25 June 2025

Some mid century delights in Edinburgh Avenue Caulfield, and one a block away. The first is a light timber framed design from 1958, by Montgomery King & Trengove, very nice, while the next is the elevated above carport type, from 1962, by Bernard Slawik, good in a different way. They’re both heritage listed. The others are not, so I don’t know anything about them. The ones with panels of stone are probably 60s, the cream brick one probably 50s, the brown brick one probably late 60s.

17 September 2025

14 Edinburgh Avenue Caulfield, yet another mid century time capsule, probably early 60s. First pic is mine from June when it was looking a little unkempt, and it’s now for sale – interesting plan with that inset courtyard, so lots of north light, great joinery, floors, bedroom built-ins, even the original kitchen and bathroom ! It was last sold in 2021, some pics from then. The listing says the joinery is by Jakob Rudowski, but doesn’t note the architect.

Though about 25 mid-century places in Caulfield are heritage listed, including one across the street, there are dozens more that arnt protected, and this is one of them.

15 March 2025

North Caulfield has a lot of Modernist houses from the 50s-70s, but I didn’t realise just how many. I went to look at one I’d passed on Glen Eira Road, then a few steps more found this one at 3 Helenslea Road – simple but dramatic ! And found sale pics from 2012, all original then, glossy wallpaper, joinery, big entertaining spaces, original kitchen and a rumpus bar ! Looks maybe 1960s, with 70s decor. (Update : an almost exactly matching 1966 house in Leura Grive Hawthorn is by Anthony Hayden (born Hershman), and his entry in Dictionary of Unsung Architects list a house in Helenslea Road, so this is his.) The one on the corner of Glen Eira Road mostly hidden by overgrown bushes, but also great, dramatic stair, special door, and lots of 45* angles. Another much simpler one a few doors up, also overgrown. Plenty more nearby but ran out of puff. No doubt architect designed, in fact likely Jewish architects and clients, but I couldn’t find any info – the only heritage study that looked specifically at these houses in the suburb only lists 22, but there’s dozens more.

19 March 2025

Big bold 50s house in Morrice Street, North Caulfield, I thought looked early 50s, all cubic cream brick, not like the small lightly built Modernist houses then popping up elsewhere. Turns it it’s by Viennese emigre architect Kurt Popper, who arrived here aged 29 in 39, and went on to do an awful lot of flats and houses and synagogues too. This house was built 1954 for the Rubenstein family, as noted in the booklet on Popper by @h.edquist. It was sold last year, so lots of interior photos – very spacious lounge / dining with entertaining room with bar ! Zigzag railings on the stair and one bathroom that looks original, perhaps it was still with the original family ? Only the kitchen looked newer than the 70s. One of the many interesting postwar houses in Caulfield without a heritage listing. The outside looks untouched so far, phew.

12 October 2024

This simple but stylish house at 335 Alma Road North Caulfield caught my eye; turns out it was designed by post war Czech emigre architect Robert Rosh in 1968 for a Polish couple. It was sold in 2019, the same year it was recommended for heritage listing, which it now has, but presumably the owners liked it too, it’s now got a mid century garden (minus big tree), and a 60s style fence (a bit too elaborate imho). The sale pics show an extravagant front hall, a great family room out back, rumpus room below (wallpaper!), and noice powder room.

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