Constructed in the early 1880s incorporating an earlier 1858 cottage structure, ‘Scarba‘ was one of the substantial houses that were constructed in Bondi. Since 1917 the site was used by The Benevolent Society, and later for welfare uses and residential care for the elderly up until the sale of the site to our developer client.
Project Name: Moreton Manor
Studio Name: CO-AP
Project size: 548 m2
Site size: 1138 m2
Completion date: 2017
Building levels: 2
Location: Sydney, Australia
Photography: Ross Honeysett
After 90 years as an institutional establishment there was the opportunity to return the building back into a family home. Moreton Manor and its garden is now the focus of the ‘The Moreton’ residential development.
Its current modern transformation enriches the property’s grand Victorian Italianate style with respect and simplicity. The works include the reinstatement of verandas and four room layout to the original cottage and the restoration of the Victorian mansion.
The addition of a new double-height pavilion allows sunlight and breezes to filter into new north facing living spaces. Transformation of the original sandstone stables structure into a poolside pavilion provides connection to the garden. Adapting the original house to modern living enables the continued preservation of the heritage property, whilst concurrently achieving cultural and environmental sustainability.
The house retains its original joinery while its ornate fireplaces, grand staircase, architraves and decorative cornices have been restored. New stone and timber floors extend into the landscaped gardens incorporating the significant Moreton Bay Figs on the site.
Contemporary materials contrast and complement the historic palette of hardwoods, painted masonry and cast iron lace work, forming a grand, aesthetically unified home. New installations such as the cabinetry and carved marble ensuite island are inserted into the original building with minimal intervention for the ability for them to be taken away without detriment to the original building fabric.
The new additions sit in conversation with the Victorian mansion and the original older cottage – like a child with its parent and grandparent.
