Iain Halliday-Designed Renovation on Mona Vale Bluff Wants $3.5m+

That “Mona Vale discount” is back in force with this 4-bedroom blufftop home wanting what appears to be a rather humble $3.5m+. It is indeed a low price for Northern Beaches water frontage, but not for Mona Vale. The suburb seldom sees homes trading above the $3m mark (although street mate 46 Hillcrest Ave did sell for a record breaking $5.1m in Nov 2007). The subject property was acquired by the current owners for $2.0m in Feb 2007 in rather shabby shape. By late 2009, plans were lodged for a renovation and pool addition with the local council; and now today, in 2012, the home is on the open market and we’re treated to images of the final product designed by Iain Halliday. The north-facing views, minimalist aesthetic, clean lines, and four-bedrooms make it a good buy, in our opinion. One small aside, the Radical Terrace can’t help but point out similarities (including the circular skylight) between this renovation and a project by Halliday’s former BKH partner David Katon in Bondi Beach. Just sayin’.

Lachlan Elder of LJ Hooker Mona Vale has the listing: 26 Hillcrest Avenue, Mona Vale

Something Good Actually Exists in Canberra

Radical Terrace has yet to venture to Australia’s masterfully-designed/poorly-implemented capital city of Canberra. However, in the midst of this Pyongyang-with-gum-trees, there exists a pool house of “real” capital city standards. Designed by David Katon(formerly of overrated Sydney starchitecture firm Burley Katon Halliday)’s firm Katon Redgen Mathieson, this modern poolhouse in salubrious suburb of Yarralumla ticks most all of the good design boxes.  I’ll let the architect’s do the talking:

“…[T]he clients purchased the adjoining property to their existing contemporary residence to accommodate a tennis court, indoor swimming pool and guest accommodation. A new simple, single level off-form concrete structure houses the heated pool, shower facilities, a kitchenette and a sitting area with a fireplace. Sliding glass doors open to the east and west from the indoor pool and the sitting room, with timber screens providing sun control to the west. Three large circular skylights are located above the pool. A lightweight steel structure accommodates guest accommodation within an upper level. A palette of Off-form concrete, grey stained timber and Travertine stone floors are used throughout. The new pavilion sits comfortably in scale and style with the existing residence, and forms a strong architectural background to the tennis court from the main house.”

Bonus! It was recently featured on ArchDaily!