New Zealand Insurance Co. Building, 483-485 Collins Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
Archives
Total copies: 1
Title:
New Zealand Insurance Co. Building, 483-485 Collins Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 102102 2
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
Part of:
Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
Access restrictions:
UnrestrictedOpen access.
Use restrictions:
UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
General notes:
Period: VictorianConstruction date: 1886-7 (see below)Notable features: 1. Stone, ceramic facing..ASSOCIATED RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER:.PERROTT, LYON, TIMLOCK AND KESA 1976, C.B.D. STUDY, CITY OF MELBOURNE CONSERVATION STUDY AREA TWO:2.12 Streetscape No. 2Includes -The Olderfleet Building 1891Record Chambers 1888New Zealand Insurance Co. Building 1888Winfield Building 1891The Rialto 1890-1The Adelaide Steamship Co. Building 1905-6Robbs Buildings 1885This streetscape must be the most popularly appreciated collection of buildings in Melbourne, particularly those buildings extending from the Rialto to the Olderfleet Building. This latter group of buildings represent the most intact and striking examples, collectively, of the late 'Boom Period' of 1880-90, in Melbourne. The styles vary from freely adapted Venetian Gothic, Elizabethan to the Classic but the unifying elements are their mutual scale and the richness of their decoration. These facades of buildings are on the State Register.The inclusion of the Steamship Buildings, Phosphate House and Robbs Buildings in the streetscape creates two other stylistic brackets of building; the early Boom and the post Boom, 'Company Headquarters' phase.a) The Steamship Building, in its unpainted form, had many similarities to its uphill neighbours; the use of brick as a decorative material and the accompaniment of stone and cement dressings, plus its scale and loose stylistic affiliations (the use of Elizabethan elements) make it an integral part of the streetscape.Another factor is that of the ground level treatment; care has been taken to align the first storey cornice with that of the Rialto, given that this meant a lofty business chamber inside. Subsequent storey cornices align with the Rialto's, as does the punctuation of window openings at each level. In short, the Architect (D'Ebro) took some pains to achieve a similarity to the Rialto, in general massing, if not a similarity in the decorative enrichment.b) Phosphate House, however, is not such an immediate inclusion in the streetscape; there is a similarity of scale but the Gothic verticality of the facade marks a complete change from the Classic storey divisions and 'horizontal emphasis of the other buildings. These vertical ribs terminate, at least, at a horizontal 'cornice' which has been designed to correspond with that of the Steamship Building.However, at ground level, the consequence of the building being purely a headquarters of the 1930's is seen immediately. There is no show window or Business Chambers and indeed the line of the building's podium is thus much lower than its neighbour. b) The building is thus not an integral part of the Streetscape but it does contribute just a little more than just by its scale;- some gesture has been made via architectural detail, as described above, plus the obverse factor, i.e._ the bland foil it gives to the rich detail beside it. It is a well designed building and, as such, does not offend in any way. c) Robbs Building completes the Boom Period collection. This massive classical facade is a very suitable corner building. In scale, it relates across Collins Street, to Aberdeen House and across King Street, to the former New Zealand Load Building (now Security House). Its decoration and parapet line correspond to its late Boom associates, up the hill; the gap presently in between them could be filled by a set-back tower building without destruction of the common parapet line.The presence of this building and those on three corners mentioned constitute an Environmental Area; albeit this area is busy King Street..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites Victoria Illustrated: 155HERITAGE BRANCH, MINISTRY FOR PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT 1987 CITY OF MELBOURNE CENTRAL CITY NOTABLE BUILDINGS CITATIONS- THE OLDERFLEET BUILDING, RECORD C!l1\MBERS AND THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN INSURANCE BUILDING ("THE OLDERFLEET BUILDINGS") ADDRESS: 473-485 COLLINS STREETStatement of SignificanceOnly the front sections of these buildings remain and they have been incorporated into a single office development. The Olderfleet Building was constructed in 1889-90 for Patrick McCaughan to a design by William Pitt (as also the Rialto). It is a unique and extravagant example of Pitt's commercial gothic design. Record Chambers was built for the printers, McCarron Bird & Co in 1887 to a design by JAB Koch. The "Boom" classical design incorporated a vehicular entrance at the ground floor (which remains) for deliveries. The South Australian Insurance Building was constructed as the company's offices in 1888 to a design by Oakden Addison and Kemp and is another example of commercial gothic architecture of the Boom period. This group (including the adjacent Winfield and Rialto) of Boom period warehouses and offices is unique in Australia in expressing the wealth of Melbourne's commercial development in the late 19th century..LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX74602 Terry & Oakden New Zealand Insurance Co Melbourne VIC Office Buildings Butler, C - Morrah St Parkville 1886 05 26 2192 1 - 1 -MCC registration no 2192 [Burchett Index]. Fee 6.0. office building Collins west.NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)The Herald Thu 24 Mar 1887 Page 4 CITY IMPROVEMENTS.