Unusually, this quaint 1930s period block of apartments has no name. That’s because it never needed one. 

Names were given to buildings to individualise them well before street numbers were made compulsory by recent council regulations. 

Building names were considered enough for their local recognition, but only where there was more than one resident or owner.  

In this case the whole building was owned by the one Cary family. 

They occupied the top floor with its own ballroom for their lavish entertaining.  

Eventually, the remaining ten apartments were sold off individually, but in this case the building was still left un-named. 

This three-storey block was designed in 1933 and built by 1935 by architects, Copelan and Lemont. The original council-stamped approved plans hang proudly in the foyer next to the amber-coloured, fan-patterned stained glass. 

One owner describes the original carpet as being as exuberant as a theatre or hotel entrance. Perhaps that’s because Mr Lemont was well-known for his numerous hotel designs probably in the hundreds.

Internally, the terrazo staircase has glittering jewel-like stones. Original chocolate-coloured Bakelite electrical fittings abound with individual gas refrigerators, milk and paper delivery access boxes and garbage shutes for each flat. These features made it one of the most modern buildings of its period. 

The exterior is rendered in a matrix of Mediterranean and mission styles with geranium pot plant holders, barley twist columns, Roman arches, fan-shaped mouldings and deep shaded balconies to take advantage of cross-flow ventilation.  

Its Roman terracotta tiles are a signature design feature often attributed to “mission-style” designs.  

Mission-style was borrowed from American missions and is known for arched openings at windows, entries, and arcades to mitigate hot climates. 

Roofs that do have overhangs typically expose rafters at the eaves. The first Spanish Mission-style buildings were constructed in California between 1769-1823, the style later re-emerged at the end of the 19^th century. 

These design idioms were borrowed for Australian conditions because our similar climate exists on the same latitude as California and the Mediterranean basin.  

Number 81 adds to this area’s intriguing mix of design styles and makes up an interesting feature in this streetscape. 

By

Andrew Woodhouse
Heritage Solutions