Villa

The house is significant as viewed and appreciated from both Ethel and Mary streets, and is significant to the extent of its nineteenth century external form and fabric.

The modern alterations and additions to the rear are not significant.

How is it significant?
The villa at 23 Ethel Street, Malvern is of local architectural and aesthetic significance to the City of Stonnington.

Why is it significant?
Architecturally, 23 Ethel Street, Malvern is a fine and highly intact representative example of a substantial Victorian Italianate villa built for middle-class residents of Malvern, of the sort that began to characterise the suburb in the 1880s and 1890s. The villa exhibits typical features of this type, including an asymmetrical plan form, cast-iron verandah, a hipped roof clad in slate, and rendered chimneys with heavy cornices. (Criterion D).

Aesthetically, it is distinguished by its unusual massing and siting that is emphasised by the encircling cast-iron verandah that returns on either side of the corner canted bay. The verandah is notable for its high quality and elaborate cast-iron work that includes twisted cast-iron columns with Corinthian capitals, which are clustered at the front corners of the canted section with an intricate arched insert between them. The raised verandah also utilises floral cast-iron balustrade panels which are of note. The building is highly intact retaining its ruled render finish and ogee-profile verandah clad in corrugated iron. (Criterion E)

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Villa