Marsala House is a residential home in Dianella, in suburban Perth, Western Australia, designed by architect Iwan Iwanoff. As of 2019, it is the youngest heritage-listed residence in Western Australia.[2]
Marsala House demonstrates the new mass-produced materials commonly used during the 1960s and 1970s, such as concrete blocks, melamine laminates, and polystyrene.[5]
The house went through several iterations in the design phase. The exterior uses predominantly rectilinear, block-based geometries, while the interior references curvilinear forms.[6] The house features a dedicated "disco room" with a light-up floor and Murano glass chandelier, five bedrooms, four bathrooms, two bars, two sunken living rooms, and a swimming pool.[4][7][1]
Recognition
The Heritage Council of Western Australia added Marsala House to the permanent Register of Heritage Places (#9917) in December 2009.[8] The listing stated that the building is significant because it is "an intact and aesthetically exceptional example of a creatively designed residence constructed of concrete blockwork", "one of the finest residences designed by highly-regarded Western Australian architect, Iwan Iwanoff", and "highly valued...as evidenced through references to the house in numerous published works".[8]
Restoration work on Marsala House, conducted by Donaldson and Warn Architects, received the 2011 WA Heritage award for "outstanding conservation of a heritage project".[9]
Ownership
Marsala House is named after Tina and Sergio Marsala, who commissioned Iwan Iwanoff to design their home in the 1970s.[4] Different designs were proposed by Iwanoff between 1973 and 1975, with the design finalised in 1976.[9] The Marsalas travelled extensively, and requested the addition of a disco room after visiting Las Vegas in the late 1970s.[9]
Christopher David Beer and Mark Etherton bought the home in 2005, and undertook conservation work.[8][9] In 2012, the home was purchased by Perth street artist Stormie Mills and his wife Melissa Lekias for AU$2.2 million.[3]
Marsala House was listed for sale in May 2021 with a pricing guide of AU$3+ million.[4] Its online real estate listing was viewed over 10,000 times in the first four days.[10] The house was relisted in November 2021, with a "high 2 millions" asking price and soon after sold for AU$2.8 million.[11][12]
Anderson, Warren (2024), The Architecture of Iwan Iwanoff, Bossanova Lounge Australia, ISBN978-0-6457493-0-4
Bush, Fiona; Heritage Council of Western Australia; Stephens, John R. (A.R.A.I.A.) (2008), Conservation plan for the Marsala House, Dianella, Distributed by the Heritage Council of Western Australia], retrieved 28 June 2024
Lewi, Hannah & Philip Goad (2019), Australia Modern : Architecture, Landscape & Design. Melbourne: Thames & Hudson Australia, 2019.
Lovel, Jack; Iwanoff, Iwan, 1919-1986 (2021), Catching Light: The Architecture of Iwan Iwanoff - Through the lens of Jack Lovel, Press Print, ISBN978-0-646-83283-8{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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