Grand Design or modern day monstrosity – passions are red hot over Norwood new build
Is this Adelaide’s ugliest new build or an award-winning Grand Design? Local emotions are running high about this house in a heritage street that will feature on the top-rating TV show.
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A controversial new build in Norwood will be featured on the popular TV show Grand Designs Australia but many see the two storey house as a modern day brutalist monstrosity.
Opponents say 32 Coke Street is “inappropriate” and an “eyesore” in the historic area.
They are concerned the State Government’s new planning code will see more approvals for builds that “destroy” the traditional streetscape.
Proponents say the out-there design is the way forward and the house is an improvement on the 1920s five-room bungalow it replaced.
The owners paid $1.35 million for the 731m block in 2015 and will spend around $1 million more on their dream home designed by award-winning architects Grieve Gillet Andersen.
The house is being built by Ikon, the 2018 Residential SA Master Builders of the Year.
A group campaigning against the State Government’s new Planning and Design code is so enraged by the house they are mobilising against the local MP, who happens to be Premier Steven Marshall.
“The public mood in Dunstan is evolving to the point that the Premier probably needs to start to worry about retaining his seat if they push ahead with the new Planning and Design Code,” correspondence seen by The Advertiser reads.
“We have the Upper House cross benchers on side and now Labor has publicly supported delaying implementation of the Code.
“We need breathing space to allow us to instil a bit of fear in Government MPs and we will be lobbying strongly in the New Year.”
Former Burnside councillor Robert Hasenohr said, when State opposition leader, Mr Marshall had given an “absolute commitment” to protect heritage areas once in government.
“He said he would respect community attitudes and protect heritage areas and streetscapes,” Mr Hasenohr said.
“He gave an absolute commitment and now he’s going to destroy all that by taking away contributory items to planning applications.
“Once that happens every heritage street will be vulnerable to these kinds of builds.
“The word on the street is they are a one term government because Marshall is Labor Light – just continuing the policies of John Rau.”
Mr Hasenohr, from Rose Park, said he had spoken with the neighbours across the road from the new build.
“They are looking to move out because the copper cladding reflects straight into their home,” he said.
“That house has wrecked a lovely little heritage street – it’s an eyesore, a brutalist monstrosity.”
Not everyone agrees with several positive posts about the house on the Facebook page of ‘Protect Our Heritage SA’ that has been prominent in opposing the government’s planning changes.
Andrew Sneyd wrote: “Well, I love it. Don’t hate me, it’s simply my opinion. It’s clearly not finished and will look great under different shades of light.”
Justin J. Stone was also complimentary: “I like it. But then again I see heritage as new sitting among old and showing a generational story. Especially if what was there before it was nothing special.”
Matt O’Grady was at the opposite end of the reactions: “That they even got permission to build a youth remand centre in a residential area is a travesty in itself.”
Another post was even more direct: “Coke Street, says it all really.”
A government spokesman said the Norwood house was not in a heritage zone but a “character zone” which provides for old and new houses.
“The council granted development approval for the house around two years ago under the current planning system,” he said.
“The intention of new Planning and Design Code is to ensure Historic Conservation Zones and the contributory items within them are subject to a consistent assessment process and the same level of protection.”
Ikon Director, Nikolas Ikonomakis said it was the first time a building he was involved with had been filmed by the ABC’s Grand Design team but that he could not comment further as he – and the architects – had signed a waiver with the TV show.
The architects were unavailable for comment.
