthehousecontainsalongitudinalhall,whichprovidesaccesstoalivingroomandmainbedroomtotheeastandsecondbedroom,diningroom,kitchen,bathroom,laundryandthirdbedroomtothewest.Interiorwallsaretimberframedandlinedwithplaster,withtimberskirtings,picturerailsandarchitraves;floorsareoftimberandceilingsandcornicesareofplaster.TheMyerHouse,MintaFarmisofhighintegrity.Theexternalformhasbeenretained,andtheoriginalmaterialsaregenerallyintact.
Figure5:MyerHouse,MintaFarm–Lookingatsouth-eastfacade
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Figure6:MyerHouse,MintaFarm–Lookingatnorth-westfacade
Figure7:Detailofeasternfaçade–showingbrickandroughcastrender
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Figure8:Detailofeasternfaçade–showingzincshinglesandroughcastrender
Figure9:Northernfaçade–showingchimneyFigure10:Internalimageshowingkitchen/dining
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Figure11:LivingRoom–withfireplaceandwindowsfacingnorth
4. ComparativeAnalysisIntheabsenceofabroadertypologicalstudyofMyerHouses(orpre-fabricatedhousesconstructedaftertheSecondWorldWar)itisimpossibletobecertainaboutthenumberofhousesconstructed,orthenumberthatremain.Asnoted,intheStage1Report,anarticlefrom6August1947reportsthataproposedMyerHouseinGlenWaverleywillbethe’35th’tobeerected–sothenumbersconstructedwerecomparativelysmall.3
Perhapsunsurprisinglygiventhesmallnumberofhousesconstructedandtheirrelativelymodestform,fewextantexamplesoftheMyerHousehavebeenidentifiedasremaininginVictoria.AllthoseidentifiedtodateappeartobeexamplesoftheALmodel,similartothedemonstrationmodelconstructedintheTreasuryGardensinJanuary1947.4(sincedemolished).Identifiedextantexamplesare:
• Twothree-bedroomhousesatEynesburyHomestead,EynesburyRoad,Eynesbury(VHRH0362)• House,659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouth(HO120,CityofMoreland)• Three-bedroomhouse,MintaFarm,Berwick.
AnotherMyerHouseisknowntohavebeenconstructedattheRoyalVictorianInstituteoftheBlind(RVIB),StKildaRoad,Melbourne(VHRH1002),howeverthishassincebeendemolished.ItisinterestingtonotethatthepropertiesatEynesburyandBerwickwerebothownedbytheBaillieufamilyinthelate1940s/1950s–atthetimetheMyerHousesarelikelytohavebeenconstructed.TheBaillieuandMyerfamilieswererelatedfromthe1920swhenMarjorieMerlynBaillieumarriedthedeveloperofthechainofMyer
3DandenongJournal,6August1947,p.114Age,24January1947,p4.
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stores,SidneyMyer–anditislikelythattheirconnectionexplainstheuseofthesestructuresonBaillieuownedproperties.Likewise,fewextantexamplesoftheprefabricatedBeaufortHousehavebeenidentifiedinVictoria.Agroupofeighthouses,ofanoriginaltwenty-threehousesbuiltinPascoeValeSouthfortheWarServicesHomesCommission,remainshighlyintact.TheseareofidenticaldesignandareincludedintheHeritageOverlayoftheLocalPlanningSchemeoftheCityofMorelandaspartofGallipoliParadePrecinct,HO80.ThecomparativeanalysisbelowhasbeenbaseduponananalysisofthethreeotherextantMyerHousesidentifiedtodate,althoughwehavealsobrieflyconsideredthenowdemolishedbuildingwithintheRVIB.
