Investment director Matthew Danos and beauty entrepreneur Georgia Geminder have sold a Toorak house designed by Victorian Arts Centre (left) and NGV architect Sir Roy Grounds.
Richlister couple Georgia Geminder and Matthew Danos have sold their striking Toorak house designed by National Gallery of Victoria architect Sir Roy Grounds.
Agents involved in the deal were tight-lipped about the price but the Herald Sun understands the property at 1/24 Hill St topped its $2.5m-$2.7m listed range and is believed to have gone to a buyer intent on preserving it in a sale finalised this week.
The original $2.3m-$2.5m range was adjusted due to extensive interest in the two-bedroom pad, the brainchild and former home of Sir Roy Grounds and his wife Betty.
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In the 1950s, Sir Grounds built the house as a precursor to his more famous projects including Melbourne’s NGV and the Victorian Arts Centre, now the Arts Centre Melbourne, as well as Hobart’s Wrest Point Hotel Casino.
Sir Grounds was knighted for his contributions to Australian architecture in 1969.
Ms Geminder and Mr Danos have owned the mid-century modernist abode, which won the 1954 Victorian Architecture Medal, for almost a decade.
In addition to being billionaire Richard Pratt’s granddaughter, Ms Geminder is the founder and chief executive of oral and skincare range Gem.
Her husband is a managing director at James Richardson Investments, plus a non-executive director at indoor sports’ business X-Golf Group and flexible workspace operator Hub Australia.
The glass-walled circular courtyard echoes the NGV design by Sir Roy Grounds.
Sir Grounds with a model of the theatre complex at the Victorian Arts Centre, now known as the Arts Centre Melbourne, in 1974.
The interiors are pretty groovy.
Ms Geminder and Mr Danos celebrated milestones such as their first date, proposal and engagement at the house which features a glass-walled circular courtyard – similar to the NGV’s design – behind its brick facade.
Other highlights include open-plan living areas, two bathrooms, a kitchen with a servery window, wine cellar and off-street parking for two cars.
Timber panelling, cork wall and floors, large swathes of glass, clerestory windows and concealed cabinetry are among the design elements.
The house, with the central courtyard, as seen from above.
Matthew Danos works at one of Australia’s largest private investment firms, while Georgia Geminder is a former model and Grand Prix ambassador who founded the oral and skincare label Gem. Picture: Instagram/Supplied.
The house won the Victorian Architecture Medal in 1954.
The Victorian Heritage Register describes the house as a hallmark of Ground’s work.
Jellis Craig’s Carla Fetter confirmed the sale after an expressions of interest process and declined to comment further.
Her colleague Andrew Macmillan also declined to comment on the home’s sold price which remains undisclosed.
However, Mr Macmillan said buyers showed enormous interest in the house with 365 inspections and 100 requests for the sales contract.
The house was inspected by hundreds of potential buyers during the sales campaign.
According to the Victorian Heritage Database, the home is one of the state’s most celebrated works of modernist domestic architecture from the mid-twentieth century.
More than five buyers made offers for the “cracking home” which was one of the most-viewed properties at realestate.com.au during its sales campaign.
Mr Macmillan said he did not know the successful buyer’s identity as the transaction had been completed through a third party.
However, he said the new owner appeared to have a keen interest in mid-century architecture.
“The house is more a piece of art than a residence, the person who bought it, I believe, will hold onto it for the purpose of protecting it,” Mr Macmillan added.
Prior to the Mr Danos and Ms Geminder purchasing the house, a former owner restored it during the early 2000s.
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