Building Details - Architects of South Australia

The house at Eden Hills, is a striking modernist home with International Style elements, designed by Mokwinska and constructed in 1961 for Polish-Ukrainian clients, Alfred Chwalczyk and Nadia Chwalczyk (née Medwiedewa). In addition to cultural background and refugee experiences shared with the Mokwinskis, Zygmunt and Alfred had both worked on Government Hydro-Electric schemes, in Alfred’s case in northern Tasmania (NAA: A11394, MOKWINSKI Z; Suzy Stevens, Hydro Tasmania, pers. comm.). The house was created as part of a new postwar subdivision of colonial survey land in the foothills suburb of Eden Hills, with the first homes being built in 1958 (City of Mitcham, 2008).

The Chwalczyk residence sits on the high side of the street, elevated slightly on a sloping block. The house features an uncommon reverse plan, with split level living / dining, kitchen and guest spaces upstairs, and bedrooms, utilities and home office downstairs. The home features large areas of glazing, capturing impressive 360° views. At the time of construction, the Australian Women’s Weekly feature writer noted that the house could itself be seen for three miles around. The site selected for their home lies on the other side of town from the established Polish migrant community in Adelaide’s northwestern suburbs, centred around Woodville, with its Polish Catholic church, and the then Dom Polski Centre. The site and the unusual architectural design therefore suggests a certain confidence on the part of her clients; a level of aspiration and independence.

Mokwinska’s poetic vision was for a ship-like design, “sailing over the waves” (AWW, p.38). The top floor is larger than the lower, and the sculptural concrete forms beneath the slim-profile balconies are structural and also serve as sides for the carport. These pillars were reported to represent the waves “keeping the ship afloat” (AWW, p.38) The v-shaped pattern formed by the stone and slate under the front balcony was intended to suggest “the reflection of a ship on water” (AWW, p.38).

Cost blowouts led to design changes and prevented the adoption of the curved roof that Mokwinska had originally envisaged (AWW, p.38). A standard, kidney-shaped pool was eventually substituted for the original cone shaped, integrated pool design, while the external terrace was reduced in size. Features built as designed included the rockery and indoor garden, and the use of free angles in plan. The curved wall in the dining room and kitchen enclosing the raised kitchen/dining areas and the suspended staircase, featuring ramin-wood treads on steel-rod hangers, are of particular interest. The house also incorporated practical features, such as the carport and the use of interior paving at the lower ground floor, so pool users could enter the house and reach the bathroom or place towels in the laundry without dripping on the Tasmanian myrtle floor.

Colour is an important expressive element of the interior spaces, and was used by Mokwinska to define and separate activity zones within the semi-open plan, including through contrasting use of warm and cool tones (yellow-golds and blue-greys). Thanks to the colour reproductions in the Weekly, the original scheme could be reinstated in future. A raised dining area to the left of the suspended staircase adjoined the original kitchen entrance. Nadia Chwalczyk created an abstract fabric mural (AWW, p.38), which unfortunately does not survive, although the integrated light fitting that originally illuminated it remains. Mokwinska designed the inset ceiling lights, which fortunately are still in situ, to represent the northern constellations of the Great Bear and Little Bear; a reminder of ‘home’ in Europe for her clients (AWW, p.38).

Overall, the house has been well-maintained, and many original design features remain intact. The main change that has been carried out has been to carve out an opening in the kitchen wall to give coastal views to the occupants and direct access to the open plan area. There have been some cosmetic changes to the original kitchen / dining wallpaper and tiling. The original form is still readable, and the change is reversible.

‘House of the Week’, Australian Women’s Weekly, 1967 - Dunstan, Rita (1967). “House Shaped Like a Ship” (House of the Week). Photographs by Vic Grimmett. Australian Womens’ Weekly. Wed. 28 June, pp. 38-39.