Evans House, later Rochelle House, 415-419 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Evans House is historically significant as a well preserved City retailer and manufacturer from the inter-war period when the Capital City Zone was the paramount retailing centre for the State, as evoked by the scale and finish of this building.
Title:
Evans House, later Rochelle House, 415-419 Bourke Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 101149
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:
ASSOCIATED RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER:Period: Inter-WarConstruction date: 1929-30Notable features: Terracotta facade detailsGRAEME BUTLER & ASSOCIATES 2011, CENTRAL CITY (HODDLE GRID) HERITAGE REVIEWStatement of SignificanceWhat is significant?The canvas goods retailer ( tent, tarp and flag makers.), Thomas Evans Pty. Ltd., commissioned this six level (plus basement) reinforced concrete framed factory and office building (with ground floor retail) as Evans House, to the design of architects, Hare Alder Peck & Lacey, architects and engineers, in 1929. It was erected by George Prentice Pty Ltd. in place of what was described as `old shops'. Charles Lacey explained how the structure had been designed for `several additional stories' (4) which were to be added when the demand for office space in the area dictated. Meanwhile a temporary roof was placed over the concrete roof slab.The façade, clad with steel trowelled cement render and detailed in terra-cotta faïence, has a distinctive bowed centre bay divided into four recessed vertical glazing strips, with spandrels set between windows, and flanked by vertical elements at each end of the façade. The façade render was finished with a coat of Sanduski white cement mixed with a buff sand to achieve the desired freestone colour. Terra-cotta detailing has been applied around openings and at the parapet level using uncommon motifs within the Melbourne context, including two large green urns at the parapet and spiralled vine motifs along window architraves. Large steel-framed windows have been used to provide ample natural light in the north facing façade. The ground and first levels of the street elevation have been given special treatment to underscore their podium role, with bronze joinery, showcases and balconettes. The overall effect is as an early application of the Moderne style with stylised ornament and façade composition departing from direct commercial palazzo or classical precedents.Entry foyers, stair and lift lobbies are similarly well finished with patterned and panelled polished stone linings, parquet flooring, polished terrazzo and metal joinery; the whole ground level was devoted to retail and also had a polished parquetry floor. Pendant light fittings are either as original or visually related to the period. The complex of deep display windows and showcases, with their leaded transom lights, set either side of the lift-foyer and ground floor entry passageways have been removed, along with the suspended street awning, but generally the changes at ground level are visually related to the character of the building; the upper-level is well preserved.Thomas Evans Pty. Ltd. remained there over a long period. A stone in the pavement outside the building states that this was the site of the first Salvation Army headquarters for Australia in 1883.The architects Henry Hare & Hare designed the highly significant Neo-Grec styled E.S. & A. Bank in Swanston Street (1928) and Dominion House, Flinders Lane in the inter-war period. Hare was in partnership with Cedric Ballantyne after 1921 succeeding the firm Oakden Ballantyne & Hare but ending in 1926 when Ballantyne practised alone and then practised as an engineer. The firm received publicity (and photo) ) for Evans House in the national periodical `Building' of 1933. Alder & lacy were involved mainly with residential architecture but achieved a great deal of recognition in the architectural press. The building compares directly with the architecturally important Majorca Building (1930) designed by Harry Norris.How is it significant?Evans House is significant historically and aesthetically to the Melbourne Capital City Zone.Why is it significant?Evans House is historically significant as a well preserved City retailer and manufacturer from the inter-war period when the Capital City Zone was the paramount retailing centre for the State, as evoked by the scale and finish of this building.Aesthetically, the façade is particularly well preserved for a retailing premises and contains a high grade of finish and ornament in the Moderne style.FURTHER REFERENCESKeith and John Reid, CBD Study Area 7 Historic Buildings Preservation Council, 1976:page 291 cite rate books for date, described a 6 storey and occupied 1931- noted convex bowed centre bay distinctive plus skilful ornament at 1st and top floor levels.. Not recommended to Historic Buildings Register. Notes on report that February 1977 painters had just painted over terra-cotta tiles to façade.Newspapers`The Argus' (Melbourne, Vic. Tuesday 20 May 1930: 13 Evans House completed Bourke St addition - new business premises for Thomas Evans PTY Ltd.City of Melbourne Building Permit Application10 June 1929, 11535 `erection of new building..' ₤24,000: drawings and filesNational Trust of Australia (Vic), Central Activity District Heritage Shopfronts, CAD Shopfront Survey 2000:Graded B, cites this shopfront: Appears to be a modification, rather than original (Graeme Butler note: true).Statement of Significance`Simple elegant display windows integrated with the architecture.'LEWIS, M.-AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEXAssociated architectural projectsAlder, Peck & Lacy, Evans House, Bourke St, for Thomas Evans Esq(photo) Building Feb 1933, pp 50-1 Navaretti, Architects of Melbourne, s vAlso for Alder & Lacy.Home of Mr George Prentice, Cotham Rd, Kew (photo) Australian Home Beautiful Sept 1939, pp 4-7.Home of Mr A. Sachs, Marguitte St, St Kilda (photo and plan) ibid., Aug 1935, pp 20-3, 27.Home of Mr Nathan Grosby, Redcourt Ave, Armadale (photo and plan) ibid., Apr 1939, pp 24-27.Charles Steele & Co. Ltd., Brunswick, Building and Construction, 6 Aug 1935, p 4J.W.Handley Esq., Additions, 655 Victoria St, Abbotsford, Building and Construction, 9 Feb 1937, p 30.Davies Coop & Co. Ltd., Factory, Cardigan St, Carlton, ibid., 18 May 1937, p 30.Alpha Furnishing Co. Factory premises, 130-6 Church St, Richmond, ibid., 10 Aug 1937, p 30.Davies Coop Pty. Ltd., Weaving Mill, Carrington Rd, Marrickville, NSW (1940) Building Feb 1941, pp 20-1Davies Coop & Co. Ltd., factory, Wellington St, Collingwood, Building and Construction, 22 Mar 1938, p 32.Factory in A'Beckett St, Melbourne ibid., 20 Sept 1938, p 6.-from Navaretti, Architects of Melbourne.Sands and McDougall Directory of Victoria1930 Thomas Evans P/L , tent, tarp and flag makers.1935: Thomas Evans P/L , tent makers.1944-5: Evans HouseThomas Evans P/L , tent makers.Jackson, AV tobacconistElectrolux P/L vacuum cleanersVictorian Blinded Soldiers associationWestern Electric CoRosanove, Joan barrister.1955: Evans HouseThomas Evans P/L , tent makers.Jackson, AV tobacconistElectrolux P/L vacuum cleanersOrr, JA & Co gen merchantsLandau, N solicitorSmith Jenkins & Co estate agentsProfessional Secretariat accountantsVictorian Blinded Soldiers association1974: Evans HouseJackson, P tailorGeneral Mutual InsuranceMotorist's Mutual InsuranceDB Debt Collection serviceMitchell, MW accountantTait booksellers retail
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Record number:
1188173
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 101149 | 1 JPEG : 148 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |