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CESTRIA
521 GLENFERRIE ROAD HAWTHORN, BOROONDARA CITY
CESTRIA
521 GLENFERRIE ROAD HAWTHORN, BOROONDARA CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
Cestria was built for the wealthy biscuit manufacturer Thomas B Guest in 1891. Architect EG Kilburn of the partnership Ellerker and Kilburn signed the drawings. Kilburn had recently visited America, and the buildings he saw during his stay undoubtedly influenced the final design. Cestria followed close on the heels of Kilburn's American Romanesque design for an extension at the Priory Ladies School, St Kilda, which was finished in July 1890.
The American Romanesque style readily lent itself to picturesque effects and additionally was supposed by contemporary Australian journals such as Building and Engineering Journal to be suited to the requirements of the Australian climate.
The house is of three storeys with a four storey tower over the main entrance. It is constructed of tuck-pointed face red brick relieved with cement dressings. The roof is covered with slates with terracotta ridging. The external woodwork was originally wood grained in imitation of superior timbers. A broad verandah on cast iron columns shades the ground floor on the north and west faces. The main entrance is through a characteristically American Romanesque semi-circular archway. Semi-circular headed openings are employed on windows, in arcades on second stage of the tower, and to group together flat arch windows on each side of fourth stage of tower. The perforated waffle balustrade on the main facade is repeated as a motif in openings to the north elevation.
Internally, the impressive hall and staircase are constructed from mahogany and walnut, adding to the distinctively American feel. The stairwell is lit by three large windows with centrally placed stained glass panels depicting rural scenes, surrounded by leaded, coloured geometric glass. In the kitchen area, an original example of the ubiquitous electric bell panel is evidence of the large retinue of servants once employed to run a house of this size.
How is it significant?
Cestria is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Cestria is architecturally significant as the greatest domestic example of the American Romanesque style of architecture in Victoria. Cestria is particularly significant as a reaction against the prevailing popularity of the Italianate style, which was characterised by cement rendered walls, parapets teetering with urns and other decorative features, and by cast iron.
Cestria is significant for the part it played in the debate about an appropriate national style of architecture. It was hailed in contemporary building journals as being eminently suited to the Australian climate. The emergence of the American Romanesque and other red brick styles was central to the question of adapting an existing style to Australian requirements rather than creating a new one.
Cestria is architecturally significant as a rare example of a residence built in the American Romanesque style. The style predominantly expresses mass and bulk, and its limited use in a domestic context testifies to its greater suitability and hence predominance among larger public or commercial buildings. Cestria was one of the few suburban houses that could successfully accommodate the size and scale of the American Romanesque style.
Cestria is architecturally significant for its fine intact interior, particularly the turned timber in the hall and on the staircase. The interior plan is intact, and many decorative elements survive, including fireplaces, overmantels, door furniture and some wallpapers from the time of the first owner.
Cestria is historically significant for its associations with the first owner, TB Guest. Guest's company was a large and progressive biscuit making concern.
Cestria was built for the wealthy biscuit manufacturer Thomas B Guest in 1891. Architect EG Kilburn of the partnership Ellerker and Kilburn signed the drawings. Kilburn had recently visited America, and the buildings he saw during his stay undoubtedly influenced the final design. Cestria followed close on the heels of Kilburn's American Romanesque design for an extension at the Priory Ladies School, St Kilda, which was finished in July 1890.
The American Romanesque style readily lent itself to picturesque effects and additionally was supposed by contemporary Australian journals such as Building and Engineering Journal to be suited to the requirements of the Australian climate.
The house is of three storeys with a four storey tower over the main entrance. It is constructed of tuck-pointed face red brick relieved with cement dressings. The roof is covered with slates with terracotta ridging. The external woodwork was originally wood grained in imitation of superior timbers. A broad verandah on cast iron columns shades the ground floor on the north and west faces. The main entrance is through a characteristically American Romanesque semi-circular archway. Semi-circular headed openings are employed on windows, in arcades on second stage of the tower, and to group together flat arch windows on each side of fourth stage of tower. The perforated waffle balustrade on the main facade is repeated as a motif in openings to the north elevation.
Internally, the impressive hall and staircase are constructed from mahogany and walnut, adding to the distinctively American feel. The stairwell is lit by three large windows with centrally placed stained glass panels depicting rural scenes, surrounded by leaded, coloured geometric glass. In the kitchen area, an original example of the ubiquitous electric bell panel is evidence of the large retinue of servants once employed to run a house of this size.
How is it significant?
Cestria is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Cestria is architecturally significant as the greatest domestic example of the American Romanesque style of architecture in Victoria. Cestria is particularly significant as a reaction against the prevailing popularity of the Italianate style, which was characterised by cement rendered walls, parapets teetering with urns and other decorative features, and by cast iron.
Cestria is significant for the part it played in the debate about an appropriate national style of architecture. It was hailed in contemporary building journals as being eminently suited to the Australian climate. The emergence of the American Romanesque and other red brick styles was central to the question of adapting an existing style to Australian requirements rather than creating a new one.
Cestria is architecturally significant as a rare example of a residence built in the American Romanesque style. The style predominantly expresses mass and bulk, and its limited use in a domestic context testifies to its greater suitability and hence predominance among larger public or commercial buildings. Cestria was one of the few suburban houses that could successfully accommodate the size and scale of the American Romanesque style.
Cestria is architecturally significant for its fine intact interior, particularly the turned timber in the hall and on the staircase. The interior plan is intact, and many decorative elements survive, including fireplaces, overmantels, door furniture and some wallpapers from the time of the first owner.
Cestria is historically significant for its associations with the first owner, TB Guest. Guest's company was a large and progressive biscuit making concern.
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CESTRIA - History
E G Kilburn
Died in 1894 aged 34 years. Born in Tasmania and educated at Scotch College, Melbourne. Articled to Nathaniel Billing. Returned to Tasmania, but later joined Ellerker in partnership in Melbourne in 1885. Worked together until Ellerker’s death. Lived in St James Park Hawthorn.
Thomas Bibby Guest (1830-1908). Obituaries: Age 4 April 1908; Argus 4 April 1908; Australasian 11 April 1908.
In 1856 Barnes, Guest & Co steam biscuit factory was established in William Street, Melbourne with two men and three boys. After two years the company was changed to be T B Guest & Co. By 1888 the company employed one hundred persons. The company had the first steam cutting machine and the first rolling machine in Victoria for making biscuits (A Sutherland, Victoria and Its Metropolis, 1888 p 605).
Associated People: T B GuestCESTRIA - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.Specific Exemptions:General Conditions:
1. All alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner that prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
5. Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.
House Exterior
* Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
* Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
House Interior
* Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of the earlier paint or other decorative scheme.
* Refurbishment of bathrooms, toilets and or en suites including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of kitchen benches and fixtures including sinks, stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and wiring
* Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and other window dressings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
* Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain in-situ.
* Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
* Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectors.
* Installation, removal or replacement of security locks to doors and windows.
* Installation, removal or replacement of security systems provided all wiring is fully concealedCESTRIA - Permit Exemption Policy
The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow works that do not impact on the significance of the place to occur without the need for a permit. Repairs and maintenance which replace like materials with like are permit exempt.
The exterior form and the internal plan of Cestria is highly intact. Some decorative finishes from the 1890s also survive, including overmantels, fireplaces and some wallpapers. These should be preserved. Permit exemptions take account of the need to upgrade kitchen and toilet facilities.
The rear wing addition is not significant and internal alterations are permit exempt. Removal and replacement of this wing is subject to the permit process to ensure that size, bulk and style of any proposed replacement building(s) are commensurate with the heritage significance of Cestria.
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