Bank of Adelaide, 265-269 Collins Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
Archives
Total copies: 1
Title:
Bank of Adelaide, 265-269 Collins Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 102085
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 2024:__________________________________________________DATE: 1960;ASSOCIATIONS: Bank of Adelaide;DESIGNER: Godfrey & Spowers, Hughes, Mewton and Lobb;BUILDER: E A Watts Pty LtdPeriod: Post Second-War___________________________CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWStatement of SignificanceWhat is significant?The Former Bank of Adelaide Building, 265-269 Collins Street, a multi-storey office building constructed in 1959-60.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 street level facade are not significant.How it is significant?The Former Bank of Adelaide at 265-269 Collins Street is of historical and representative significance to the City of Melbourne.Why it is significant?Constructed in 1959-60, to a design by Godfrey & Spowers, Hughes, Mewton and Lobb, the Former Bank of Adelaide Building 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 prestige afforded by a dominant city presence. The Former Bank of Adelaide Building was constructed as one of the first buildings to exceed the pre-existing 40m (132 foot) height limit within the Melbourne CBD (Criterion A).The Former Bank of Adelaide Building is a fine and highly intact representative example of a Post-War Modernist commercial building. The building strongly reflects the style which was popular in the 1950s, particularly in central Melbourne, incorporating a curtain wall street facade. The transparent front façade of alternating rows of aluminium-framed glazing and opaque spandrels, and vertical mullions which divide the façade into a grid-like pattern, demonstrate important aspects of the Post-War Modernist style. The incorporation of two contrasting grids in the front façade is unusual and distinctive (Criterion D).Primary sourceHoddle Grid Heritage Review (Context & GJM Heritage, 2020)___________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites source 78, p3Source 78, 78A John & Phyllis Murphy Pty. Ltd. Architects. Historic buildings study of part of the C.B.D. Melbourne. (part 1) 1976Report to the Historic Buildings Preservation Council covering the area bounded by Little Collins, Flinders, Spring and Elizabeth Sts.___________________________CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWHO1317Former Bank of Adelaide Building265-269 Collins Stree (1959-1960)Architect: Godfrey & Spowers, Hughes, Mewton and Lobb.Historically significant for its association with the postwar building boom, with design being driven by commercial demands and the prestige of a dominant city presence. Significant as a representative example of a Post-War Modernist commercial building, with front façade containing typical characteristics of alternating rows of glazing and opaque spandrels and the unusual and distinctive use of two contrasting grids.SITE HISTORYThe Former Bank of Adelaide Building was designed by architects and engineers Godfrey & Spowers,Hughes, Mewton and Lobb to serve as the Melbourne headquarters for the Bank of Adelaide (BAP;Cross-Section, May 1959:3). It was constructed in 1959-1960 by E A Watts Pty Ltd (Cross-Section,May 1959:3; Age, 8 Apr 1959:1).The Bank of Adelaide had occupied the site of the existing building from 1920 (S&Mc; Age, 8 Apr1959:1). In August 1958 the bank announced its temporary residency at 319 Collins Street, during thedemolition of the bank’s old premises and construction of a new building at the site (Age, 16 Aug1958:4). The earlier building was demolished in September 1958 (Age, 8 Apr 1959:1).Architectural drawings dated October 1958 show the north (Collins Street) elevation and the design ofthe original entrance with its glazed aluminium entrance screen and granite facing surrounds.Annotations to the drawings indicate that the north elevation was designed as an ‘anodised aluminiumcurtain wall’ with marble spandrels, stone surrounds and granite edging. The stairwell at the east sideof the façade was designed with fixed glazing and marble spandrels (Figure 1). The layout placed the banking chamber on the ground floor, bank offices on the first floor, and office spaces to let on theremaining floors (Figure 2) (BAP).The City of Melbourne received a building permit application for the new building in January 1959(with an estimated total cost of £570,000) (BAI). The development was subsequently discussed incontemporary newspapers and architectural publications. The Age reported in April 1959 thatconstruction of the 11-storey building had commenced (Figure 3) stating,The new building, one of the most modern occupied by a bank in Melbourne, will takeadvantage of the recent modifications in the building code, and will cover the maximum areapermitted on a site of its size.The article stated that, at 154 feet tall, the building was to be the first building in the central city areato exceed the old height limit of 132 feet (40m) (Age, 8 Apr 1959:1).In May 1959, the University of Melbourne publication Cross-Section reported on the new Melbourneheadquarters for the Bank of Adelaide that was under construction. It noted that the building would beVictoria’s first major building using concrete with a light-weight aggregate (Cross-Section, May1959:3). The new lightweight aggregate, ‘Shalite’, produced structural concrete to specified strengthand almost half the weight. The aggregate was used on various contemporary buildings including thesubject site (Age, 4 May 1960:9).The groundfloor shopfront has been altered at various stages (Figure 6).Figure 1. North (Collins Street) and south elevations. Drawings by Godfrey & Spowers, Hughes, Mewton andLobb, dated October 1958 (BAP).Figure 2. Ground and mezzanine floor plans, occupied by the bank. Drawings by Godfrey & Spowers, Hughes,Mewton and Lobb, dated October 1958 (BAP).Figure 3. Illustration of the building, published in The Age in April 1959 (Age, 8 Apr 1959:1).Figure 4. Bank of Adelaide in 1960 (SLV, Mark Strizic, photographer, Image H2011.55/1445).Figure 5. Detail of a photo taken 1960 (SLV, MarkStrizic, photographer, Image H2011.55/1462).Figure 6. The building in 1984 with an altered groundfloor shopfront (City of Melbourne Libraries onlineHeritage Collection, Reference no. Butler13528)..Godfrey & Spowers, Hughes, Mewton and Lobb, architectsGodfrey and Spowers was established in c1901 by architects, William Scott Purves Godfrey andHenry Howard Spowers. The firm designed a large number of houses, warehouses and institutionalbuildings and was best known for its bank building designs.Godfrey’s son, William Purves Race Godfrey, joined the practice in 1931 as a student. Spowers diedthe following year and Race Godfrey was made partner in c1934. The firm was suspended in 1941 asa direct result of World War II, during which time Race Godfrey worked with the RAAF as a civilianarchitect in Melbourne and Sydney and his father, William Godfrey, carried out commissions for airraidshelters. Race Godfrey recommenced practice late in 1944. His father did not continue with thenew firm, and retired from practice in the same year.By the early 1950s, Race Godfrey expanded the firm to include new partners, Eric Hughes, GeoffreyMewton and John Lobb, becoming Godfrey, Spowers, Hughes, Mewton and Lobb. The expanded firmspecialised in large office and institutional buildings. Notable commissions within central Melbourneincluded the Allans Building at 278 Collins Street (1959), the Bank of Adelaide Building, 265-69Collins Street (1959-60), the AMP Building, 344-50 Collins Street (1966-68) and the State SavingsBank of Victoria, 233-43 Queen Street (1967-68). The National Mutual Building, Collins Street,Melbourne (1962-5, demolished 2015) was a key work for the firm during this period..REFERENCESContextual History references contained within City of Melbourne Hoddle Grid Heritage Review: Postwar Thematic Environmental History 1945-1975Building Application Index (BAI), City of Melbourne.Building Application Plans (BAP), City of Melbourne.City of Melbourne Libraries online Heritage Collection, reference nos. as cited.Cross-Section: No. 79, May 1959.Goad, Phillip, Ed. (2003), Judging Architecture, Royal Australian Institute of Architects (Victoria).Murphy, Guy & Bryce Raworth (2012), ‘Godfrey & Spowers’ in Philip Goad & Julie Willis’s (Eds.) (2012), The Encyclopedia of Australian Architecture, Port Melbourne.National Trust of Australia, Victoria (NTAV) (September 2014), Melbourne’s Marvellous Modernism, A Comparative Analysis of Post-War Modern Architecture in Melbourne’s CBD 1955 -1975.Sands & McDougall Directories (S&Mc).State Library of Victoria (SLV), picture collection, images and photographers as cited.The Age.
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1271032
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 102085 | 1 PDF : 909 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |