Como Conservation Area
Como Avenue and Fulham Avenue and Lechlade Avenue SOUTH YARRA, Stonnington City
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Statement of Significance
The Como Urban Conservation Area is of regional significance as a fine and substantially intact example of a large mansion allotment dating from the earliest period of Melbourne's suburban development which was subsequently subdivided and developed in the Federation and inter-war period. It illustrates the pattern of development resulting from the subdivision of early properties fronting the Yarra River, and is one of the least altered and most easily interpreted examples of this sequence of development in Melbourne's inner suburbs.
This significance is enhanced by its inclusion of the National Trust's Como propery, one of Victoria's most important historic sites, and by the quality and integrity of the Federation and inter-war houses built upon the Como property's 1911 subdivision, many of which are notable examples of the work of well-known Melbourne architects. The streets of this subdivision and the hosues, through their scale, forms and materials, provide an important illustration of a model middle-class suburban development for the periods immediately preceding and following the First World War.
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Como Conservation Area - Physical Description 1
The como Urban Conservation Area centres on and radiates from Como, a substantial nineteenth century mansion with extensive gardens. Como is well known as registered historic building, an important National Trust property and a major tourist and education centre.
The houses of the surrounding subdivision (Como Avenue, Fulham Avenue, Lechlade Avenue, and part of Toorak and Williams roads) are primarily Federation and inter-war in date, with few buildings in Fulham Avenue and Como Avenue post-dating the Second World War. The quality of the building stock is notable, reflecting the conditions of sale of the subdivision, the affluence of the middle class owners who built there and the skill of the many well known architects who designed one or more of the hosues. The allotments upon which the hosues are sited are generous in proportions and the hosues themselves share a common scale of one to two storeys. Typica characteristics are construction in brick, sometimes stuccoed, with prominent chimneys, piched roofs of slate or tiles and , in many cases, veradahs or proches. Most houses are suvstantially intact, despite superficial changes such as painting of brickwork and stucco, and have a seback of eight metres or more, with well established gardens and medium height fences in front. Unsympathetic or inappropriate modern developments have generally been confined the perimeter along Toorak Road and the southern corner of Williams Road. The heart of the area, comprising the Como property itself and Como, Fulham and Lechlade Avenues, remains substantially undisturbed.
The street works of Como, Fulham and Lecjlade Avenues are uniform in their use of wide asphalt roadways bordered by basalt kerbs and gutters, with grass nature strips and concrete footpaths. The nature strips at present sipport small prunus trees at regular intervals.
Como Conservation Area - Local Historical Themes
8.1.3 The end of an era - mansion estate subdivisions in the twentieth century
8.4.1 Houses as a symbol of wealth, status and fashion
8.2.1 Mansion estates and the high ground
3.3.5 Recovery and infill 1900-40
Heritage Study and Grading
Stonnington - Background documentation in support of Como Urban Conservation Area
Author: Bryce Raworth Pty Ltd
Year: 1994
Grading:Stonnington - Conservation Review City of Prahran
Author: Context P/L
Year: 1993
Grading: Various
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FORMER RICHMOND POWER STATIONVictorian Heritage Register H1055
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MELBOURNE HIGH SCHOOLVictorian Heritage Register H1636
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COMO HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H0205
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