5 Mansionhouse Road

This is a large, two-storey and basement villa, originally built as an Eye Infirmary, constructed between 1898 and 1899 by Charles Davidson, with subsequent additions in 1924, 1939, and the late 20th century. It sits on a sloping site and is arranged in a U-shaped plan, with slightly projecting bowed bays to the front (east) elevation. The design takes the form of a villa, reflecting the architectural tastes of the time.

The building is constructed of stugged, snecked sandstone with polished sandstone dressings. Key features include a projecting window cill course, deep bracketed eaves, and a regular arrangement of bays. The principal (east) elevation incorporates stone mullioned windows with long and short window margins, corniced ground floor windows, deep bracketed cills (or balconies) to the first-floor windows, and distinctive hoodmolds terminating in Ionic scrolls. A distyle Ionic porch has fluted granite to the upper halves of its columns. A 1924 addition forms a south wing with balconied windows over an arcaded ground floor loggia. The circular glazing pattern to the principal windows is a particularly distinctive design element.

The north and south wings extend from the rear elevation, completing the U-shaped plan. A modern addition is situated in the rear courtyard. There is an outshot raised over a curved base on the south elevation. A lower, octagonal-ended extension is located to the west of the main building, raised over the loggia. Balconies with decorative cast-iron railings adorn the first-floor windows. The courtyard elevations have fairly irregular fenestration, and a tall corrugated iron fire-escape partially fills the courtyard.

Stone steps lead to a central, two-leaf timber-panelled door with an arched fanlight, set within a plain round-arched architrave with a prominent keystone and hoodmold. The predominantly plate glass windows are set in timber sash and case frames with horns; the upper sashes of the principal windows display a circular glazing pattern. Some smaller-pane glazing is found on the rear and side windows. The building has corniced sandstone ridge stacks with red clay cans and a red tile roof with red ridge tiles and small terracotta ridge finials.

The interior is relatively plain, with a half-glazed timber-panelled lobby door featuring frosted glass and a timber stair with a tapered newel and turned balusters. Fairly plain plaster cornicing is present in most rooms, along with a timber fireplace in the upstairs sitting room. Some timber-panelled interior doors exist, although many have been boarded over to serve as fire doors.