At a glance, the Chateau Nous in Ascot looks like a typical two-storey masonry house. But this villa has an interesting story to tell, which is why it was included in the Queensland Heritage List in 1992.
Derivative domestic architecture was in full swing in Queensland when this home was built from 1937 until 1940. This classic, which can be seen at 1 Rupert Terrace, is located in a prime position in one of Brisbane’s most sought-after locales.
Chateau Nous, a five-bedroom villa complete with entertaining spaces and a lawn tennis court, is a wonderful blend of Functionalist architecture and Art Deco design. Such influences can still be seen throughout Brisbane, as art deco houses sprang up all across the city during the 1930s.
It was designed by architect Douglas F.W. Roberts, who is also behind the Ayr Court House, a heritage-listed courthouse at 163 Queen Street in Burdekin. His design was touted as ultra modern at the time and the house even won the House of the Year award in 1939.
Art Deco elements are carried through interior design including its nautical design outlined in brass strips in the main bathroom’s aggregate floor and is depicted on the chrome hood of the fireplace. The facade is decorated with brick banding, curved corner walls and windows, glass bricks and contrasting vertical and horizontal elements.
This striking residence served as home to Brisbane dentist George Stewart and his wife Eileen for almost three decades. Come World War II, the Stewarts decided to build a reinforced concrete air raid shelter which they shared with their neighbours. The air raid shelter leads to a secret tunnel that runs underneath the house.
The building was rented following Dr Stewart’s demise in 1962 and was sold to an architect named Noel Robinson in 1979. An adjoining block of land was later sold and more features, including a family room, terrace, garage, and an ensuite were added by the new owners come 1986.
The original interior included a servant’s quarter used for sewing and storage and an electric dumb waiter used for delivering food to an upstairs breakfast room. In 2017, the property was sold at $4.2 million, almost twice its price when it hit the market in 2003.
