House

The house at 1/11 Hughes Street, designed in 1948 by then architecture student W. J. Woodburn and built by him for his family, is of significance.

How is it significant?

1/11 Hughes Street is of historic, aesthetic and architectural significance to the City of Banyule.

Why is it significant?

This mud brick building was designed and built by Melbourne University architecture student William Woodburn and his wife Betty using mud excavated from the site. The house was one of the first to use concrete raft slabs (a now common construction system). Its use of unusual materials was praised by prominent architect, Robin Boyd who cited it as a fine attempt to deal with the post war housing crisis. (Criterion F)

The house is of a simple design, and reflects the shortage of materials in the period following World War II, as well as the limited means of many of those who moved to Montmorency during the late 1940s. (Criteria A & H)

It forms an interesting comparison with the adjacent, and more elaborate, 9 Hughes Street, designed by Woodburn's fellow student, Sydney Smith. (Criterion E)

The house is also of significance for its long connection to the Woodburn family and W.J. Woodburn. The house was designed by Woodburn for his family in 1948-49 and Woodburn retained ownership of it until 1983. (Criteria H)

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House