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241230123THE NEW PREMISES OF THE NEW ZEALAND INSURANCE COMPANY.The premises of the New Zealand Insurance Company, in the course of erection in Collins street west, will form another of the many ornate structures which go to make this public thoroughfare what it is, namely, the finest street in the Southern Hemisphere. The building operation will soon be finished, and we propose, meantime, to give an idea of what the offices will be like when completed.The edifice consists of five stories and a basement, and measures 110ft long. The facade to Collins street is 36 feet wide by 82 feet in height to the top of the parapet. The basement storey is constructed of fine-axed Lethbridge stone in massive blocks, the basement itself being entered from Collins street by a flight of stone step and hydraulic lift. The ground floor contains three arches of enriched buff terra cotta, with clustered shafts of polished grey granite from Harcourt, having red granite caps and bases from Peterhead, Scotland. The spandrils over these arches are of red terra cotta. The first floor of the next storey has four windows in the front, the two entrance ones being equilateral, pointed and projected forward to form a bay window carried on terra cotta groining, and small granite corbal (sic) shafts.The window of the second floor, are five equilateral pointed Gothic arches, with red granite shafts and freestone cap and bases. Between these two orders is a frieze, bearing the name of the company and supported on highly ornate corbal (sic) table, containing rich tracery. The upper floor contains an arcade of eleven arches on grey granite shafts, the front wall being recessed behind this arcade and having window opposite every alternate arch. The main cornice is carried above this arcade, and is supported by red terra cotta grouping and surmounted by terra cotta balustrading pressed with quatrefoils. The top or fifth story is treated as an attic, and has bold dorma (sic) windows, enriched with terra cotta tiles. The spandrills (sic) over the arches from first and second floors are also to be enriched with encaustic tiles.The main entrance of the building is through the eastern-most of the three arches on the ground floor, which, approached by a bold flight of bluestone steps, leads into a corridor, from which entrance is gained to the office of the New Zealand Insurance Company on the ground floor by glass doors in pointed Gothic arches, and to the offices to let on the upper floor by a bold staircase, and a hydraulic lift to be fitted up with all the latest improvements.The lift will travel at a high rate of speed, and will have every precaution to ensure absolute safely and prevent possibility of accident in case of a breakage of any of it parts. The hydraulic power will be supplied from a water tank filled by a gas engine, so that its action will be at all times uniform, and not dependent on the Yan Yean pressure, which is liable to fail at the most important moment, namely in hot weather. The lift cage will be fitted up and upholstered in a most handsome manner, and the doors leading to the-well of the lift on each floor will be provided (with safety locking apparatus, so that they can be only opened when the lift is opposite them. Strong rooms are provided on each floor, and the offices are so arranged that they can be let separately or in suites or flats as may be deemed most desirable. The entrance to the lift and stone stairs of basement are enclosed by dwarf wrought- iron gate, with ornamental cresting, the same cresting being continued across the top of the stone plinths as a protection. The lighting of the rooms at the rear is obtained by a recess court, portions of which will be lined with glazed white tiles, in order to ensure sufficient light.The office of the company will be treated inside in a manner somewhat novel. The iron girder carrying the floor above, instead of being concealed, will be shown, the iron being - specially planed to present a perfectly smooth surface. These will be supported on polished red granite corbals. The ceiling will be of wood in panels of different colors, in which New Zealand and Colonial wood will predominate. The same treatment will be followed in the interior fittings of tho offices, which will be in a measure representative from New Zealand and colonial woods. The flooring throughout will be of Now Zealand kauri.The architects, as mentioned above, are Messrs Terry and Oakden ; the contractor Mr C. Butler ; the terracotta is being made by Mr G. R. Ferry, Brunswick ; the granite was polished by Mr Taylor, Footscray ; the grey granite was brought from the-Harcourt quarries, and the red granite from Stirling Hill quarries Peterhead, Scotland
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Research and reports
Record number:
1194841
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 102102 2 | 1 PDF : 853 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |