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1958 -73 THE FIRST WRIGLEY CANBERRA HOUSE 14 Jansz Crescent, Griffith, ACT

Centre of the house, slate floor, bagged brick walls, precast fireback made by me with air inlet to the outside. Warmed air outlets near ceiling level above fireplace. Striped armchairs and 3 occasional tables designed by DFW and made by Kees Westra. Special light fittings designed by DFW. Original house was built by Joe Larko, O’Connor, extension by me. Foreground rug bought in Sweden by Hilary and me and shipped home. – now in her possession as is the Thonet rocking chair.

This was a square house, brick veneer with the central living room, full height doors to assist warm air circulation. Plywood ceiling. Exterior difficult to photograph.

The house was extended in the late 1960s to provide a granny flat for Hilary’s mother, a larger kitchen and a larger living room at a lower level.

Designed for Hilary, myself and Adam, our first born (1956), followed by Simon (1958) and Ben (1960). It was a compact square house, brick veneer and corrugated steel roof before the energy revolution but with its glazed entry wall facing approx. north into a brick enclosed court and a verandah facing west to the open playing field. A large fireplace had a cast concrete fireback with ample firewood storage. It was built by Joe Larko for about £6500.

It was listed on the RAIA Heritage list but owners modified it to an unrecognisable form around 2010 which was most concerning. It now looks unrecognisable and awful from the street (2014). Heating in the original house was by a Coleman oil heater and the extension had carpet with Pyrotenax heating cable in the underlay – successful but not cheap to run.

After Hilary and I separated around 1974 the house caught fire in 1976 and was rebuilt to its original design. Hilary sold the house later at a large profit and she moved to Melbourne.

The original living room with its large fireplace and heated air circulation system
The original living room with its large fireplace and heated air circulation system
ob3-lower-level-copy
Later a self-built extension at a lower level on the NW side provided more living space, a new kitchen and a flat for Hilary’s mother (about 1970-72) The 2 nearest armchairs are Tessa by Fred Lowen, the laminated birch and leather chair on R is by Bruno Mathsson, Sweden bought from the Swedish exhibition I helped organise at Bruce Hall, ANU in the 1960s. The coffee table is one of mine ~ 1959 with one of my small sculptures as are the 2 small occasional tables on steel cruciform legs. The 2 Captains chairs were from a garage sale. Hilary’s sculpture is on the shelf (nearest camera) and below one of mine (later bought by Bruce Hall. Midway on the shelF is a sculpture by Vicky Dabro. Table lamp by me. Pyrotenax under carpet electric heating – marvellous heat but expensive to run as electricity became more expensive.
The original main bedroom had two special wardrobes, (no drawings exist) a self-built bed and bedhead of laminated blackwood and matching light fitting on wall above – all lost in the fire. The wall was covered with brown hessian. The room had a lovely warm feeling to it and the wardrobes were loose on the carpet enabling a small office to be made at the northern end – most convenient.
The original main bedroom had two special wardrobes, (no drawings exist) a self-built bed and bedhead of laminated blackwood and matching light fitting on wall above – all lost in the fire. The wall was covered with brown hessian. The room had a lovely warm feeling to it and the wardrobes were loose on the carpet enabling a small office to be made at the northern end – most convenient.

 

The fire damaged that corner of the house only and was re-built with the insurance money. Unfortunately I had left a lot of my old drawings, including the Cartmel Priory measured drawings up in the roof space and they were lost in the fire. Cutting from Canberra Times 16 July 1976
The fire damaged that corner of the house only and was re-built with the insurance money.
Unfortunately I had left a lot of my old drawings, including the Cartmel Priory measured drawings up in the roof space and they were lost in the fire.
Cutting from Canberra Times 16 July 1976

Obituary

The house subsequently was awarded Heritage listing by the Royal Institute of Australian Architects around 1980 as an example of the Sydney ‘movement’ (Ha !).

Around 2010 it was remodelled by the present owners but it looks so unsympathetic from the street I just can’t bear to go near it.

No reference to me of course.

1957-jansz-cres-dining-room
The slate floored dining room, looking out over the creek to Flinders Way, before the western verandah was built. The furniture was the earliest pieces I designed after joining Fred Ward at the AMNU Design Unit in 1957. Kees Westra made them. The light fittings were also designed by me. Entry court is on the right of the photo. Ben now has the dining suite.