Athan House, Residential structure in Monbulk, Victoria, Australia
Athan House is a residential structure in the Dandenong Ranges where two wings form a V-shape and frame a triangular courtyard. The complex spans multiple levels connected by ramps and walkways, with a library and study area positioned at the triangle's apex overlooking the valley.
Louis and Sophie Athan commissioned Peter Corrigan, of the Melbourne firm Edmond and Corrigan, to design the house on a site the family had used for camping holidays. Corrigan worked with Adrian Page and Chris Wood; the house was designed and built between 1986 and 1988. It won the RAIA award for Outstanding Architecture, New Residential Category, in 1989 and was included in David Dunster's "Key Buildings of the Twentieth Century vol 2: Houses 1945-89" (1990).
The house is a private family residence and is not open to visitors. Its name comes from Louis and Sophie Athan, who commissioned Peter Corrigan after using the site for family camping holidays. The design was made for an extended family of up to eight people, and in 1990 it was included in David Dunster's "Key Buildings of the Twentieth Century vol 2: Houses 1945-89".
Athan House is a private residence and is not open to the public, so it cannot be visited inside. The building sits on the northern incline of a vegetated gully in Monbulk, with vehicle access from the south via a sloped driveway along a brick wall. It can be seen from the street or public land nearby.
The northern facade features a series of balconies from upper-level bedrooms that open onto views across the densely vegetated gully. These balconies were intentionally designed to connect residents daily with the forest landscape of the Dandenong Ranges.
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