Short's warehouse, 202 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Title:
Short's warehouse, 202 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 105746
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
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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RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2022:__________________________________________________Period: EdwardianNotable features: 1. Strong link with 200 Little LonsdaleDATE: 1889, 1905;ASSOCIATIONS: Coop, Walter 1889; SHORT, K. 1905;DESIGNER: Burke, J Edmund;BUILDER: Pontin, Mr. A..VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H509https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/784Statement of SignificanceWhat is significant?The office at 202 Little Lonsdale Street was constructed in two stages: the two storey brick store in 1889 and the facade in 1905. The 1889 work was undertaken for Walter Coop who owned and operated the adjacent shot tower. The facade was designed by architect J. Edmund Burke and built by A. Pontin. The building was constructed in red-brick with cement dressings to the facade. The most striking feature of the facade is the central bay window of art nouveau form.How is it significant?The office at 202 Little Lonsdale Street is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.Why is it significant?The office at 202 Little Lonsdale Street is of architectural significance because of its art- nouveau features, which place it in an important period of architectural development in Australia when a distinctive Australian style of architecture was being fashioned by architects such as John Sulman, Nahum Barnett and Robert Haddon. The new style featured a move away from the stuccoed Renaissance Revival towards the use of red brick and render, passing through a Queen Anne phase with associated art-nouveau decoration, eventually adopting a strong, American Romanesque-influenced style featuring large openings. This building clearly reflects the new approach, displaying little interest in traditional decorative details and presenting a dynamically-modelled facade to the street.The office at 202 Little Lonsdale Street is of historical significance as a reminder of the industrial and warehousing character of this area in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Little Lonsdale Street always had a reputation as a less respectable, vice-ridden part of the city. This part of the street was for a long time occupied by small-scale industrial establishments and warehouses, as well as opium dens and brothels in the 19th century. The street has been drastically changed in recent decades, especially since the construction of Melbourne Central, and buildings such as No. 202 are important remnants of the original character. The association with Walter Coop, who, as the owner of the adjacent Shot Factory, was a prominent Melbourne industrialist, is also important..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites source 83, page 14.VICTORIAN HERITAGE INVENTORY H7822-10781880 Panorama shows building fronting street.1885 - 3 room brick house on site, owned by Walter Coop, tenant Mrs Cook.1889 - 2 storey brick store with basement constructed by Walter Coop, possibly used in conjunction with Lead Shot Works. Facade apparently constructed/added 1900-1904.Heritage Inventory Significance: THE BUILDING AT 202 LITTLE LONSDALE STREET WAS CONSTRUCTED IN TWO STAGES: THE TWO STOREY BRICK STORE IN 1889 AND THE FACADE IN 1905. THE 1889 WORK WAS UNDERTAKEN FOR MR WALTER COOP WHO OWNED AND OPERATED THE ADJACENT SHOT TOWER. THE FACADE WAS DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT J. EDMUND BURKE AND BUILT BY A. PONTIN FOR MR K. SHORT. THE BUILDING IS CONSTRUCTED IN RED-BRICK AND THE FACADE, A NOTABLE FEATURE OF THE BUILDING IS CARRIED OUT IN RED-BRICK WITH CEMENT DRESSINGS. THE FACADE IS CLEARLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ART- NOUVEAU MOVEMENT IN AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE AND IN THAT SENSE CAN BE SEEN AS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE MOVEMENT TO DEVELOP A DISTINCTIVE AUSTRALIAN STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE. THIS MOVEMENT SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME DURING THE LATER YEARS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY AND EARLY YEARS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY DEVELOPING THE COMPONENTS OF THIS 'STYLE' AND THIS BUILDING CLEARLY INDICATES THIS NEW APPROACH, DISPLAYING LITTLE PRE-OCCUPATION WITH TRADITIONAL DECORATIVE DETAILS. IT PRESENTS A DYNAMICALLY MODELLED FACADE TO THE STREET. AS A RESULT THE BUILDING IS SEEN AS A FINELY CRAFTED PIECE OF ARCHITECTURE REMAINING RELATIVELY UNALTERED AND IN GOOD CONDITION..LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX:74841 Tayler, Lloyd; Coope, Walter Melbourne VIC Warehouses Sturrock. A W - 260 Lygon St 1886 05 12 2163-MCC registration no 2163 [Burchett Index]. Fee 2.10.0warehouse, Little Lonsdale near east - near Swanston77145 Hitchcock, -; Coop, - Melbourne VIC Warehouses Sturrock, Alex - Barkly St Brunswick 1887 11 23 3163-MCC registration no 3163 [Burchett Index]. Fee 2.2.0store, Church - off SwanstonRecord 74858 Coope, Walter Melbourne VIC alterations Alcock, J - 122 McKean St Fitzroy 1890 01 31 4310, MCC registration no 4310 [Burchett Index]. Fee 1.5.0-addition to shot tower, Little Lonsdale near off Little Lonsdale - Shot Tower.MAHLSTEDT FIRE INSURANCE PLAN SERIES STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIASeries 2, Map 5A1925 shown as 2 storey and basement, masonry..VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTERDuring the 1890s Australia was constantly searching for a clear identity in a wide variety of endeavours, no less its own form of government. The 1890s were a turbulent political period, leading to the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901.Architectural journals of the day carried extensive articles on the development of an Australian style of architecture. Such eminent figures as John Sulman, E. Wilson Dobbs, Nahum Barnet and Robert Haddon were at the forefront of these discussions.The resulting architecture took on an appearance that rejected the previously dominant Renaissance revival mode and moved into more exotic styles, particularly the American Romanesque. The influence of the old country remained, however, but in changed forms as architects adopted the mode of Norman Shaw and his contemporaries.202 Little Lonsdale Street clearly indicates the new approach. It is perhaps more related to the work of Norman Shaw, in a reduced way..NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)1904 AdvertCARPENTERS.— Two smart Hands. 8 o'clock, i A. Pontin. 202 Little Lonsdale
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| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 105746 | 1 PDF : 1,116 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |