Bryson Centre, Noah's Hotel later Hotel Melbourne, 174-192 Exhibition Street & 57-79 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Bryson Centre, Noah's Hotel later Hotel Melbourne, 174-192 Exhibition Street & 57-79 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 103621
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:
RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2021:Period: Post Second-WarConstruction date: 1972.CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWWhat is significant?The Former Bryson Centre, 174-192 Exhibition Street, a multi-storey commercial building constructed in 1970-72.Elements that contribute to the significance of the place include (but are not limited to):• The building’s original external form, materials and detailing• The building’s high level of integrity to its original design.Later alterations made to the lower levels of the building are not significant.How it is significant?The Former Bryson Centre at 174-192 Exhibition Street is of historical and representative significance to the City of Melbourne.Why it is significant?Constructed in 1970-72 to a design by Perrott Lyon Timlock & Kesa, the Former Bryson Centre has a clear association with the postwar building boom which transformed central Melbourne into a modern high-rise city. The design of these commercial buildings from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s – many of which were architect designed – was driven by the commercial demands and the prestige afforded by a dominant city presence (Criterion A).Containing a range of facilities for both tourists and businesspeople, the Former Bryson Centre was described on opening in 1972 as a ‘city within a city’. Together with the earlier Southern Cross Hotel, which was described in a similar manner on opening in 1962 (since demolished), and Collins Place (completed 1981), this building demonstrates the development of this multi-functional building type in central Melbourne (Criterion A).The Former Bryson Centre is a fine and highly intact representative example of a Post-War Modernist commercial building. The multi-functional building combining office space, hotel accommodation, public amenities and retail space, strongly reflects an architectural style which was popular from the 1960s through to the mid 1970s, particularly in central Melbourne, and demonstrates an innovative approach to commercial development in the 1970s. Constructed as a 23-storey structure, the Former Bryson Centre clearly demonstrates typical characteristics of a later postwar commercial building, including a dominant podium base, grid-like walls which clearly express the trabeated structural system and alternating horizontal strips of glazing and solid projecting spandrels/balconies, as well as the use of materials such as precast concrete panels. These demonstrate important aspects of the Post-War Modernist style (Criterion D).Primary sourceHoddle Grid Heritage Review (Context & GJM Heritage, 2020).MELBOURNE CITYSCOPEMap 25: 33 23 storeys Federation Tavern, Bryson Industries Jaguar showroom, Bryson Cinema, offices, Noah's Hotel.CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWRECOMMENDATIONSRecommended for inclusion in the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay of the Melbourne Planning Scheme as an individual heritage place.Extent of overlay: To extent of property boundarySUMMARYThe Former Bryson Centre, located on the north-east corner of Exhibition and Little Bourke streets, was designed by architects Perrott Lyon Timlock & Kesa for owners, the Australian Mutual Provident Society (AMP) as an investment property. The consulting engineers were W E Bassett & Partners. The building was constructed between 1970 and 1972, by builders CDF Hooker Ltd. The 23-storey building incorporated office space, a 600-seat cinema, restaurants, convention centres and a 292-room hotel, named Hotel Melbourne, which was located on the upper 13 floors of the building. The Bryson Centre was described at the time of its opening as a ‘city within a city – every need is either within the hotel walls or within walking distance outside’.SITE HISTORYThe Former Bryson Centre on the north-east corner of Exhibition and Little Bourke streets was designed by architects Perrott Lyon Timlock & Kesa for owners, the Australian Mutual Provident Society (AMP) as an investment property. The consulting engineers were W E Bassett & Partners (LV:V9047/F279; Age, 27 Nov 1972:19-20). The City of Melbourne received a building permit application for the multi-storey building in March 1970 (with a total estimated cost of $5,070,000) (BAI). The building was constructed between 1970 and 1972, by builders CDF Hooker Ltd (Age, 27 Nov 1972:19).Architectural drawings date stamped 1970 show the original designs of the elevations and ground floor layout of The Bryson Centre (Figure 1 - Figure 3). The building was let in part to the hotel group Noahs Ltd from July 1972, Bryson Industries Ltd from April 1973 and Town Cinema Investments Pty Ltd from October 1973 (LV:V9047/F279). Bryson Industries Ltd was the Australian distributor of Jaguar cars. In the postwar period, Bryson Industries owned showrooms and workshops in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide (Bryson).The development was discussed in contemporary newspapers and architectural journals. The Canberra Times reported in June 1970 (27 Jun 1970:8) that the AMP Society had announced plans for a $6,500,000, 23-storey building on the corner of Exhibition and Little Bourke streets, to be called the ‘Bryson Centre’ (Canberra Times, 27 Jun 1970:8). An advertisement published in June 1972 advertised that ‘Motor hotel group Noahs Ltd has added the 297-room Bryson Centre Motor Hotel in Melbourne’s Exhibition Street, to its rapidly growing chain.’ Advertisements noted that ‘Noah’s Hotel Melbourne’ was due to open in late 1972 (Figure 4) (Canberra Times, 2 Jun 1972:15; 20 Oct 1972:4).Upon completion of the new building in late 1972, The Age (27 Nov 1972:19-20) featured ‘The Bryson Centre’ in a two-page spread. The building was ‘planned as a city within a city’ comprising ‘40,000 square feet of office space, a 600-seat cinema, restaurants, taverns and convention centres’, a 292-room hotel (which started at the 10th floor) and a rooftop heated swimming pool, supposedly Melbourne’s highest swimming pool at the time. A Jaguar showroom occupied the northern, low-scale section of the building. Hotel Melbourne was opened by the Victorian Premier (Figure 5 - Figure 8) (Age, 27 Nov 1972:19-20; AIA, 1972:22).The interior of Hotel Melbourne was designed by Peter J Murphy, in conjunction with the architects. The public areas of the hotel were named after a historical theme which was incorporated into the design of the spaces, such as ‘The Federation Tavern’ (AIA, 1972:23). Artist Robin Angwin was commissioned by AMP to create a number of paintings and prints for the hotel and potter Rynne Tanton was commissioned to create works that were displayed in the foyer (Age, 27 Nov 1972:19-20).A 1984 photo shows the building with the name ‘Hotel Melbourne’ at parapet level and ‘Bryson Centre’ above the lower floors (Figure 10). In 1985, Hospitality Holdings Ltd purchased the ‘24-storey Bryson Centre, which included the 300-room Noahs Hotel Melbourne and a nine-storey office and cinema centre’ (Canberra Times, 24 Jul 1985:9).Bobby McGees entertainment venue is a long-term occupant of the building, first advertising at the location in the early 1990s (Age, 13 Nov 1991:78). In the 1990s the complex was called ‘The Bryson, a Rydges Hotel’ (Age, 6 Jun 1993:80). The building continues to serve as Rydges Hotel in 2019.Perrott Lyon Timlock & Kesa, architectsPerrott Lyon Timlock & Kesa was established in 1971 from Leslie M Perrott & Partners, becoming Perrott Lyon Mathieson in 1976.Leslie Marsh Perrott was born in Gippsland, Victoria and studied architecture at the Melbourne Technical College. Following a stint in New York, he established his own Melbourne-based practice in 1914 and specialised in residential design, with a particular emphasis on reinforced concrete for domestic construction.Perrott’s son, Leslie Junior joined the firm following graduation in 1951 and set about expanding the office to capitalise on the postwar boom. One of their early works was the Southern Cross Hotel, in association with the American architect Welton-Becket, which opened in 1962. They were also engaged on the Princes Gate Project (1963), which included the Gas & Fuel Buildings on Flinders Street, later demolished to make way for Federation Square (Statham 2012:537-8).In 1971, the firm became Perrott Lyon Timlock and Kesa. Within central Melbourne, the firm designed the Bryson Centre at 174-192 Exhibition Street (1970-72), Nauru House at 80 Collins Street (1972-77), MMBW House at 120 Spencer Street (1976) and the polygonal Ansett House at 501 Swanston Street (c 1976-78). The firm was also responsible for the design of Museum underground station (now Melbourne Central) which formed part of the Melbourne City Loop rail project (Statham 2012:537-8). …REFERENCESContextual History references contained within City of Melbourne Hoddle Grid Heritage Review: Postwar Thematic Environmental History 1945-1975Architecture in Australia (AIA), November/December 1972.Building Application Index (BAI) for the City of Melbourne.Building Application Plans (BAP), City of Melbourne.Butler, Graeme (1985), Melbourne Central Activities District Conservation Study, Building Citations and Building Identification Forms (accessed via Heritage Victoria’s Hermes database).Bryson, John ‘Memoirs, Jack Bryson, an uneducated man’, <http://www.johnbryson.net/memoirs/jack-bryson-an-uneducated-man>, accessed Feb 2020.City of Melbourne Libraries online Heritage Collection, reference nos. as cited.Clerehan, Neil, ‘Vale Ronald Lyon 1920–2006’ Obituary, <https://architectureau.com/articles/obituary-15/>, accessed November 2019.Landata Victoria (LV), Certificates of Title, as cited.Sands & McDougall Directory (S&Mc).State Library of Victoria (SLV), picture collection, photographers and images as cited.Statham, John (2012), ‘Perrott, Leslie M’ in Philip Goad & Julie Willis’s (Eds.) (2012), The Encyclopedia of Australian Architecture, Port Melbourne.The Age.The Canberra Times [A.C.T.].NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)`The Age' 27 Nov 1972Feature article on Premier Rupert Hamer opening, 292 rooms, offices, cinema $6.5 million- interiors by Peter J Murphy, hotel run by Noah's Ltd; electcs by W E Bassett & partners p/L; Cemac Manufacturers P/L designed prefab furniture for building, put together on site
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Record number:
1207966
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 103621 | 1 JPEG : 758 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |