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666 Riversdale Road

peter_j
peter_j
edited September 2004 in heritage and conservation
The last house I visited on the Robin Boyd open houses tour last weekend was 666 Riversdale Road, Boyd's first residential house design, and the one in by far the saddest state. Built in the late forties the buildings have degraded to a point beyond hope. Three years ago it was partially demolished by the owner, until Heritage Victoria used some muscle to make her put the roof back on. The spaces are currently being used as storage, and were covered in notes from the owner stating why each wall, door, floor, etc, should be demolished. Heritage Victoria's statement of significance says that, "the building is a seminal work which can be regarded as the prototype of the post war modern Victorian house." This is hard to see now. To see it again requires someone with a lot of energy and money to restore it back a few decades (it suffered a major cork ceiling attack in the 70s that I assume wasn't Boyd's). Otherwise it might be better off demolished, though this would set a bad precedent for other endangered buildings.

IMAGES: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/arts/nclub/stories/s551889.htm
HERITAGE PAGE: http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/doi/hvolr.nsf/e82db8dc6517362a4a25678b00095532/4ca9ca8f4ff1123aca256f110077e697?OpenDocument&ExpandSection=3,2&Highlight=0,riversdale,boyd&AutoFramed#_Section3
AGE ARTICLE 2002: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/12/06/1038950193812.html

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