National Bank, 271-279 Collins Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
National Bank, 271-279 Collins Street, Melbourne
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Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 102086
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
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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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Period: Inter-WarConstruction date: 1926-1927Notable features:1. Stone facing.2. Herald (awarded for 'The 2nd most beautiful' building), 1930.Architects: Anketell & K. Henderson.ASSOCIATED RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER:.GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of SignificanceHistoryMelbourne's second most beautiful building (after the T. & G.) for 1930 (as noted by `Herald' readers) and the premiated design for the National Bank of Australia's head office in 1924-5, its design encapsulated all that the firm Anketell & Kingsley Henderson stood for in architectural design. Kingsley Henderson recognized the bank's predecessor as `the most perfect example in Melbourne of the use of the Roman, Doric and Corinthian orders...' but nevertheless undertook to design its replacement, albeit after his stated philosophy of harmony with bygone styles and architectural `good manners' : `...we have endeavored to preserve a memory of the old front,using the Doric order...the Corinthian order and the motif, Palladic, in the window treatment, repeating the firststorey of your present Bank almost identically...'To that end, Henderson provided immaculately drawn half-inch-to-the-foot details of the new stone facade, alsocompleting a drawing of the old chamber, with its colonnaded facade (four engaged column pairs) and domed chamber set immediately inside the vestibule. The new plan was indeed a generous expansion of the old, with a broad entrance vestibule, with lifts and stairs opening from it, a wind-locked lobby and beyond, the chamber with its offered ceiling, encircling mezzanines and supporting colonnades. Above the vestibule was an observation gallery, served by the two vestibule stairs and allowing the bedazzled public a vista into the vast space below.The Collins Street elevation when built was all that had been promised, only one storey higher, extending the stylized Giant Doric order colonnade to the maximum height before the heavy attic ornament lost all association with the complementary Doric order ground-level. At the attic, Corinthian column pairs supported the balustraded parapet attic entablature and, between, there was the sought-after Palladian motif, arched window openings and flanking columns.The bank was not alone in its occupation of the building. There were many small tenants, professional, service and retail in type. The masters of residential exotica, architects Berry & San Miguel, had offices there, along with the P.L.C. Social Club, Queensland Forests Ltd., the Melbourne Building Co., J. A. Wilmoth & Son, solicitors, McKay & Wysham, ticket writers, W. T. Stone, a Christian Scientist, Lewis S. Lazarus, solicitor, the Master Ladies' Hairdressing Association of Victoria, R. M. Taylor & Associates, architects, Woolf Marks, a solicitor, the National Council of Women and the Quamby Club on the 8th floor. Tenants in the Second War period includedAshton Wilson, Pty. Ltd., estate agents, the Modern Book Club Library, the Kosmos Press Bureau (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., Commercial Discounters (Vic.) Pty. Ltd. financiers, The Retail Trades Employees' Association, Baron Marks, an investor, The Melbourne Rotary Club, the Master Drapers' Association of Victoria, the Combined Old Girls' Club, E. J. Ruck, architect, Victorian Baby Health Centre's Association.The relatively large number of builders and architects who tenanted the building was perhaps indicative of its publicly acclaimed beauty, a fact which was much disputed when the National Bank sought to redevelop (demolish) the gem in their crown during the 1970s. The facade, however, remains and has been cloned in the place of the old Queensland National Bank Building, formerly 281-5 Collins Street.DescriptionMulti-storied stone-faced facade of five bays, the upper facade being of freestone masonry and the lower of polished granite. Semi-engaged column pairs of the Tuscan Order form a colonnade, comprising the three main entrance doors and two side windows as major arched openings in the facade. These are echoed in a lesser proportion as the ornate attic storey with its engaged Corinthian columns and pilasters and Ionic Order colonettes supporting arched openings. Balconies at first and second floor level provide more articulation of the elevation, with alternating balustrade panels and piers; the upper balcony being supported on deep brackets. The giant order pilasters and the attic level, take on an Egyptian manner, with their reeded capitals and carved bases. Between each, a spandrel divides the bronze window joinery, being plain in the centre three