Modern Heritage: Cherishing Australia's Interwar Homes takes twenty Australian houses built between the 1920s and 1940s and shows how their Old English, Spanish Mission, and Art Deco character can be protected and adapted without being erased.
About This Book
Australia's interwar suburbs contain some of the most architecturally distinctive domestic buildings in the country — eclectic, ornate, and stubbornly resistant to the logic of contemporary renovation. Modern Heritage moves beyond nostalgia to examine what it actually takes to steward these houses: understanding their cultural context, respecting their material stories, and making them liveable for the present. Twenty case studies bring together the perspectives of both homeowners and architects, tracing the decisions, compromises, and discoveries that define heritage renovation in practice. For architects, interior designers, and anyone navigating the complexities of heritage interiors, this is a grounded and visually rich account of why this work matters.
Key Features
- 272 pages of photographed interwar home interiors and exteriors alongside written case studies
- Author: Cameron Bruhn
- Twenty case studies spanning Old English, Spanish Mission, Art Deco, and related interwar styles
- Published by Thames & Hudson, ISBN: 9781760763886
What You'll Discover
- How architects and homeowners negotiate the tension between heritage preservation and contemporary domestic life
- The role of historical research in uncovering the stories embedded in interwar architecture and setting
- The stylistic eclecticism of Australian houses from the 1920s to 1940s — and why that range presents specific design challenges
- First-hand accounts of the process of giving new life to heritage homes while protecting their defining character
About the Author
[Details available upon request]
Specifications
- Format: Hardcover
- Pages: 272
- Dimensions: 23.7 x 29.7 cm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9781760763886
- Publisher: Thames & Hudson
- Publication Date: [Details available upon request]
Perfect For: Architects and interior designers working on heritage residential projects, homeowners renovating interwar properties, and design historians with an interest in Australian domestic architecture.