Commerce House, 326-332 Flinders Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Commerce House, 326-332 Flinders Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 104006 1
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
Part of:
Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
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UnrestrictedOpen access.
Use restrictions:
UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
General notes:
RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2021:DATE: 1913;ASSOCIATIONS: Commercial Travellers Association;DESIGNER: Tompkins, H.W. & F.B.;BUILDER: F. E. Shillabeer(See also 326-332 Flinders Street Melbourne).GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of SignificanceHistory(Refer 318-24 Flinders Street)Appropriately sited opposite Victoria's foremost railway station, this building was a speculative adjunct to the Commercial Travellers' Association Building, adjoining on the east (qv). The Tompkins Brothers (and the builder, John Carter) were again instrumental in constructing this six-storey four shops and a Warehouse, completing the work in 1913. By 1920 the numerous tenants were almost wholly importers, manufacturer's or customs agents of one type or another, with some professional and tradespeople thrown in. Francis R. Barlow, architect, was side by side with F.R. Barlow &Sons, indent agents; John T. Horner, timber merchant, with Horner &Monett. Pty. Ltd., sawmillers; and the building firm, F.E. Shillabeer had an office on the first floor, along with the Melbourne Sample Rooms, who were located on all floors. The Victorian Master Carriers. Storekeepers and Traders,' and the Master Drapers' Associations all had rooms on the upper floors.Many of these tenants were still listed here twenty years later.DescriptionStripped of the parent C.T.A. Building's profuse Baroque ornament, this building (timber windows apart) resembles more the austere office facades, erected after the War. A heavy, Baroque flavoured balconette and rusticated base are the obvious links with the C.T.A., but some resemblance is also achieved at the parapet cornice (more restrained brackets) and the bayed facade composition below. The lamp standards on each balcony pier are an exotic touch. It is assumed that, like the C.T.A., this is an early all steel framed building.External IntegrityPart shopfronts replaced, verandah detail gone.StreetscapePart of a strong streetscape unit, achieved through some coincidence of the mould among the C.T.A., Commerce House and the Reid Building (318-40) and all facades, with some wall materials shared. The modern corner, 342-348, has comparatively sympathetic elevations to these facades. major second level string general classical revival of Flinders StreetSignificanceAs near original Edwardian office block which differed from the adjacent warehouse use, but concurred visually with the important C.T.A. and Reid Buildings, also an early wholly steel-framed structure in Victoria..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites source 80; 20th C. Register;Victoria Illustrated: 142VICTORIAN HERITAGE INVENTORY H7822-1887First land sale 1837, Block 4, Allotment 4, Thomas Grove. 1837 - shown as fenced area. 1840 - part of area of Brewery.1877 - timber yard & shed.1888 - Coal yard & 2 sheds, W H Lamond; 2 x 1 storey buildings, Fawcett & Co., Carriers; W Thompson, Refreshment Rooms.1905 - 3 x 1 storey buildings & yard; W H Lamond, Coal Merchant.NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (VIC)The Commerce House building and the adjoining Commercial Travellers Association (CTA) were built for the Association in 1913; the latter as their offices and club and the former as an investment building. Both steel-framed buildings, they were designed by the architects, H W & F B Tompkins, and are distinctive examples of the Edwardian neo-baroque styles. The buildings are expressive of the role of Flinders Street in commerce and of the Commercial Travellers Association's desire to promote better accommodation for its members.Classified: 06/06/1994alsoThe Commercial Travellers' Association Building was constructed in 1913 to designs by the architects H W & F B Tompkins, winners of a competition which included some of Victoria's most adept designers and was judged by Percy Oakden, one of Victoria's most distinguished architects.The building is a distinctive, early and near original example of the Edwardian Baroque style. It is one of Australia's first group of steel-framed buildings and notable for its introduction of glazed white bricks to the facade. It was the first building to be constrained to the later all-pervading "limit height" incorporated in the Melbourne by-laws. In addition it was notable as the second Victorian (possibly Australian) headquarters built for the once powerful Commercial Travellers' Association and is now the oldest surviving, in a location intimately associated with their work. The Commercial Travellers' Association Building possesses an interior which is both notable (domed entrance hall) and innovatory (metal ducted heating and ventilation, laundry chutes) and is still expressive of the once numerous body of commercial travellers and a disappearing way of life.Classified: 10/11/1988Revised: 03/08/1998See also Ball & Welch Building B4536HERITAGE BRANCH, MINISTRY FOR PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT 1987 CITY OF MELBOURNE CENTRAL CITY NOTABLE BUILDINGS CITATIONSThe CTA building and the adjoining Commerce House were built for the Association in 1913; the former as their offices and club and the latter as an investment building. Both steel-framed buildings, they were designed by the architects, H.W. & F.B. Tompkins, and are distinctive examples of the Edwardian neo-baroque styles. The buildings are expressive of the role of Flinders Street in commerce and of the Commercial Travellers Association's desire to promote better accommodation for its members..NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954)Thursday 6 February 1913 - Page 3 illust, lesser heighthttps://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241797400 illustFRONT ELEVATION OF COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS' CLUB AND COMMERCE HOUSE, IN COURSE OF ERECTION FOR THE C.T.A, OF VICTORIA.