Record Chambers or McCarron Bird & Co Buildings, 479-481 Collins Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Record Chambers or McCarron Bird & Co Buildings, 479-481 Collins Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 102102 1
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: 1887.ASSOCIATED RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER:.VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H0038What is significant?The retained front section of the Record Chambers building comprising the facade to Collins Street, and returning to a depth of approximately 12 metres and including the iron gate which gave access to the laneway leading to the rear.History summaryThe printing and publishing firm of McCarron, Bird & Co. was established in 1872 in Flinders Lane west. Among their early publications was the Australasian Insurance and Banking Record, founded in 1876. The Record, which later gave its name to the Record Chambers building, was pre-eminent amongst insurance and banking journals in Australia. Other publications by the company included Alexander Sutherland's Victoria and Its Metropolis (1888), and numerous journals, including Australasian Trade Review, Manufacturer's Journal, Australian Brewers' Journal, and Temperance News. In 1887 the partnership moved to their own purpose built premises, the Record Chambers building, designed by J A B Koch and built by G B Leith of Flemington. Koch was from Germany and many of his designs betray German Baroque roots. The new premises were constructed during the building boom of the 1880s, which transformed this part of the city from one of small warehouses in close proximity to the wharves, to one of commercial and mercantile activity. The printing works incorporated lithography, engraving and bookbinding. The ground floor served as a retail stationary shop. The Record Chambers was threatened with demolition in the late 1960s, but as a consequence of heritage legislation, the front part of the building was retained in the 1984 redevelopment.Description summaryThe Collins Street facade of the Record Chambers building retains the original ground floor arrangement of two entrances (one pedestrian, one vehicular) flanking a large shop window, although the window has been replaced by an entrance lobby. The iron gate, which gave access to the laneway leading to the rear, is now fixed in an open position.The facade, which is the most significant part of the building, is an expression of free classicism. It is arranged as four bays, the central two projecting slightly towards the street. Engaged columns and pilasters define each bay. A caryatid terminus (half-female figure on a pedestal) takes the place of the central column on the second storey. The four large arched windows to the first and second storeys contrast to the eight smaller windows on the third storey. A prominent cornice and a segmental pediment crown the second storey. The top of the building is decorated with a bracketed cornice, with balustraded parapet and four urns. The words 'Record Chambers' are inscribed in the centre balustrade.Internally the building has a depth of approximately eleven metres, which is all that survives following redevelopment at the rear. Exposed timber roof trusses and a tongue and grooved lining board ceiling survive in the top floor, though the ceiling linings are concealed behind modern finishes.How is it significant?The Record Chambers building is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.Why is it significant?The Record Chambers building is historically significant as the premises of one of Melbourne's largest and most prominent nineteenth century publishing companies. The company published many of the important contemporary banking and insurance journals. The Record Chambers building is historically significant as a large and important commercial work of the prominent architect J A B Koch. Koch brought to the boom style a personal, Baroque flavour. [Criterion A]The Record Chambers is also historically significant for its association with the burgeoning heritage movement of the 1970s, in particular the campaign to save the Gothic streetscape of Collins Street by the National Trust. This campaign and the public concern and development in the city led to the introduction of the Victorian heritage legislation. [Criterion A]The Record Chambers building is architecturally significant as an early expression of a city building in the so-called boom style. The free and animated use of classical elements demonstrates the growing architectural exuberance of owners and architects during the boom period of the late 1880s. [Criterion D].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..National Trust of Australia (Vic)One of the finest examples of Melbourne's late 19th century eclectic style, designed by J.A.B. Koch, of especial interest for the segmental pediment, the term, and the banded pilasters and engaged columns, though seriously defaced at ground level.Classified: 01/03/1973Group Classification with B0469 Olderfleet Building; B3058 South Australia Insurance Building; B3463 Winfield House; B2894 Rialto Building & B3664 Adelaide Steamship Building..HERITAGE 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..VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H38as at 2002Statement of Cultural Heritage SignificanceWhat is significant?The printing and publishing firm of McCarron, Bird & Co. was established in 1872 in Flinders Lane west. Among their early publications was the Australasian Insurance and Banking Record, founded in 1876. The Record, which later gave its name to the Record Chambers building, was pre-eminent amongst insurance and banking journals in Australia. Other publications by the company included Alexander Sutherland's Victoria and Its Metropolis (1888), and numerous journals, including Australasian Trade Review and Manufacturer's Journal, Australian Brewers' Journal and Temperance News. In 1887 the partnership moved to their own purpose built premises, the Record Chambers building, designed by JAB Koch and built by G B Leith of Flemington.Koch was from Germany and many of his designs betray German Baroque roots. The printing works incorporated lithography, engraving and bookbinding. The ground floor served as a retail stationary shop. The Collins Street facade retains the original ground floor arrangement of two entrances (one pedestrian, one vehicular) flanking a large shop window. The iron gate, which gave access to the laneway leading to the rear, is now fixed in an open position. An entrance lobby replaced the shop window in the 1980s. The lobby serves the new office tower located at the rear of the building, as well as office space within the Olderfleet, Record Chambers and South Australian Insurance buildings. The facade, which is the most significant part of the building, is an expression of free classicism. It is arranged as four bays, the central two projecting slightly towards the street. Engaged columns and pilasters define each bay. A caryatid terminus (half-female figure on a pedestal) takes the place of the central column on the second storey. The four large arched windows to the first and second storeys contrast to the eight smaller windows on the third storey. A prominent cornice and a segmental pediment crown the second storey. The top of the building is decorated with a bracketed cornice, with balustraded parapet and four urns. The words 'Record Chambers' are inscribed in the centre balustrade. Internally the building has a depth of approximately eleven metres, which is all that survives following redevelopment at the rear. Exposed timber roof trusses and a tongue and grooved lining board ceiling survive in the top floor.How is it significant?The Record Chambers building is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.Why is it significant?The Record Chambers building is architecturally significant as an early expression of a city building in the so-called 'boom style'. The free and animated use of classical elements demonstrates the growing architectural exuberance of owners and architects during the boom period of the late 1880s. The Record Chambers building is significant as a large and important commercial work of the prominent architect JAB Koch. Koch brought to the boom style a personal, Baroque flavour.The Record Chambers building is historically significant as the premises of one of Melbourne's largest and most prominent nineteenth century publishing companies. The company published many of the important contemporary banking and insurance journals.
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Research and reports
Record number:
1194835
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 102102 1 | 1 PDF : 1724 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |