Dominion House, 55-59 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Title:
Dominion House, 55-59 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
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Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 103917 1
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
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Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
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UnrestrictedOpen access.
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UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
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RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2021:Period: Inter WarDATE: 1925-6,1929;ASSOCIATIONS: Jaffe. LS. mantle manfr; Piazza, G. E., mantle mnfr; Sharp, Stevenson & Hare Pty Ltd, mantle manufacturers; Presbyterian Church of Victoria.CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWStatement of SignificanceHeritage Place: Flinders Lane East PrecinctWhat is significant?The Flinders Lane East Precinct comprising 31-149 Flinders Lane, 11-15 Duckboard Place, 130-148 Flinders Street, 10-30 Oliver Lane, ACDC Lane, Duckboard Place, Higson Lane, Oliver Lane, Sargood Lane, Spark Lane and including the rear of 24-30 Russell Street.Elements that contribute to the significance of the precinct include (but are not limited to):• The commercial and warehouse buildings constructed from c1857 to c1939, as shown on the precinct map.• The pattern of development in the precinct which comprises mixed streetscapes of Victorian, Federation and interwar commercial and warehouse buildings, and the key features and original detailing characteristic of their respective styles.• The high quality commercial and warehouse frontages and some side aspects to Flinders Lane, Exhibition Street and Russell Street.• The industrial streetscapes throughout the fine grain network of laneways intersecting with Flinders Lane, with rear and side aspects and some frontages to ACDC Lane, Duckboard Place, and Higson, Oliver, Malthouse, Sargood and Spark lanes.The buildings at 31-35, 37-45, 57-59, 91-93, 95-101, 103-105, 107-109, 121-123, 133-135 Flinders Lane, and 138-148 Flinders Street are contributory. The laneway rear aspect of 24-30 Russell Street fronting Oliver Lane is also contributory.The buildings at 61-73, 75-77, 87-89, 125-127, 129-131, 137-139, 141-143, 145-149 Flinders Lane, 130-132, 134-136 and 142-148 Flinders Street, 11-15 Duckboard Place, and 10-20 and 22-30 Oliver Lane are significant. The VHR-listed Duke of Wellington Hotel at part of 142-148 Flinders Street is also significant.Non-original alterations and additions to the contributory buildings are not significant.The buildings at 55 Flinders Lane (32 Flinders Street), 114-128 Flinders Street, and 14-22 Russell Street are non-contributory to the precinct.How it is significant?The Flinders Lane East Precinct is of local historic, representative and aesthetic significance to the City of Melbourne.Why it is significant?The Flinders Lane East Precinct is historically significant for its association with manufacturing and warehousing principally for the clothing and textile businesses, colloquially referred to as the ‘rag trade’, between the 1850s and the 1930s. Far from dealing in rags, Flinders Lane was the hub of a fashion industry with its many small niche businesses that provided specialist finishing services to the clothing manufacturers. The area provided employment in clothing manufacture, and many employees were women. Flinders Lane was the epicentre of the textile and clothing industry and benefited from the Commonwealth tariffs that resulted in further construction of factories and warehouses throughout the 1920s and 30s. Historically, the Flinders Lane East Precinct was the home of several other industries including Melbourne City Council’s Corporation Yard (11-15 Duckboard Place) and 91-93 Flinders Lane, coach and carriage builders Samwells and Reeves at 103 Flinders Lane and box manufacturers Morris and Walker at 31-35 Flinders Lane. (Criterion A)The Flinders Street East precinct is significant for its low-rise built form and street pattern that represents the pre-modern city. The attributes of the precinct include the laneway network that provides additional street frontages for some buildings, and an almost continuous streetscape of up to six storeys in height on Flinders Lane. The precinct demonstrates a great variety of architectural expression developed over approximately 80 years and representing many styles. Several buildings of the Romanesque revival style including nos.31-35, 87-89, 125-127, and 145-149 Flinders Lane are notable. Interwar buildings in the stripped classical style of Pawson House (no.141) or the Gothic revival of the former Bank of New South Wales at no.137-139 are also notable examples. (Criterion D)The Flinders Lane East Precinct is aesthetically significant for its views down Oliver, Malthouse and Higsons Lanes. It is also aesthetically significant for its nearly complete streetscape of small lot buildings up to six storeys in height and built to the property boundaries. The slope to the Yarra River allows some buildings to have basements or additional lower storeys. The open-ended Oliver Lane is aesthetically significant for its views to Flinders Street and beyond to the south, and of 42 Russell Street to the north. ACDC Lane, Higson Lane and Duckboard Place are significant for their enclosed and intimate scale enhanced by the red brick walls. The views along these lanes are significant for the aspects they reveal of the side of nos. 87-89, 91-93, 103-105, 107-109, 125-127, 129-131, 137-139 and 141-143 Flinders Lane.The streetscape is highly varied but includes many buildings of individual architectural importance and high aesthetic value. The three buildings fronting Flinders Street (nos.130-132, 134-136 and 138-140) are of a similar scale and proportion to those in Flinders Lane. (Criterion E)The attributes of the Flinders Lane Precinct include:• VHR listed places at 129-131 Flinders Lane and 142-148 Flinders Street, reinforced concrete warehouses at 10-20 & 22-30 Oliver Lane associated with Sir John Monash and the early use of reinforced concrete as a construction material. The Oliver Lane warehouses are of technical and associative significance.• Significant places with existing HOs at 61-73, 75-77, 125-127, 129-131, 141-143 and 145-149 Flinders Lane and 130-132 Flinders Street.• Places assessed to be significant as part of the Hoddle Grid Heritage Review, 87-89 and 137-139 Flinders Lane, 134-136 Flinders Street and 11-15 Duckboard Place.• All other contributory places noted in the precinct category schedule.• The building height and scale of the precinct up to six storeys, some places with several additional storeys added but not compromising this scale.• The intimate scale and character of Duckboard Place, ACDC Lane, Higson Lane, Spark and Sargood Lanes and the way in which they provide side views of significant and contributory places.• The open-ended Oliver Lane with views to the north and south to the river.Primary sourceHoddle Grid Heritage Review (Context & GJM Heritage, 2020).GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM.LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEXHare & HareDominion House, Melbourne, mentioned in advert. Royal Victorian Institute of Architects Journal Nov. 1931, p I.CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWInterwar developmentInterwar (1916-1939) buildings exist at 57-59, 91-93, 107-109 and 137-139 Flinders Lane, and 134-136 Flinders Street. The buildings, some designed by architects, reflect the continued demand in the 1920s for factory and warehouse space in the city centre for the growing manufacturing sector.A modern factory building, named Dominion House, was built at 57-59 Flinders Lane in 1925-26 (Figure 5). The nine-storey building was designed by architects and consulting engineers, Henry Hare and Hare, to 'meet the requirements of the better-class factory…[with] particular attention to detail in lighting, construction, escapes and convenience of employees' (Herald 4 November 1925:4). Only three storeys, however, were constructed on the Flinders Lane frontage and six storeys at the rear. A further three floors of reinforced concrete, designed by the same architects and constructed by master builders W E Cooper Pty Ltd (Building 1929:51) were added to the building in 1929, bringing the Flinders Lane frontage to six storeys and the rear section to nine storeys. Other innovative features of the building included its fire resistance, separate passenger and goods elevators, wide column spacings to provide unobstructed work areas, a flat roof for the recreation use of tenants, 14 inch brick walls without windows to the west to provide improved insulation, and steel window frames on reversible pivots filled with ribbed prismatic glass to facilitate the distribution of diffused light. Each floor was capable of carrying 100 persons (Herald 4 November 1925:4; Examiner 10 May 1929:5).In 1930, Dominion House was occupied by a number of businesses, including machinery importers and warehousemen, and a variety of manufacturers involved in the making of children's clothing, mantles, knitted goods and umbrellas (S&Mc 1930). Dominion House and the adjoining building at 49-57 Flinders Lane were offered for sale at auction on 7 April 1936. The highest bid was £40,000, at which price the property was withdrawn for private sale by the auctioneer (Argus 8 April 1936:16). Dominion House was sold for £34,500 to the Presbyterian Church of Victoria as an investment in 1946 (Construction 6 February 1946:5). A City of Melbourne building application notes that a permit for the addition of two storeys to the front part of Dominion House was made on 20 May 1959 (MBAI)..NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954)Wednesday 4 December 1929 - Page 16https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/244568338 illust(poor copy) cites architects Hare, Adler Peck and ???.Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954)Friday 10 May 1929 - Page 5https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/51543484DOMINION HOUSEProposed. Extensions Three Additional Floors...Henry. Hare and Hare.The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954)Wednesday 4 November 1925 - Page 4https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243710795 illust- perspective Henry Hare and HareDOMINION HOUSE DETAILSDominion House, a nine-story factory building, is now in course of erection at the east end of Flinders lane, at the rear of The Herald office, and when completed will be a fine example of the modern Industrial structure. The building is designed to meet the requirements of the better-class factory, and particular attention to detail in lighting, construction, escapes, and convenience of employes is revealed by an Inspection of the designs.The factory covers a site frontage of 40ft. to Flinders lane, with a depth of 108ft. having wide right-of-ways at the rear and on the east side, with .... outlets to main thorough fares. The area Is one of the few precipitous sites In Melbourne, having a fall of 32ft. in depth. The precipitous nature of the block has been overcome by excavating the rear portion level with the right-of- way, to a depth of 60ft., three well- lighted ground floors, each with an entrance off Flinders lane, being introduced. These have excellent facilities for the receipt and despatch of goods, and full south and east lighting is obtained. The building will be six storeys above Flinders lane pavement, with nine storeys at the rear, and is 6f fire-resistant construction throughout. Natural lighting over large areas of windows Is obtained throughout the length of each floor, all west lighting being eliminated.IDEAL WORKING CONDITIONSA fast passenger lift Is to be installed to serve the upper floors, and all goods will be received at loading platforms situated at the rear right- of-way, handled by a 20-cwt. goods lift serving all floors. Each floor is capable of carrying one hundred persons under factory registration, with ideal working conditions and is provided with its own conveniences, special attention being paid In the design of all toilet fixtures to suit modern factory requirements.The construction of the building is of reinforced concrete frame, with floors designed on the two-way flat slab principle, eliminating secondary beams, and ensuring perfect light distribution, and an important detail is the wide column spacing adapted to give large unobstructed door areas, the columns being spaced transversely, more than 30ft. apart. Each floor will have its own electric light and power installation, controlled from a master switch In a handy position In the entrance lobby. The window frames throughout are of steel, designed by the architects a.- reversible pivots for cleaning purposes, the opening sashes being fitted with a. novel device to keep them in any position without the necessity for cords and catches. These will be automatically operated at fixed temperatures to close nil openings automatically in case of fire. A new system of fixed Inlet and outlet ventilation is also embodied in the design to meet the Board of Health requirements. A notable feature is the special glazing used for all windows. This is a ribbed prismatic glass, ensuring a soft diffused light throughout the building, effectually breaking up the direct rays of the sun and eliminating any necessity for blinds. Special consideration has been given to the floor finish. The doors throughout will be of patent non-conducting, vermin and dustproof material; dually finished with a hygienic preparation, giving a good wearing surface. The trough-spray system is being adopted for the toilet fixtures, and where taps are 'used for lavatory- basins with plugs, these will be of the spring pattern, to remove any probability of flooding when- the building is vacant. A flat roof, from which a fine vista will be obtained. Is to be available for the use of tenants for recreation purposes, and adequate kitchen services will be provided. The internal finish of walls and ceilings will be in water paint, with dark dadoes, a feature of the construction is the standardised methods adopted In the design of all constructional units, these being of dimensions to give the minimum of alteration to the false work In use for each story. The timber forms have been treated to ensure n smooth finish when stripped. The architects for the new building are Messrs. Henry. Hare and Hare.DIRECTORIES OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE-SANDS AND KENNY, SANDS & MCDOUGALL193055-61 DOMINION HOUSE-55-61 Arnold, V., Pty Ltd, mchnry imprtrs55-61 Sinclair, Chas., Pty Ltd, children's clothing55-61 Piazza, G. E., mantle manufacturer55-61 Sharp, Stevenson & Hare Pty Ltd, knitted goods55-61 Solomon, Sidney J., mantle manufacturer55-61 Jaffe, S., mantle manufacturer55-61 Sargood, Gardiner Ltd, warehousemenHARTNELL & CO55-61 Wholesale Manufacturers of Umbrellas.194255-59 DOMINION HOUSE-55-9 Finewear Mantles, mantle mnfrs55-9 Piazza, G. E., mantle mnfr55-9 Sharp, Stevenson & Hare Pty Ltd, mantle manufacturers55-59 Dominion Knitting Mills Pty Ltd (showrm)55-59 Ballara Manfg Co, mantle mnfrs55-9 Charnaux (A'asia) Pty Ltd, corset tnnfre55-59 Ideal Manufacturing Co, frock mnfrs55-9 Jaffe. LS.. mantle manfr55-59 Michel, F., mantle manufacturer55-59 Scotch Manufacturing Co Pty Lid, kntd.
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| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 103917 1 | 1 JPEG : 640 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |