Lachlan Macquarie Award

Top: Arched opening to the living room. Above: The main facade and reinstated verandah, with a fountain as centrepiece of the gravel drive.

Built in 1899 on originally extensive grounds at Wahroonga, on Sydney’s upper north shore, Redleaf is a substantial Arts and Crafts villa recognised as a notable early work of Howard Joseland, a founding partner of Joseland and Gilling.

During several reigns of ownership, the house was unsympathetically altered by the addition of a large room on the ground floor, enclosing of verandahs, closing of doorways and the introduction of inappropriate openings and false ceilings.

The present owners, who are patrons of the arts, sought to restore the original character of the house as a showplace for their significant collection of antiques and paintings. Emphasising restoration rather than reconstruction, the architects recreated original paint colours and wallpapers and specified carpets, upholsteries and curtains in appropriate patterns.

The care with which the restoration and reconstruction were carried out and the attention to detail, both of the house, garden and driveway have resulted in the recreation of a large turn-of-the-century arts and crafts villa. The interiors have been restored with the same meticulous attention to detail but, through the retention of as much of the surviving fabric as possible, the house has the feeling that it has aged gracefully and not been subject to rampant intervention. The interior is also enhanced by the extraordinary range of furniture and artworks displayed in every room, much of which dates from the same period as the house. The rebuilding of the verandah has added to its relationship to the site and the clients’ desire to reduce the internal accommodation of the house. Reducing the size of the house has resulted in the clients’ decision that the building is now manageable and a suitable home to retire in when the time comes.

This building has gone beyond restoration to a skilful and artistic reconstruction, resulting in the building achieving heritage listing. It is a superb example of conservation architecture advancing beyond technical accomplishment to include the spirit of the building and the relationship between client and architect.

Photography Eric Sierins

Restored bay window, fireplace and parquetry in the pool room.