Mayfair Flats

Statement of Significance

Mayfair Flats are an exemplar of the Interwar Moderne style. This fine block is one of the most notable of the Interwar designs of the Architect W G Bennett, a leading modernist of the period and also responsible for the Regal Theatre, Subiaco and Plaza Arcade, Perth. It is a notable building within Carr Street and would have brought the shock of the new into the area when it was constructed.

Physical Description

The double storey rendered and face brick building has a hipped tile roof. The front façade is symmetrical about a central entry and staircase, expressed as a vertical bay that rises to a square parapet and has a recessed window openings, interrupted by an facetted face brick balcony dado. The opening is framed in face brick detailing. The name of the flats is on the top of the parapet, in stylised lettering. There is one room at each level, flanking the centre element. On the both floors there are six narrow horizontal bands of brickwork across the façade, within the height of the window openings. On the ground floor the windows are sets of three with a wider fixed central window flanked by casements each side. Each casement has a configuration of 6 horizontal panes of glass in a vertical format. On the upper floor level the three configuration is a central door with four paned windows each side. The upper floor doors open onto a concrete curved corner balcony with horizontal flat steel railings. The balcony forms the roof to the porch below that is supported by slender circular columns on a curved brick dado wall. Low face brick wall with central entry. Plantings in the setback include some small conifers. None apparent

History

In 1933, it was reported that 'flat life' was becoming more popular in Perth and suburbs, as evidenced by the construction of several blocks in and around the city. Flat conversion was also seen as a way of dealing with old-fashioned residences at this time, with a number undergoing extensive refurbishment and renovation, which often included a new façade. Other older homes were removed to make way for the new flat developments. No 83 Carr Street is a block of four two-bedroom flats designed by architect William G. Bennett and erected around 1936. They were listed in the Post Office Directories in 1937 for the first time but all were empty at that time. The following year Nos. 2, 3 and 4 had tenants being Mrs E Brown, Morgan Abrahams and Stan Hogg. No. 1 was leased the following year to Amedeo Re. At that time the other tenants were Mrs Stokes, Mrs Nancy A . Harper and C.A Gardiner. Mr Re was born in Fremantle in 1910 but let for Italy (the birth place of his parents) as a young child. He returned to Western Australia in 1932. Following his marriage, he and his Italian-born wife and children lived in flat number 1 until they left for America during World War 11. Mr Re said in an interview 'They were nice apartments, only four. We had the one downstairs, the right one and we were very happy there. We had a nice garden. We could move around and there was a garden at the front of the house. So the kids could play. Wehen they were too small I used to take them over to Grandma, to play tehre because they had pets. We did not have any pets because where we were living we were not allowed to have them but my parents were living there in Aberdeen Street and they still had pets. My borthers were there and the children liked to stay there with them and the uncles'. In 1949 the residents listed in the Wise's Post Office Directory were F.W

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