4.1 Eynesbury,EynesburyRoad,Eynesbury(VHRH0362)Twoidenticalthree-bedroomprefabricatedMyerHouseswereerectedtothesouthofthehomesteadc1947,afterthepurchaseoftheEynesburypropertybyJohnBaillieuthepreviousyear.BothareexamplesoftheALtypefloorplan,asillustratedintheMyerHousebrochure,withanadditionalbedroom.ThehousesareconsideredtocontributetothestatesignificanceoftheEynesburyestateasrareandhighlyintactexamplesoftheseprefabricatedMyerHouses.TheyarementionedintheVHRCitationforEynesbury–albeitbriefly.TheHistorynotesthat:‘twoidenticalprefabricatedMyerhouseswereerectedtothesouth…ofthepropertyin1947’.Thehousesareidentifiedasbeing:‘historicallyandarchitecturallyimportantasrareandhighlyintactexamplesofoneofthemanyprefabricatedhousesconstructedbytheCommonwealthAircraftCorporationandmarketedbytheMyerEmporiumduringtheworld-wideshortageofhousingfollowingtheSecondWorldWar.’ Bothhousesareofhighintegrity;althoughtheydonotappeartohavebeenlivedinforsometimeandtheconditionofone(inparticular)hasbeencompromised.Theimagesbelowweretakenon17January2017andprovidedbyHeritageVictoria.
Figure12:MyerHouse1,Eynesbury©HeritageVictoria,17January2017
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Figure13:MyerHouse1,Eynesbury©HeritageVictoria,17January2017
Figure14:MyerHouse2,Eynesbury©HeritageVictoria,17January2017
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4.2 659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouth,CityofMoreland(HO120)Thehouseat659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouthwasidentifiedintheCityofCoburgHeritageConservationandStreetscapeStudy(TimothyHubbardPtyLtd,1990)andgraded‘B’.ThepropertyissubjecttoanindividualHeritageOverlay(HO120)withintheCityofMoreland.‘B’gradedhousesinthestudywereidentifiedasbeing:
Eitheralreadyincludedon,arearerecommendedbythisStudyfornominationtotheRegisteroftheNationalEstate. InclusionupontheRegisterprovidesstatutoryprotectiononlytobuildingsownedby the Commonwealth of Australia. It is recommended that control over the majority of the Bbuildings identified in this study should therefore restwith the Responsible Authority, the City ofCoburg,undertheenablingprovisionsofthePlanningandEnvironmentAct.ThesebuildingsshouldnotundergoalterationsorbedemolishedwithoutclosereferencetotherelevantGuidelines.Thesebuildingsmay fall eitherwithinoroutsideaConservationAreaoranUrbanDesignArea. Limitedcontrols should also be introduced for sites contiguous with B Graded Buildings outsideConservationandUrbanDesignAreas
ThehousehassincehadanindividualHeritageOverlayapplied.Whiletheformofthehomeremainsreadable,ithasbeensomewhataltered–inparticulartheadditionofexternalrollershutters,thereplacementoftherooftilesandtheapparentadditionofweatherboard/imitationweatherboardcladdingtothegableshavecompromisedthebuilding’sintegrity.
Figure15:659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouth©GoogleStreetview,29March2017.
4.3 RoyalVictorianInstitutefortheBlind(VHRH1002)(demolished)AprefabricatedMyerHousewasalsoerectedinthegroundsoftheRoyalVictorianInstitutefortheBlindbetween1947and1953.TheStatementofSignificancefortheplacedescribesthishouseas‘oneofthefewexamplesofitstypeinVictoria’andstatesthatitcontributedtothestatesignificanceoftheplace.Despitethis,theMyerhousehasbeendemolishedsinceassessmentoftheplacewasundertaken.
