The Thurlow House, designed by the late Harry Seidler in 1951–52 and built in 1954, has been added to the NSW State Heritage Register.
The house, which is located in Blakehurst, south-west of Sydney’s CBD, is one of Seidler’s earliest house designs.
“Thurlow House is of state heritage significance because it is a fine and rare example of an exceptionally intact early Modern Movement house, designed by influential and internationally significant architect Harry Seidler,” reads the statement of significance.
Commissioned by young couple Marjorie and David Thurlow, the house overlooks the Georges River to the south. It features a split-level design and all the rooms look out to that aspect.
The house is entered mid-level and an open-tread staircase divides the linear plan of the house. A half flight leads up to two bedrooms (one each at the eastern and western ends of the house), a study and a bathroom. The lower level comprises the living and dining rooms and a kitchen. The upper level cantilevers over the lower level, which creates a covered deck underneath.
“The house is important in Seidler’s body of work because of its particular split-level configuration and architectural form resulting from the constraints of the site and its view potential,” the statement of significance continues.
The living area in the Thurlow House by Harry Seidler, 1951–1954.
Image: Max Dupain
The house is made of stone, timber, brick, steel-framed windows and built-in joinery. The materials used, according to the statement of significance, “demonstrate [Seidler’s] skill in exploiting their intrinsic textural qualities and colouring.”
Thurlow house was owned and occupied by Marjorie Thurlow until her death in 2014. In 2015, the house was listed for sale by her family on the free classifieds website Gumtree. The seller called for expressions of interest from “serious design heads, architecture nuts and modernism fans with serious money” anddescribed the house as “perfect if you’re Don Draper on his third marriage.” The sale attracted the attention of local media, with the Daily Mail describing it as “Don Draper’s Aussie den.”
The house was eventually sold in March 2016 by a real estate agency for architect-designed houses, Modern House. An Interim Heritage Order for the house was gazetted on 7 August 2015. In May 2016, the Heritage Council of New South Wales resolved to recommend the house for state heritage listing. It was noted that the new owners were supportive of the listing.
A documentary film on Harry Seidler’s life and work premiered at the Sydney Opera House on 22 October 2016. The film will also screen at ACMI in Melbourne in partnership with Open House Melbourne on 6 November 2016 at 5:30pm. For tickets, click here.
