In July we wrote about the then-imminent sale of the Robin Boyd House II in South Yarra: the auction scheduled for 21 July was postponed when the Victorian Government, the Robin Boyd Foundation and the RAIA Victorian chapter set about finding a way to raise funds to pay the mortgage and deal with the Boyd Foundation’s debt to the National Trust. Those good intentions came to nought and the property was to be auctioned by agents Bennison Mackinnon on Saturday, 22 September at 1:00 PM.
However, at the eleventh hour the auction was postponed again as the State Government and Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV) pledged enough money to keep it in public hands—for now.
The ARBV has contributed $460,000 and the State Government probably somewhere in the region of $2m to the Boyd House, but with a very important condition: within six months the Robin Boyd Foundation has to submit a business plan and find enough financial support to secure the long term financial viability of the house. It won’t be easy. Not only will the Foundation need to figure out how to make the house pay its way, significant remedial work is required. Friends who have visited the house recently tell me that it’s in a relatively poor state of repair—the draped catenary roof in particular will need considerable attention.
This situation - a significant real asset that’s been placed in respectful hands, but needing income streams and business-focused management to stay viable - is a common picture in Australia—Bundanon being another notable example. You can have all the well-meaning ‘friends’ in the world, but when outgoings far outstrip the takings from annual fundraising activities it rapidly becomes unsustainable.
Nevertheless, there’s some cause for optimism. As The Age reports, Victorian Planning Minister Justin Madden said:
This funding will assist the Robin Boyd Foundation in preserving this significant 20th-century building and maintaining the legacy of Robin Boyd, who made such a significant contribution to Australian architectural design.
Nic Dowse - Boyd home owner, National Trust member and architecture student - has waged a tireless campaign to keep the Boyd house in public hands and should be congratulated.