bays andfoliated in the side bays. The elevation is a finely assembled Renaissance-inspired group of elements.Other details include carved keystone masks in each of the five ground level bays, panelled copper-faced door pairs to the three main entrances and intricately carved foliated spandrels to the archways which have panelled reveals on the two side windows.External IntegrityGenerally original.StreetscapeWith its attic storey picking up that of the Centreway Arcade building, and its pilastraded fenestration that of the cornerformer E.S. & A. Building, only 267 Collins Street interrupts the official cohesion of this fine commercial elevation.SignificanceNow only a facade, the building nevertheless retains its title as one of Melbourne's two most popular buildings of 1930, a magnificent demonstration of stone detailing and the epitome of the important architect, Kingsley Henderson's philosophy on street architecture design. It may also be compared more than favourably with other, later bank head offices constructed in what appears to be a banking boom following the stock market crisis of 1928..VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H2064Statement of SignificanceWhat is significant?The former Head Office of the National Bank of Australasia at 271-285 Collins Street was the second head office building erected on this site by the bank. The first, designed by architect Lloyd Tayler, opened in 1870. In 1924-5 the architects A & K Henderson won the competition for the design of a new building, designing a 5 bay, 10 storey steel framed structure with reinforced concrete floors. The building rose to the maximum permitted height limit, 132ft (40.2m). The design is that of a stretched commercial palazzo, with a strongly emphasised base and top storey linked by relatively neutral successive floors, but in this instance deliberately echoing the design of the earlier two storey building. The ground floor of the original building was repeated in the new ground floor, comprising pairs of polished Harcourt granite Tuscan/Doric columns, and carved masks over the arched openings. The Palladian windows of the first floor were reproduced on the new top floor, separated by seven storeys of multi-paned steel framed windows flanked by giant order pilasters faced with Hawkesbury sandstone. The new building was officially opened in October 1927. In 1930 the building was voted by readers of the Herald newspaper as one of the two most handsome buildings in the city.The entrance is via steps leading up from Collins Street to the three central arched openings and three massive sliding bronze doors. The banking chamber is a voluminous space, approximately 43m deep, 26m wide and more than 8m high. It is artificially lit by a large T-shaped lead skylight below the central light court. The elaborate coffered plaster ceiling is supported by clustered giant order pillars with Corinthian inspired capitals. Ionic columns support the encircling balustraded mezzanine gallery, which is accessed by a grand divided marble staircase at the south end of the chamber which was added in the 1930s and is located on axis with the entrance. In the chamber there was a Women's Bank, an innovation at the time. The banking chamber has been altered a number of times, most notably in the 1930s to include the staircase and during the 1980s renovations. The second floor contains the boardroom and board dining room, panelled in English Oak and Tasmanian Blackwood, and with elaborate coffered plaster ceilings. In the basement are the series of strongrooms, with original Chatwood Patent strongroom doors.The building underwent major alterations in the 1980s when the bank merged with Commercial Banking Company of Sydney to create the National Australia Bank. Alterations, which included the major but sympathetic three bay addition at 285 Collins Street, left the 1920s facade intact. Fabric that has been removed around the entrance includes the original entrance hall with swing doors, observation gallery and associated stairs and lifts, some of which was probably removed when the marble staircase was added.How is it significant?The former Head Office of the National Bank of Australasia is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.Why is it significant?The former Head Office of the National Bank of Australasia is architecturally significant as an outstanding example of the stretched commercial palazzo style. The stretched palazzo style, a common enough style in early twentieth century Melbourne buildings, is unusual in this instance for the strong Renaissance revival overlay in contrast to the more typical stripped classicism of the period. The imposing, classically styled entrance underlines the institutional nature of the bank, whilst the composition as a whole makes an elegant contribution to Collins Street at a time when architects and critics were increasingly concerned about the contribution new buildings made to the existing streetscape. It received popular acclaim in 1930 from the readers of the Herald newspaper. Internally the banking chamber has been altered, but remains an impressive and elaborate twentieth century space. The board room and dining room (together with the associated furnishings) are interesting surviving examples . The building is also significant for its associations with the architectural firm of A & K Henderson. Under the direction of Kingsley Henderson the firm specialised in commercial and banking structures and achieved great acclaim for their designs, particularly along Collins Street.The former Head Office of the National Bank of Australasia is historically significant as the former headquarters of one of Australia's major banks. It was the second head office constructed on this site in Collins Street. The building was a symbol of confidence as Australia entered the Depression of the late 1920s. The building is historically significant for its associations with the Women's Bank, an innovation for women to conduct their banking in private..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORMsource78, page 32.NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)Friday 28 October 1927 - Page 12See https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3887858`NEW NATIONAL BANK. OPENING CEREMONY.Progress During 70 Years.To-witness the declaration of the new head office of the National Bank in Collins street open for full banking business, a large number of ' leading _ citizens assembled in the board room yesterday after noon at the invitation of the directors. The chairman (Sir John Grice) presided, and the Lord Mayor (Sir Stephen Morell) formally declared-the building open...Mr. K. A. Henderson of A. and K. Henderson), the architect, said that 12 month» bad been occupied in the preliminary preparation of the plans, and two years in the execution of them. The work included the demolition of two existing buildings and the erection of the new one in sections while the bank's officers carried nu the daily business of the bank…'.The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954) Wed 19 Nov 1930 Page 1 PUBLIC CHOOSES SIX BEST BUILDINGShttps://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242938671PUBLIC CHOOSES SIX BEST BUILDINGST. and G. First ChoiceAfter more than a week of scrutineering, the judges of the Beautiful Buildings Contest were able today to announce, the public choice of the six most beautiful buildings in the city area. Names of Individual prize-winners are not known yet? but voles are being checked, and It Is expected tho allotment of prize-money will be announced tomorrow. ,The winning buildings are: —Temperance and ' General, corner Russell and Collins Streets, 1.National Bank, Collins Street, 2.Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society. Limited, generally known as the Equitable Building; Collins Street, 3.Temple Court, Collins Street, 4. ;State Savings Bank, Elizabeth Street, 5.…..The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954)Tuesday 7 April 1942 - Page 3https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205279788OBITUARYMr. K. A. HendersonMr. Kingsley Anketell Henderson, C.M.G., collapsed and died yesterday at his seaside home, Portsea. at the age of 60 years. He was born at Brighton, and was educated at Cumloden College, St. Kilda. He had been under medical treatment for some time. He was chairman of directors of .the "Argus" and the "Australasian." The late Mr. Henderson was widely- known in architectural circles. He was a fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Royal Australian Institute and the Royal Vic torian Institute. For some time he acted as chairman of the Victorian Architects' Registration Board.In addition to practising architecture, the late Mr. Henderson was associated with financial and commercial enterprises, including Were's Investment Trust, National Reliance Investment Trust, Capel Court (Aus.) Ltd. Investment Trust, Chevron Ltd., and Eagle Star Insurance Co. (Australian board).He was a member of the Savage, Melbourne and Athenaeum clubs and the Royal Society, London. He was the son of the late Mr. Anketell M; Henderson, for many years lecturer in architecture at Melbourne University,' and a grandson of Rev. A. M. Henderson, first pastor of the Collins-street Independent Church.Among the Melbourne buildings designed by him were the National Bank of Australasia Ltd., T. and G. Building, New Zealand Insurance Co. Ltd., Mutual Life and Citizens' Assurance Co. Ltd., the new Alfred Hospital, St. Andrews' Inter mediate Hospital, Lyric House, Shell House, Cavendish House, Capel Court and Chartres House. He was one of the founders and organisers of the All For Australia League, and was recently active in A.R.P. and War Damage Commission work. The funeral arrangements are in the hands of A.' A. Sleight Pty. Ltd.See alsohttps://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245105197https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8240831
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| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 102086 | 1 PDF : 1,322 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |