Iona Estate Residential Precinct

The Iona Estate Precinct, Kew, comprising 1-9 & 2-10 Berkeley Court and 75-77 Studley Park Road, Kew, is significant. The Precinct is part of a late interwar subdivision located on the south side of Studley Park Road, called the Iona Estate, which was subdivided from the grounds of Iona, one of the large houses on the south side of Studley Park Road. The precinct comprises houses and gardens of a consistent type, designed in a variety of architectural styles fashionable in the interwar period. The residences were built in the interwar period over a very short time span, from c.1936-42. With only one exception, at 77 Studley Park Road, the houses are double-storey, and all houses are constructed of brick with generous setbacks, landscaped front gardens, many with original garages, some with original low masonry front fences.

The use of a small central court within the subdivision, to maximise the number of allotments, is also of note, with the court layout being a distinctive characteristic in this part of Kew, rather than the more common earlier linear street form. The lightly treed character and mown-lawn nature strips, typical of interwar streetscapes, and the bluestone gutters are also significant.

Original front fences at 77 Studley Park Road and 3, 7 Berkeley Court are contributory. The original garages at 77 Studley Park Road, 2, 3, 5 and 7 Berkeley Court are contributory. Non-original alterations and additions to the houses are not significant.

How is it significant?

The Iona Estate Precinct is of local historic and architectural significance to the City of Boroondara.

Why is it significant?

The Iona Estate Precinct is significant for its ability to demonstrate the continuing pattern of subdivision of large Victorian-era estates built along the south side of Studley Park Road, Kew during the interwar years. The 1936 'Iona Estate' subdivision comprised 15 allotments subdivided from the former estate of a large Victorian-era house 'Iona'. (Criterion A)

The subdivision is significant as an intact example of the late interwar subdivision pattern that used the small central court within the subdivision to maximise the number of allotments. The court layout is a distinctive characteristic in this part of Kew, considered a more economic use of space, rather than the more common and earlier linear street pattern. The same form is seen at the nearby Clutha Estate (HO525). Like at Clutha Estate, the court layout (Berkeley Court) of the Iona Estate was fully integrated into the initial subdivision plan. (Criterion A)

Architecturally the Iona Estate Precinct is significant as a compact compendium of architectural styles fashionable in the late interwar period, which also retains a high level of intactness. Within the surrounding Kew neighbourhood, much of which was developed earlier, the precinct is readily appreciable as a late interwar subdivision because of its court layout, the open and lightly treed character of the streetscape with mown lawn nature strips and concrete paths, and because of the consistent building types and setbacks. A range of interwar period architectural styles is represented: Old English revival at 75 Studley Park Road and 1-2 Berkeley Court; Georgian revival at 4, 6 and 8 Berkeley Court; Moderne at 3, 5 and 7 Berkeley Court; American 'Cape Cod' at 10 Berkeley Court; and an interwar Mediterranean-influenced design at 9 Berkeley Court. The single-storey brick house at 77 Studley Park Road represents a transition from the interwar Art Deco and Moderne architectural styles. (Criterion D)

The architectural significance of the Precinct is enhanced by the integrity of many of the contributory places. Many of the houses retain original associated built features, including some original garages that were integral components of the original house designs (at 77 Studley Park Road and 2, 3, 5, and 7 Berkeley Court), early and original front fences (at 77 Studley Park Road and 3 and 7 Berkeley Court), and original driveways (at 2, 3, 5 and 9 Berkeley Court). Several of the gardens are original or of long standing (at 77 Studley Park Road and 1, 3 and 7 Berkeley Court. (Criterion D)

Grading and Recommendations

Recommended for inclusion in the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay of the Boroondara Planning Scheme as a precinct.

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Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residential Precinct