Kelvin Hall & Club also Playbox Theatre, 53-55 Exhibition Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
Archives
Total copies: 1
Title:
Kelvin Hall & Club also Playbox Theatre, 53-55 Exhibition Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 103595
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:
Style: Neo-BaroquePeriod: Inter-War.ASSOCIATED RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2021:.GRAEME BUTLER & ASSOCIATES 2011, CENTRAL CITY (HODDLE GRID) HERITAGE REVIEWStatement of SignificanceWhat is significant?After several years of discussion three professional institutes (Architects, Engineers and Surveyors) agreed to form the Allied Societies Trust Limited to allow acquisition of a building for the use of its member bodies, allowing further sharing of services in the building. other bodies joined them, such as the Australian Chemical Institute.`A scheme to cost £35,000 was proposed for a piece of land in Collins Street and at a meeting of 30th September 1925 an appeal brought immediate promises of £4000 before the meeting closed. This proposal also collapsed when an even better buy turned up in Collins Place. The block was purchased, Godfrey and Spowers produced a design, and in 1927 the members of the Allied Societies Trust Limited moved into their own building, which they named Kelvin Hall. For over forty years they remained there until in 1969 the Allied Societies Trust was disbanded, the building sold to a theatrical entrepreneur, and the headquarters of the architectural profession in Victoria purchased and moved into the appropriately dignified calm of a Victorian boom-style house at 616 St Kilda Road.' The Victorian Chapter of the RAIA had wound up its relationships with the other members of the Allied Societies.Another professional union, the marriage between the federal architecture body, the A.R.A.I.A., and the State architecture institutes was `formalized in fifteen minutes at the inaugural and first general meeting at the R.V.I.A. headquarters, Kelvin Hall, Collins Street, on 18th November, 1930. The Memorandum of Agreement and a copy for each State had been signed and sealed beforehand. The president opened the meeting, the secretary read the Agreement and handed a copy to each State president..'Kelvin Hall was also a venue for music competitions such as the 1930s Programme of Entertainment by Melbourne Comptometer Graduates, the 1951 Brunswick Musical and Dancing Competitions and there was the serious professional work such as Asdruebal James Keast's Melbourne address delivered at meeting of members of the Institute of Industrial Management at Kelvin Hall, June 5th, 1945 which was then launched as a book. The presentation of the RVIA architecture medal by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne Cr. T. S. Nettlefold, J. P. at Kelvin Hall on November 25 1942 to Miss Ellison Harvie for the 1941 King George V. Jubilee maternal and infant welfare pathological building, Women's Hospital Swanston street, Carlton. (architect - Stephenson and Turner.).More controversial events included the intellectual, film promoter and film distributor, Ken Coldicutt, who was contemplating joining the International Brigades to fight the Fascists in Spain during the 1930s. he had imported a copy of `Defence of Madrid' which is thought to have been the turning point in Coldicutt's thinking about political action and the use of film.A remodelled Kelvin Hall was renamed the Playbox Theatre to stage a controversial play about homosexuals, `The Boys In The Band' in 1969. Charges were laid after the first performance for obscene language.Kelvin Hall had been sold to Melbourne architect and developer Gordon Banfield for $135,000, and suggested entrepreneurs Kenn Brodziak and Harry Miller take it on as a licensed theatre project: successfully making the first application for a theatre liquor licence in Victoria. Banfield had already developed Total House over the old Lido Theatre site and the Hoyts Mid-City Cinemas in Bourke St..`At the Playbox Theatre Kenn maintained his own office, an old style office which eventually was decorated by some of the cast members of The Boys In The Band, it was done with Thai silk in autumn tones. Harry Miller’s Melbourne representative, Gary Van Egmond, had a suite of offices in the building, Kenn occupied two adjoining offices and Miller the penthouse there.'In 1977, the Hoopla Theatre Foundation (started by Carrillo Gantner, actor and former General Manager of the Melbourne Theatre Company, Graeme Blundell and Garrie Hutchinson in 1976) made their home at the Playbox Theatre. However, in 1984, the theatre was destroyed by fire. The building nevertheless has long-term associations with creative life in Melbourne.Kelvin Hall is a tall and elegant Greek Revival cemented façade set on a classically detailed Ionic order podium, with twin pediment openings either side of one with a small balconette. The upper level of five floors, is arranged symmetrically with punched multi-paned windows set out under a deeply bracketed parapet cornice supported on four bracket pairs. The top-level has another central balconette also set on bracket pairs. Ornament is sparingly but skilfully applied as one would expect for a building created for the Victorian institute of architects. It is comparable with the VCA Building and Druid's House.How is it significant?Kelvin Hall is significant historically, socially and aesthetically to the Melbourne Capital City ZoneWhy is it significant?Kelvin Hall is significant historically as symbolic of a near 60 year association with intellectual life in Melbourne, as well as a close link with many of its professional bodies. Kelvin Hall is also cited in the history of live theatre development in Australia, albeit no longer functioning as such.Architecturally, Kelvin Hall has a fine and well-preserved Greek revival façade created by a prominent local design firm for the institute that represented them professionally. The refined restraint of the façade reflected the Institute's attitude towards City architecture as sophisticated streetscape elements, as seen in the prevailing Street Architecture Awards..RAWORTH, B 2002. REVIEW OF HERITAGE OVERLAY LISTINGS IN THE CBDfor the City of MelbourneHistory and Description53-55 Exhibition Street, was constructed in 1930-1.1 The designer and builder are not known. In 1934, the building was known as Kelvin Hall and incorporated the Playbox theatre at ground floor.2It is a representative example of an interwar commercial palazzo. Key features of the style found here include formal entry and pedimented windows to either side, intermediate floors, with ornament limited to understated quoins and window trims; and a prominent classical cornice. The building is broadly comparable to a number of other commercial palazzi within the CBD such as the Savoy Hotel 1928-9 by Leslie M Perrott. In the mid 1930s the building was known as Kelvin Hall.Apart from some minor alterations to the windows at ground floor level, the window appears to be intact to its original state. The building is a particularly elegant example of the mode in excellent condition.Statement of Significance53-5 Exhibition Street is of aesthetic significance at a local level as a good generally intact example of an interwar commercial palazzo within Melbourne's CBD..CITY OF MELBOURNE ONLINE MAPS 2015ACCI House:Formerly known as Kelvin Hall. A seven storey cement rendered brick office building. Designed by Godfrey & Spowers in the Neo-Baroque style (sic) and built for The Allied Societies Trust Limited in 1927. This entity was an amalgam of various professional societies such as surveyors, engineers and architects and it was these bodies that first tenanted the building. In 1968 the auditorium was converted into a theatre and became known as the Playbox. In 1984 this was destroyed by fire. The property was subdivided in 1990..Freeland, 1971 `The Making of a Profession' p41, 161, 188:Three institutes of architects and engineers offices until 1969- then sold to theatre entrepreneur.City of Melbourne i-Heritage:Central Activities District Conservation Study - Graeme Butler, 1984 : Building Identification Form (BIF): : Description/Notable Features Notable features include an elaborate / high standard design of cement rendered surfaces.Central Activities District Conservation Study 2000 cites: Sands & MacDougall, Directory of Victoria, 1930 and 1931. 2 Sands & MacDougall, Directory of Victoria, 1930 and 1931,.CITY OF MELBOURNE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONSMelbourne Building Application IndexElizabeth St - Flinders Sthttps://www.ancestry.com.au/imageviewer/collections/60672/images/44777_349573-00778index card 1 missing? City of Melbourne query lodged1969 $90,000 alts etc1974 alts to theatre1983 Alts to Playbox Theatre (55).DIRECTORIES OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE-SANDS AND KENNY, SANDS & MCDOUGALL1930 list of various professionals including Allied Trust, Kelvin Hall1935 Kelvin Hall & Club RVIA etc1939 Kelvin Hall & Club in Collins Pl1940 Kelvin Hall..1944 Kelvin Hall, apartments
Related material link:
Names:
Topics:
Places:
Form/Genre:
Record types:
Research and reports
Record number:
1207514
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 103595 | 1 PDF : 634 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |