Posts Tagged ‘cbd’

In a half decent outcome for the Church of Christ complex on Swanston Street, a development consisting of two towers of 5 and 10 storeys behind Knox House (1903)  and Prince Hall (1902) respectively has been granted planning approval.  These buildings are part of a small but significant remaining heritage streetscape fronting Little Lonsdale located opposite the State Library.

The good news that the developer’s initial application for complete demolition of the heritage buildings and taller towers have been rejected in favour of a more sensistive outcome.  Despite a clash of styles, heritage facades will be kept and that the profile of the buildings will step down to Swanston Street.

The bad news for the recently battered and bruised old Melbourne retail precinct is that the designs of the towers, by Lovell Chen,  look your standard 1960s revival affair with large blank party walls to sandwich one of Melbourne’s most significant old churches and further block views from Swanston Street of the iconic cone which houses the old shot tower which once presided over the site.

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“Concrete cancer”, a condition where the alkaline content of certain building materials reacts with carbon dioxide (also sometimes Ettringite found in hydrated Portland cement) causing them to fall away, is beginning to effect reinforced concrete buildings from the 1920s around the world.  These buildings, now almost a century old are showing the signs of age.  Some, like Brisbane’s City Hall are suffering so badly from the condition that it threatens structural integrity.  Many parts of Eastern Bloc countries and Russia are being completely demolished due to structurally unsound buildings as a result of concrete cancer.  However non-structural cancer can be easily treated and is simply a sign of poor maintenance.

Not suprisingly, some of Melbourne’s significant buildings are 1920s and made of reinforced concrete.

I have found quite a few examples of buildings around town affected by this condition.

Curtin House (formerly Tattersalls Club) (252 Swanston Street) is one such example.  Pieces of the historic former home of the Communist Party of Australia are beginning to fall from the building’s elaborate balconies and eaves.  Although the building is not on the Victorian Heritage Register, its heritage value is recognised by the Melbourne City Council with a B grade heritage status.

Curtin House, showing signs of concrete cancer

Another badly affected building is Epstein House (136 Flinders Street).  This building is graded C by the Melbourne City Council and has a diamonded folding facade.  Like Curtin House, the overhanging bits are badly decaying.

Dremans building, a tall interwar warehouse at 84 Flinders Street next to Campbell House is another example.  However the building is not listed in the Melbourne City Council’s much out-of-date heritage studies.

However one of the worst cases I have seen in the CBD is the Princess Mary Club (148 Lonsdale Street) next to the Wesley Church.  This tudor gothic styled interwar building designed by renowned architect Harry Norris has only a C grading, although it is one of the finest of its style to be found in Melbourne and one of my personal favourites as it blends the moderne with mock historic.  It has been unfortunately been indefinitely covered in scaffolding due to the majority of its stuccoed concrete facade falling on the street below.

One can only hope that some money can be spent keeping the cancer at bay, because it is only superficial and can be fixed cosmetically and certainly not an excuse for demolition.

If anyone can think of any other examples in the CBD, please feel free to mention them.