Union Bank of Australia Ltd., 306 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Union Bank of Australia Ltd., 306 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 105961
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 2022:__________________________________________________Period: Inter-WarNotable features: Curved corner, ground level & detailing.DATE: 1939;ASSOCIATIONS: Union Bank of Australia Ltd.;DESIGNER: A & K Henderson;BUILDER: Hansen and Yuncken Pty. Ltd..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM__________________________________________________VICTORIAN HERITAGE INVENTORY H7822-1612https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/9526First land sale 1837, Block 12, Allotment 16, purchased by J P Fawkner. 1839 - building. 1855 - building. 1877 - two one-storey buildings and yard Coles Bond. 1888 - three-storey building, the Herald & Sportsman Printing Office. 1905 - three-storey building, Pearsons Fish Café.__________________________________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11263521The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Wed 16 Aug 1939 illust`NEW BANK BUILDING FOR CITY OPENING OF FINE STRUCTUREModern Banking Facilities Of steel frame and reinforced concrete construction the building reaches to the maximum height and contains a basement, ground, mezzanine, and seven upper floors. I It will be known as Union Bank Chambers. The site has a frontage of 127ft 3 in to Little Collins street by a depth of 159ft 7 in , and was previously occupied by a three-storied building, well known at one time as the Savoy Café. The bank occupies the major area of the ground floor. The entrance to the banking chamber is through a curved corner entrance, which is fitted with heavy, polished bronze doors hung so that they slide into wall cavities. This arrangement gives free access to the public during banking hoursBright ChamberThe banking chamber has an architectural treatment carried out In a free adaptation of classic Renaissance proportion and detail. The chamber is subdivided into bays by wall piers, with pilaster facings, each bay having semi-circular headed windows on the Causeway and Little Collins street sides These form an arcade externally, and dignified architectural features internally. The bays between the pilasters on the west wall of the chamber have flat, moulded panelled surrounds to the acoustic plaster centre panels. The ceiling is divided into panels, with deep longitudinal beams running the full length of the chamber. These are intersected by cross beams which rest on the side wall pilasters. The panels have been moulded to receive full effect from the colour decoration, which Is carried out in several tones of ivory, biscuit, and fawn. These colours harmonise well with the deep rich tone of the banking chamber fittings, which are of Queensland maple plate-glass, and bronze. A colourful floor of stained linoleum, laid in tiles, completes a pleasing ensemble.'Modern Light FittingsThe light fittings play an important part in the decoration of the chamber They are cylindrical units of opal cream glass decorated with a pierced bronze band embodying the motif of decoration used around the ceiling. They have a glass lowered base, which gives a direct, shadow less, down light. In planning the Banking chamber special attention has been paid to the necessary smooth working of the banking operations The tellers' compartments are adjacent to the entrance on the left-hand skin, and wall-type writing-tables, with plate-glass tops, are provided for the use of customers on the side wall under the windows. The Queensland maple panelling to the fronts of these public desks matches the counter fronts opposite.Maple PanellingThe manager's office at the north end of the chamber is completely sound- proofed by means of double glazing to the windows The walls are panelled with veneer to door height The furniture has been designed to match the wall panelling and is relieved with darker inlay and silver bands With russet carpet, green curtains, and chair upholstery, the treatment forms a dignified office suite A night safe, with the door from Little Collins street, has been installed for clients' use after banking hours An Internal private stairs leads to the mezzanine floor and the toilets at the north end of the chamber. New) bank buildings have made noteworthy contributions to the architecture of the city in recent years. The latest is the building now nearing completion in the busy section of Little Collins street, at the comer of The Causeway, between Swanston and Elizabeth streets, for the Union Bank of Australia Ltd.'`BUSY SITE IN A BUSY STREETUnion Bank Chambers The central position occupied by the new Union Bank Chambers will make it popular with tenants A basement has been formed under the whole of the building Tile front portion is used by the bank for strongrooms and general storage purposes The remainder is available for letting and is reached by a staircase from the lift lobby opening off the causeway The basement has ample natural light from pavement lights on two sides It is also with all toilets in the building served by a mechanical exhaust ventilation system The basement and the seven upper floors which are available for renting are served by two fast electric lifts One lift is operated by switch control and the other has dual collective control The lift cars are panelled in Queensland maple and have indirect lighting The metal doors have a lacquer finish The entrance to the lifts is from the Causeway through on outer marble lined lobby leading to an inner lift and stair hall The floor here and the stairs to the basement are of terrazzo The sub contractor for this work was the Genoa Terrazzo Co Pty Ltd Metal Stairs The two staircases are an interesting feature of the building At each floor they are closed off by heavy metal fireproof doors The stairs themselves are constructed of metal with steel risers and treads A granolithic finish has been inserted into the treads which makes them comfortable lo walk on and practically soundproof This is a new feature in staircase construction The balustrades and handrails are of wrought Iron in a simple horizontal design At the turn of the stalls at each floor the walls are coved The stair balustrading was manufactured by C R Caslake On the upper floors the walls of all corridors are finished in hard plaster This will be given a painted finish. The doors are all flush-panelled in Queens- land maple veneer and were supplied by Romcke Pty Ltd They are fitted with a special type of lever handle which is operated by a simple push The floors of all corridors are covered with heavy plain brown linoleum, supplied by Foy and Gibson Pty Ltd Steel-frame Windows Steel-frame windows are installed throughout the building On the upper floors on the Causeway side, they are glazed with obscure wire-cast, Georgian glass which is fire-resisting On the Little Collins street side the windows are clear-glazed On each floor there Is a strongroom which can be let with one suite of offices A central heating system is installed which serves all sections of the building The system is panel radiation and is operated by hot water through flat radiators fixed against the walls These radiators have a maximum of heat radiation surface, and occupy a minimum of floor space The boiler-room 1 for both the heating and hot-water systems is on the roof The boilers are oil-fired All pipe lines for the various plumbing services are hidden On the top floor a self-contained flat is provided for the caretaker It is complete with a modern kitchen laundry and bathroom Modern Shops The rear portion of tile ground floor fronting the Causeway has been planned with seven shops and a kiosk Each shop has a mezzanine gallery, which can be used for storage The shops are let to five tenants The addition of these shops lo the Causeway will improve It as a shopping centre In electing the building the width of the site permitted the use of single spans across at each floor This has obviated the use of maternal supporting columns and allowed a more flexible subdivision of the floor area for tenancies On the front the ground floor has been set back 2ft 6 in from tile building line thus com- plying with the request which the City Council is making to owners in the small streets to make more footpath space available. At first floor level the building is cantilevered out level with the building line The elevation is of a restrained Re- naissance style, the ground and mezzanine floors being faced with Wunderlich grey terra-cotta faience. The upper portion of the facade is fiThe builder was Hansen and Yuncken Pty. Ltd. of South Melbourne.Architects' sketch of the new building for the Union Bank of Australia Ltd in Little Collins street. .'.City of Melbourne online maps 2016A nine storey rendered brick apartment building with ground level retail. Designed in the Moderne style and built for the Union Bank of Australia Limited in 1938. Refurbished, subdivided and converted to a mix of retail, office and residential units in 1989.
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Record number:
1254529
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 105961 | 1 JPEG : 527 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |