Cart 
It’s not every day an award-winning and architecturally-significant home hits the market.
Designed by renowned contemporary architect Graeme Gunn, this late 1960s Brutalist-style townhouse was ahead of its time in domestic architecture with its distinctive concrete block facade.
The eye-catching abode set amongst Kew’s lush landscape attracted current owners Judith Bateman and Ian Menzies to the property in 2001.
The couple, who weren’t looking to buy at the time, were ‘overwhelmed’ by the architecture and location of the property, falling for the three-bedroom home instantly.
‘The outlook to the bush setting had me living in the country, while only being five kilometres from the city,’ explains Judith. ‘The privacy of the property stood out. Although it is a townhouse, the clever architecture had us very cosily standing alone.’
Judith and Ian’s home is one of four townhouses on the block, but it enjoys an inviting sense of space overlooking the Studley Park bushland.
Inside, Gunn’s Brutalist design prioritises light and space. Full-height glass doors across the multi-level home open it up to the vistas beyond, so even the dining room (positioned on a mezzanine level behind the living room) doesn’t miss out.
The townhouse remains relatively untouched, Judith and Ian having only sympathetically updated the kitchen and laundry with the help of architect Natasha Wheatland in 2012, and retrofitted double-glazed windows in the lower half of the home.
The exterior, however, received a lush overhaul by landscape architect Chris Dance when the couple first moved in — now a green space for natives and more within the bluestone walls.
‘The courtyard garden off the kitchen is a mini oasis of palms and tree ferns, always feels tranquil and green,’ says Judith. ‘The western balcony is perfect for brunches with a view, or at night for oysters and wine as we watch the bats head out from the river below.’
The calm and quiet of their beloved townhouse is what Judith and Ian will miss the most, having decided to finally put it on the market for others to enjoy.
1/76 Molesworth Street, Kew, VIC is listed for sale with Robert Le and James Tostevin from Marshall White and will go to auction Saturday October 18, 10.30am.
