House

Statement of Significance

• The place has aesthetic value as a demonstration of the Late 20th century International style as applied in a regional Perth context.
• The place has historic value for its association with local architect and South Perth resident Mario Bernardi who undertook several distinctive projects in Perth during the 1970s.

Physical Description

Gladstone Avenue is a relatively quiet thoroughfare, parallel to Douglas Avenue and extending from Mill Point Road to Canning Highway. The lots have a narrow (12 metre) frontage and contain a variety of houses.

Much of the house is obscured form view due to the high brick boundary wall which wraps around the frontage of the property. However, no. 43 Gladstone Avenue is of single storey construction with painted masonry walls and steel roof decking.

The building is demonstrates design characteristics of the Late Twentieth Century International Design and presents with a strong cubiform shape incorporating contrasting circular openings. From aerial views, the house appears to have been constructed with a parapet wall around a predominantly flat roof before a steeply pitched feature roof rises from the centre of the building with a narrow section sweeping down the north west edge of the building, creating sheltered side entrance. The feature sloping sections of roof are clad in a wide profile corrugated metal.

History

This residence was completed in 1977 for Treviso Nominees Pty Ltd by Multiplex Constructions after the building licence was issued on 2 November 1976. Local Architects, Mario Bernardi and Associates were responsible for this design and several other innovative examples from this period.
A Perth architect’s recollection portrays Mario Bernadi as a flamboyant character who was adept in presentation drawings and perspective sketches. During his formative years in the 1970s, he freelanced around the Perth architectural community. Bernadi launched his career by producing notional studies for district and regional shopping centres, which were burgeoning in the Perth metropolitan area at the time, designing several, including the Karawara shopping centre in its original form (subsequent extensions having been designed by others).

Bernardi and his family lived at 5 Eric Street at this time and his offices were in Labouchere Road.

In 1985, a swimming pool was added to the premises and since that time no significant changes to the form or extent of the place are apparent.

Integrity/Authenticity

High / High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.