I am a big fan of Architectural folly, those needless ornamentations and decorations that make buildings truly memorable. The English have a great tradition of adding false turrets to make buildings look more imposing and Italianate architecture, like Como House pictured here, is symbolised by urns and balls decorating parapets.
Sadly today budget constraints often spell the end of folly.
The main attraction of the architectural homes we build is the exclusive design. People want a once off, truly remarkable home. Folly can play a big part in that exclusivity.
A local sportsman had this remarkable Pamela Anderson murial added to his Albert Park home. The fact that the neighbours squealed at their local council only adds to the value of this remarkable home. The entire purpose of folly is to decorate or to be false.
I have an example close to my home which I am fond of . Anybody who lives locally near me knows this home as
The one with those bloody big columns
This photo adds a sense of proprtion to this entry which is unrealistic. In fact the home is sitting on a standard suburban block and the entry portico is overpowering. You cannot drive past without doing a double take. The columns are on a Town Hall scale but the home is not. Elvis does not live here, but I bet the folks that do are quite taken with the idea of a jungle room.
The main columns are seriously imposing and wildly impractical. I doubt the roof would do much to keep even the most modest Melbourne rainstorm away. Under the main columns with their strident masculinity is a romantic curved Romeo and Juliet Balcony. Why Romeo art thou mad? There is a real chance that this will make Bob Borson’s face really hurt.
And I absolutley love it.
This post was inspired by the What the……….? section of anewhouse blog.
