Sometimes in life, heretofore unknown pleasures hove into view like they were always right there, just waiting for you.
Case in point; this slice of secret architecture embodying such elevated sophistication it holds its own among landmarks from contemporaries of some 60 years ago; Boyd, Clerehan, Kagan, etc. Yet the architect in question, Alan Nance, poses a mystery and his output seems to have been limited.
What we do know is that this family home has passed through time with little updating – though that (squeee!) yellow kitchen was clearly a 70s flourish – and maintains every aspect of its masterful conception, from the in-built joinery cleverly hiding away appliances, to the outdoor access afforded every bedroom, to the star of the show; the office mezzanine a split level wonder under which one can sit and watch the moon track across the double-height glazing.
And don’t get us started on the timber in a multitude of gorgeous applications, nor the lighting reflected off the panelled ceiling, bouncing the glow out onto the street, calling all those who understand and overcoming some with such desire that the present owners have been door-knocked by local design aficionados seeking a peek.
Sadly, it makes us nervous that this unprotected legacy sits within a suburb terminally afflicted with the blight of McMansions, though we remain quietly confident the transcendent beauty of this house overrides any ideas of disfigurement or worse. We cross our fingers and hold our breath.
149 Mountain View Road, Balwyn North will be sold on December 11th at 12pm by Daiman Kane and Nick Fletcher at Fletchers. See the full listing here.