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Figure16:MyerHouse,RoyalVictorianInstitutefortheBlind(sincedemolished)(imagefromVictorianHeritageDatabase)
4 AssessmentofSignificanceTheMyerHousewasanexpressionofthesignificantgrowthinthedemandforhousingfollowingtheSecondWorldWar.Becausethishousingtypewasonlymanufacturedduringc1947-48andwasnotthemodelfavouredfordevelopmentbytheCommonwealthGovernment,comparativelyfewwereproduced.OnlythreeotherexampleshavebeenidentifiedasremainingintheState.Evenassumingthatthereareotherhousesidentified,giventhesmallnumberbuilt,itisclearlyarareexampleofitstype.Twoofthehouses(bothatEynesbury)areincludedontheVHR–aspartoftheEynesburyHomestead.TheremaininghouseisincludedonanindividualHeritageOverlaywithintheCityofMoreland.Allexamplesknowntoremainareexamplesofthe‘AL’model.AnanalysisindicatesthatthehouseatMintaFarmisofahighintactnessandcomparableinqualitytothetwohousesatEynesbury.ItisinmoreintactconditionthantheexamplewithintheCityofMoreland.WhilewehavenotundertakenafullassessmentagainsttheCriteria(inaccordancewithPlanningPracticeNote1),weareoftheviewthatthehousewouldmeetthethresholdforinclusionontheHeritageOverlayoftheCityofCasey’sPlanningScheme.WenotethatMyerHousesweredesignedandconstructedoffsiteandwithoutreferencetotheirultimatelocation,thereforethesitingofthisbuildingisoflesssignificancethanitsfabric.Whilethepreferredoption,inheritageterms,wouldbetomaintainthebuildinginitscurrentlocation,itsre-locationwithintheextentoftheMintaFarmcomplex(withwhichitishistoricallyassociated)maybeanacceptableheritageoutcome,particularlyifitsrelocationprovidesanopportunityforthebuildingtobebetterusedandunderstood.Inaccordancewiththeagreedscopeofworks,Stage3willinvolvethepreparationofaheritagecitationfortheMyerHouseatMintaFarm.ThiswillincludethepreparationofanassessmentagainsttheCriteriaandaStatementofSignificance.Itwillalsoincludeadviceontheappropriatecurtilageandorientation–bothinrelationtothecurrentsiteandintheeventthatthebuildingisre-locatedelsewherewithintheMintaFarmComplex.
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5.ConclusionTheMyerHouseatMintaFarm,BerwickisarareandhighlyintactexampleofitstypeandoneofthefewexamplesknowntoexistinVictoria.Liketheexamplesabove,thehouseremainsasanimportantillustrativeexampleofexperimentationintheprefabricationofhousesthatoccurreddirectlyaftertheendofWorldWarII,toaddresshousingshortagesandtoutilisebothengineeringtechniquesandskilledworkforcefromwartime.
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References
TheAge8September1945,24January1947CityofMoreland,Citationfor‘MyerHouse,659MorelandRoad,PascoeValeSouth’HO120,VictorianHeritageDatabaseContext,‘GallipoliParadeHeritagePrecinct&BeaufortHouses.ReviewofHeritageSignificanceFinalReport’,2011DandenongJournal,6August1947Eynesbury,EynesburyRoad,Eynesbury,VHRH0362,VictorianHeritageDatabaseMills,Peter.VariousresearchnotesontheMyerHouseandtheBeaufortHouse,undatedMyerEmporium’,‘TheMyerHouse’,Brochure,Melbourne,1947O’Callaghan,J&Pickett,C.DesignerSuburbs:ArchitectsandAffordableHomesinAustralia,Sydney2012UniversityofMelbourneArchives,‘HaroldBartlettCollection,HousingCommission,Victoria,PrefabricatedHouseTypesFiles’,1939-60VictorianInstitutefortheBlind,StKildaRoad,Melbourne,VHRH1002,VictorianHeritageDatabase
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Appendix1Inaccordancewiththeagreedscopeofworks,wehavecollatedimagesofthehouseobtainedduringthecourseofourresearch.
ImagestakenbyGJMHeritageon27March2017
PhotoA:Northernfacade PhotoB:Easternfacade
PhotoC:Lookingatsouth-eastfacade PhotoD:Lookingatnorth-westfacade
PhotoE:Lookingatnorth-westfacade PhotoF:Lookingatnorthernfacade
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PhotoG:Northernfaçade PhotoH:Easternfaçade-detail
PhotoI:Easternfaçade–detail PhotoJ:Northernfacade
PhotoK:Porchroof PhotoL:Internal–northernfacade
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PhotoM:Internal–cornicedetaillivingroom PhotoN:Internal-waterdamage–westernbedroom
PhotoO:Internal–kitchen/diningroom PhotoP:TowardsMintaFarm–fromSoldiersRoad
PhotoQ:NorthernFaçade–Context
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PhotoR:Easternfaçade PhotoS:Chimneydetail
PhotoT:Northernfaçade–detail PhotoU:Coveredareaoffwesternendofhouse
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PhotoV:Internal–floorboards PhotoW:Internal–showingbuiltincupboard
PhotoX:Internal–kitchen/diningarea PhotoY:Internal–corridorlookingeast