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241797413Palace of comfort.COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS, new club buildingIt has become axiomatic that commercial travellers know how things should be done In respect to hotel or club accommodation. . In Melbourne they have already built one clubhouse which reflects their taste and stands as a model to clubland, but this has been sold with a view to providing something superlatively good on a site deemed more desirable in Flinders Street, between Elizabeth and, Queen street. The foundation stone wilt be laid on Saturday by Sir John Fuller, the Governor, in the presence of member!: of the club, and representative citizens.This building enterprise involves an outlay of upwards of £70.000, and it indicates the strong confidence which the commercial travellers of Victoria have in the stability of the State. The travellers have unique opportunities of observing the financial horizon In town and country, and their great undertaking bespeaks confidence which should strike a keynote for Investors generally. The site covers a frontage of 132 ft. to Flinders street, and the buildings will extend 157 ft. towards Flinders lane, to which access will be had by means of wide passage, on which abuts the present large sample room building, which Is the association's property.The club itself occupies 6ft. of the frontage, whilst the other half will be devoted to the purposes of sample rooms, as described below. The height of the new building from basement to parapet will be 148 ft. The system of construction in steel framing and concrete, chosen because It Is the most modern scientific method of building for huge city structures, saving the space which runs to waste In brick walls, and giving a practically Indestructible, fire-resisting monolith. Such edifices defied the shock of the memorable San Francisco earthquake and fire.Working on the latest American models, the architects, Messrs. H. W. and F. B. Tompkins, have planned so that, the width of the building decreases on the upper floors -while the width of the light areas correspondingly increases, so as to obtain the maximum amount of air and light without sacrificing valuable space on the lower floors,HEIGHT OF BUILDING.Steel girders and columns form the skeleton framework to carry the floors and walls. The walls are not used to add to the strength or stability of the building: they are only used to exclude the weather. Each column has an Independent steel and- concrete foundation which Is arranged so that the weight of the building Is equally distributed over the soil under the foundations at the rate of 3 ton to each superficial foot.…COMMERCE HOUSE.The Association's architects are now preparing working drawings and specifications for the building, that will occupy the other 66ft. of the frontage immediately .adjoining the club.The new premises will consist of a basement and five stories with others to be added later to bring It up to the same height as the clubhouse.…The architects for tho work are Messrs. H.W. and F. B. Tompkins, the builder Mr F. E. Shillabeer, and the , financial and general arrangements for j the enterprise have been made by the building committee, comprising Mr W E. A. Brown, the president, as chairman, and Messrs. M. J. Calllntn and Mr McA. Stuart, H. S. Steele, C. R. Church, vice-presidents; Henry Walker, treasurer;. J. Cornish, C. O. Day, -Mr C. Halles, A. A. Mendoza and A. T. Searll, and Mr James Davies, the secretary of the Association..DIRECTORIES OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE-SANDS AND KENNY, SANDS & MCDOUGALL1930326 Manger, S., & Son Pty Ltd, hatters & mercers328 COMMERCE HOUSE-328 Heath, T. W., & Co, manufacturers' agent328 Ross, M. S., manufacturing agents328 Com Travellers' Assocn of Vict328 Checks Mnfrg & Agency Co Pt y Ltd. mnfrs' agts328 The "Austn Traveller" & "Australia To-Day"328 United Com Tray Assocn of Aust328 Cole, G. H., & Sons, wholesale furniture328 Geelong Brick Co Pty Ltd328 Merri Heights Pty Ltd, land subdivision328 Albion Quarrying Co Pty Ltd328 Merri Creek Quarrying Co328 Bitromite Asphalte, asphalters328 Albion Sand Co Pty Ltd328 Albion Electrical Co Pty Ltd, elect contrs328 Builders' Brick Co Pty Ltd328 C'wealth Quarries (Footscray) Pty Ltd328 Shillabeer, F. E., & Sons Pty Ltd, bldrs328 Earlston Sand Co Pt y Ltd328 Hatchard, E., manufacturers' agent328 Newman, A. A. & H. B., plbshrs & mnfrs' rep328 Macglashan, J. B., & Co, mnfrs' agents328 Binns, Law, & Co, indntrs fancy goods328 Baenziger, T., mnfrs' agent328 Thompson, Brokenshaw & Raymer Pty Ltd,Customs agents328 Bottomley Bros Pty Ltd, indentors328 Hicks, G. J. & Co, publishers328 Furs Ltd328 Horrockses, Crewdson & Co Ltd, mnfrs cotton goods328 Johnson, Hubert, Pty Ltd, mnfrs' agents
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| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 104006 1 | 1 PDF : 1,025 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |