City Baths, 420 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
City Baths, 420 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 109387
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
Part of:
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.
General notes:
RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2024:__________________________________________________DATE: 1903-4;ASSOCIATIONS: Melbourne Municipality;DESIGNER: Clark, J J; BUILDER: Swanson BrosStyle: Neo-BaroquePeriod: Edwardian___________________________ICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H0466420-438 SWANSTON STREET AND 39-41 VICTORIA STREETStatement of SignificanceLast Updated: 30/04/2008What is significant?The City Baths were built by Swanson Brothers builders in 1903-4 to competition winning designs by the architect J. J. Clark and his son, E. J. Clark. Constructed on an unusual triangular site, the building provided the city with segregated bathing facilities for men and women.Municipal baths were a common and necessary feature of daily life in early Melbourne when many houses had little provision for private bathing facilities. The present site was reserved for public baths in 1850 and a structure for bathing purposes was opened in 1860. The current building was completed in 1904 with two large swimming baths and associated changing facilities, as well as slipper baths, spray baths, Jewish Mikva baths and Turkish Baths. The symmetrical front facade clearly indicates the division of men's and women's facilities on either side of the entry bay.The City Baths were very popular throughout the early twentieth century, however by the 1940s the facility had fallen into disrepair. Degradation continued after the Olympic Games in 1956 as the construction of suburban pools reduced patronage at the City Baths. Despite attempts to close and demolish the building in the 1970s, the City Baths were retained and underwent restoration and alteration work from 1981-83, including the addition of spas, saunas, squash courts and a gymnasium.Edwardian Baroque in style, the City Baths building is distinctive in its use of red brick and contrasting cement render mouldings. The two storey central entrance bay incorporates arched openings emphasised by banded voussoirs, a broken pedimented entry and cupola-roofed belvederes. Flanking single storey wings also incorporate cupolas at the corner bays.The front entrance stairs and fence were reconstructed in the 1981-83 works. Of similar configuration, the original stairs did not contain an entrance at street level. A fence of masonry and ironwork has replaced the original masonry fence along Swanston Street.How is it significant?The City Baths, Melbourne are of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.Why is it significant?The City Baths, Melbourne are of architectural significance as one of the most distinctive Edwardian Baroque buildings in Melbourne and as an important work of the noted Victorian architect, J. J. Clark. Working for the Public Works Department, Clark was a prolific designer of nineteenth century public buildings, and was responsible for such important buildings as the Treasury (1858, VHR H1526) and the Royal Mint (1869-72, VHR H0770).The City Baths, Melbourne are of historical significance as a reminder of the important role played by bathing establishments in the early twentieth century. They are also illustrative of the patterns of social organisation in the early twentieth century, with the segregation of males and females still evident in the entry signage.[Online Data Upgrade Project 2008]___________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites RAIA 20th C. Architecture Register___________________________LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX8075 Clark, John James; VIC Baths 1902 8 2 -J. J. Clarke Brisbanepreparing working drawings for the new city baths to be erected in MelbourneBuilding Engineering and Mining Journal 2.8.1902 p 2338076 Clark, J J & E J; VIC Baths -J.J. & E. J. ClarkDrawings shown at RVIA exhibition in 1908 include City Baths, MelbourneRoyal Victorian Institute of Architects Journal Jan 1908 p 176___________________________VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTERPhysical Description30/04/2008Edwardian Baroque in style, the City Baths building is distinctive in its use of red brick and contrasting cement render mouldings. The two storey central entrance bay incorporates arched openings emphasised by banded voussoirs, a broken pedimented entry and cupola-roofed belvederes. Flanking single storey wings also incorporate cupolas at the corner bays.The front entrance stairs and fence were reconstructed in the 1981-83 works. Of similar configuration, the original stairs did not contain an entrance at street level. A fence of masonry and ironwork has replaced the original masonry fence along Swanston Street.Plaque Citation09/04/2008This grand Edwardian Baroque building, designed by architect J. J. Clark, was built in 1903-4. It provided a variety of baths and segregated amenities for Melburnians, many of whom had limited bathing facilities at home.___________________________NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (VIC)Statement of SignificanceLast Updated: 04/06/2008Designed by J.J. Clark, architect, and built in 1903, these baths continue the same use of the site begun in 1858. The building is particularly well planned, unifying the diverse elements of the complex within the triangular site and accommodating the levels of the encircling roadways.Classified: 05/07/1979Revised:03/0819/98___________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)1904https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10601452THE CITY BATHS TO BE OPENED THIS MONTH.Residents of Melbourne and suburbs will be glad to hear that the City Baths, in Swanston street, the opening of which has for various reasons been delayed from time to time, will be ready for use almost immediately. The town clerk (Mr. Clayton) stated yesterday that the baths were sure to be opened before the end of this month. The building has been practically completed by the contractors, who will probably be out of it by Monday next. The City Council is already advertising for tenders for the supply of towels, bathing-gowns, and other accessories, and at Monday's meeting of the council a scale of charges will be fixed. Once the contractors (Messrs. Swanson Bros. ) are out of the building, the final furnishing of the place by the council ought not to occupy longer than a week. Various causes have contributed to the delay in opening the baths. It was at first expected that they would be ready before the beginning of the now-departing summer: they were then promised for November: then before the end of 1903; and for a long time their opening his been expected "shortly." The delay, however, has for the most part been unavoidable. A number of important alterations and expansions were made in the original design, and this necessarily meant extending the period of their building. The long voyage of the barque Erminia from New York - she was nearly two months over the average time - caused a block to progress, for she carried all the slipper baths which were to be fitted in the buildings. Though the benefit of the baths has been lost during the recent summer (if, indeed, the recent weather can be called summer), they will be useful as soon as opened, for all the water in them - from the two big swimming basins to the shower-bath - is to be artificially heated. The contractors for the building are Messrs. Swanson Brothers, and the architect is Mr J. J. Clark, Swanston-street.
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| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 109387 | 1 PDF : 2,754 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |