Marsala House is a residential home in Dianella, in suburban Perth, Western Australia, designed by architect Iwan Iwanoff. It is the youngest heritage-listed residence in Western Australia.[2]

Marsala House
Marsala House in 2017
Map
General information
TypeHouse
Architectural styleBrutalist
Location38 Sycamore Rise, Dianella, Western Australia
CountryAustralia
Coordinates31°52′49″S 115°51′53″E / 31.8804°S 115.8646°E / -31.8804; 115.8646
Opening1976
Grounds1,483 square metres (15,960 sq ft)[1]
Design and construction
Architect(s)Iwan Iwanoff
Designated15 December 1999
Reference no.09917

The brutalist concrete block home is considered "one of Perth's most iconic residences",[3] and colloquially referred to as the "Dianella Disco House" due to its checkerboard-patterned illuminated dance floor in a specialised disco room.[4]

Architecture

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Marsala House is a rare example of expressionist architecture in Western Australia, designed in an interpretive brutalist style by architect Iwan Iwanoff.[5]

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

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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]

The home was featured on Better Homes and Gardens.[3]

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

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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]

References

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  1. ^ a b Prka, Rhys (27 May 2021). "Iwanoff's Classic 'Marsala House' In Dianella, Famed For its Disco Room, Is On The Market". The Market Herald. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Built in 1976, Iwanoff's Marsala House is WA's youngest heritage listed residence". ABC News. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b c McRae, Ross (2 June 2012). "Dianella disco house sold". The West Australian. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d Best, Paul (23 June 2021). "Perth's 'Disco House' hits the market with a $3m+ guide". Domain.com.au. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Register of Heritage Places - Assessment Documentation: Marsala House, Dianella (1976)". Heritage Council of Western Australia. 15 December 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  6. ^ Blakeley, Michelle (2016). "In Detail - Old and New: Marsala House / Iwanoff". The Architect: Journal of the Australian Institute of Architects WA Chapter (Autumn): 27-29. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Perth street artist Stormie Mills puts Dianella 'disco house' up for sale so you can beat the lockdown boredom". PerthNow. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b c "Register of Heritage Places - Permanent Entry: Marsala House, Dianella (1976)". Heritage Council of Western Australia. 15 December 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d "Life Cycle: Marsala House". Australian Design Review. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  10. ^ Wang, Jessica (29 May 2021). "Property listings: Inside 70s Disco House that's Australia's most viewed". News.com.au. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  11. ^ Hall, Sally (8 November 2021). "This Iconic Iwanoff Marsala House Back On The Market!". Perth is OK!. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  12. ^ Macdonald, Kim (1 December 2021). "Light up the dance floor, Disco House has sold". The West Australian. Retrieved 15 February 2022.

Further reading

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