The State of Design festival saw the launch of a new interactive website that aims to help bring architecture closer to the Victorian public.
The website, which was launched by the state government on Friday, offers help to Victorians who want to learn more about the state’s diverse housing styles, examining nine houses representing the different styles of the state, from early Victorian to modern.
“In our domestic architecture we can trace the progress of the state, from the gold rush boom, the depressions, and the wars to late 20th Century prosperity,” planning minister Justin Madden said.
“All houses are a reflection of the era in which they were created. They reflect our values, aspirations and lifestyles from the 1850s to present day,” he said.
Based on the booklet of the same name, the website will provide a valuable tool for owners of heritage properties as well as people with an interest in the state’s history of housing.
The recollections of owners and the thoughts of leading architects and designers are captured in interviews.
The site also explains how people lived in these homes over the years as well as the history of the times in which they were built.
Madden said that the programme will give Victorians a “deeper appreciation” of built heritage. It explains the social context at play in the state’s housing stock, he said, for example, how terracotta kangaroos took the place of dragons on rooftops as part of an outpouring of nationalism post Federation.
A live interactive forum will also allow owners and enthusiasts of heritage homes to discuss issues such as sustainability.
Explore the site
