Melbourne Technical College Electrical Trade School and Metallurgical and Mining Building, parts of group Buildings Nos. 9, 7, 5 , Bowen Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Melbourne Technical College Electrical Trade School and Metallurgical and Mining Building, parts of group Buildings Nos. 9, 7, 5 , Bowen Street, Melbourne
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Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 105490 2
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.
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RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2021:__________________________________________________Style: ModernePeriod: Inter-WarConstruction dates: 1938 -1947Architect: Percy Everett, Public Works Department Chief Architect.Builders: A. J. S. Hamilton, Blease, McPherson and Co..VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H1506Statement of SignificanceWhat is significant?RMIT Building No.9 was designed by the Public Works Department under the jurisdiction of Chief Architect Percy Everett. It was built in two stages, the first part of which was for the Electrical Trades School and was opened in 1938. This building housed the Radio School and the original tower antenna survived until 1996. The second, northern part of the building has a facade to Franklin Street and was completed in 1941. The building is constructed with a frame of concrete-encased steel and reinforced concrete with brick cladding. The horizontal emphasis of the building is accentuated by continuous bands of brick spandrel panels and windows. The curved corners further emphasise the streamline design. In contrast to the shining, salt-glazed manganese bricks used on the main body of the building, the entrance tower is constructed of paler, unglazed bricks. The entrance tower provides a vertical counterpoint to the building with overtones of neo-Gothicism given by the protruding vertical fins dividing the double height window. The basement was enlarged during the Second World War and used for defence training. The original multi-panelled, steel framed windows were replaced in 1983 with plainer reflective window panels, and a variety of lightweight structures have been added to the roof.How is it significant?RMIT Building No.9 is of architectural significance to the State of Victoria.Why is it significant?RMIT Building No.9 is architecturally significant as one of the few large public building designed in the streamlined horizontal Moderne style. The style epitomises the architect Percy Everett's design approach to technical schools and was considered appropriate as a modern and state-of-the-art idiom suitable to technical training. The construction is noteworthy for its unusual treatment of materials, favouring face brickwork clad over a concrete frame, which is in contrast to other architects? preference for an overall concrete and cement finish to horizontal Moderne buildings..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites source 77 DARYL JACKSON EVAN WALKER ARCHITECTS PTY. LTD 1976 FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS PRESERVATION COUNCIL; MELBOURNE: THE AREA BOUNDED BY VICTORIA, SPRING, LONSDALE AND SWANSTON STS (source 77), p34; RAIA 20th.Century Architecture Register.DARYL JACKSON EVAN WALKER ARCHITECTS PTY. LTD 1976 FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS PRESERVATION COUNCIL; MELBOURNE:R.M.I.T. Buildings, Nos. 5, 7 and 9 Ref. C9Address Bowen StreetDate BuiltNo. 5-1938, No. 7-1947, No. 9-1939Architect Public Works DepartmentBuilderNot knownOriginal Use Classrooms/Laboratories Present Use Classrooms/LaboratoriesAwards NoneIntactnessExterior of three buildings completely intact. Interiors intact apart from minor alterations partitions, double glazing, etc.Construction MaterialsThree storey building built in three stages. Concrete encased steel columns and beams. Ribbed reinforced concrete floor. Brick spandre1 panels and steel windows in continuous bands.Historical Basis NoneOther ReferencesRecommendationNot to be included on the Historic Buildings Register.HistoricalThe foundation stone was set by the Hon. A.A. Dunstan M.L.A., Premier of Victoria, on 12th October, 1937 (the Jubillee [sic] year of the College). Frank Ellis M.A., B.E. was the Principal at that time.2. Architectural2.1 The three buildings were designed by the Public Works Department (Percey [sic] E. Everett -Chief Architect). The northern building (no. 5), the Metallurgy and Mining School was completed in 1938, the southern building (no. 9), the Electrical Trades School in 1939. The central section (no. 7), incorporating a "tower feature" was completed in 1947. (2)2.2 In most part a three storeyed building with the central section being four storeyed and with four entrance doors equally spaced along the facade. The end two ones leading to a stair well with a vertical entrance pavilion with vertical strip windows. The bulk of the brick work is brown and the entrance doors and the entrance pavilions are both surrounded by cream brick and long horizontal strip windows (steel) in four vertical divisions and innumerable horizontal divisions and they run the full length of the building of each storey. Thus the sills are in a continuous strip and a small cantilevered head. The junction between the different stages of construction is quite difficult to pick out. Internally, it is in authentic condition with exposed brick work on the ground floor (as well as on the upper floors) up to door head height. Very plain treatment.Footnotes(1) R.M.I.T. Building Department Records(2) Drawings held by Public Records Office.NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)1937Construction and Real Estate Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1930 - 1938) Wednesday 1 September 1937 - Page 8https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222923227Melbourne is experiencing similar conditions to Sydney in regard to the ever-increasing demand for the technical training of its youth, and our illustration shows the new wing to the Melbourne Technical College, which is now in the course of erection at a cost of £57,517. A. J. S. Hamilton is carrying out the erection of the Electrical Trades Building, and Blease, McPherson and Co. are erecting the new Metallurgical and Mining Building. Plans involving an expenditure of a further £40,000 are being considered during the next financial year.1938The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954)Friday 29 July 1938 - Page 6https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205121327£240,000 FORSCHOOLS.Year's Building Programme.The Education department announces that a definite effort is being made to maintain a progressive programme of work ln regard to school building requirements, which fell into arrears during the years of depression. The main items of actual expenditure or of commitments entered into include the Melbourne Technical College new electrical trades school (£32,000) and the metallurgy and milting school (£25,000) ; etc.….Every effort is being made to over take arrears of school maintenance works, which are being attended to in the order of the dates in which they are approved by the Minister of Public Instruction (Sir J. Harris), ln accordance with an arrangement mutually agreed upon by the Education and the Public Works departments.1942PUBLIC WORKS, MELBOURNE.(Tenders Accepted).Melbourne, Technical College, Electrical Trades School, electrical installation, £1,623.—W. Cumming and Co. Pty. Ltd.
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1249369
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 105490 2 | 1 PDF : 1,301 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |