Jonathan Chancellor
First published 31 Oct 2023, 5:00am
Opera House designer Jorn Utzon’s dream home location. Source: realestate.com.au
Jorn Utzon designed but never got to build his envisaged Bayview family estate, but Villa Kara, the vast home that was built in its place, has been listed for sale for the first time in almost four decades.
The acclaimed architect bought the gum tree-shaded building block in 1962 for £4145, with the intention of building a pavilion-style family compound. However, the council rejected his proposals.
Utzon and his wife Lis and three children resided in a nearby Alexandra Cres rental with views north to Lion Island.
Jorn Utzon, architect of Sydney Opera House, at his desk in 1957. Picture: Getty Images
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The Danish architect had arrived in Sydney, having won the late 1950s international design competition to design the Sydney Opera House beating out 232 designs.
In 1966 he resigned from the commission, following disagreements with the state government over cost blowouts.
After closing his studio in an Iluka Rd, Palm Beach boat shed, he kept his vow never to return to Australia in the years until his 2008 death.
Villa Kara, at Bayview, has been listed for sale for the first time in almost four decades. Picture: realestate.com.au
One of the home’s four bedrooms.
It last traded for $625,000 in 1986.
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Utzon sold off the 4047 sqm Kara Cres land holding in 1968 for $13,000. Being Sydney, it was quickly sold for $22,000.
Utzon instead build a clifftop home on the Spanish island of Majorca.
Villa Kara was built after importing marble from Italy, the roof tiles from France, along with English oak joinery and local sandstone.
It has been held for 37 years, having last traded for $625,000 in 1986.
The home has been listed by James Baker of McGrath Estate Agents.
’Grand sun-drenched residence.’
‘Could easily be found on the Amalfi Coast.’
“It’s a grand, sun drenched residence that could easily be found on the Amalfi Coast and a fabulous lifestyle retreat by every measure,” the listing for the home reads.
“The understated luxury of the design is in absolute harmony with a truly world class setting.”
According to PropTrack, the median house price in Bayview, NSW is $3.215m. That’s up 2.9 per cent over the past 12 months.
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