RBA News

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Mortar Bees

An intriguing case of mortar bee attack is evident at the former Public Works Office, Bendigo, now part of the Queen Elizabeth Oval Cottage. Known commonly as mortar bees because of their propensity to nest in the soft mortar of older brick structures, these bees normally make their nests in banks of hard consolidated soils and soft coastal rocks. Each female bee excavates its own  burrow to create a protected place to rear their young, typically favouring walls that receive a lot of sunlight. Over time, this activity can lead to structural damage.  

Constructed in 1858, the former Public Works Office is one of Bendigo’s oldest surviving buildings. Urgent conservation works, including works to address structural and damp issues, will soon be undertaken with funding provided by the Living Heritage Grants Program.

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Former West Bourke Club Hotel

In the course of carrying out a building condition assessment at the Celtic Club building on the corner of Queen and La Trobe streets, a small fragment of Melbourne's past has been discovered. A metal plate affixed to the façade was removed revealing part of a 'ghost sign' (that is, the remnants of a painted sign) for the former West Bourke Club Hotel.

The West Bourke Club Hotel was built in 1876, and replaced an earlier hotel building on the site. Originally two storeys, a third level was introduced in the 1920s to match. The building was converted to the home of the Celtic Club in the late 1950s.

Also revealed were hints of the original colour scheme, with evidence of terracotta, cream and grey coloured skim coats to various façade elements.

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South African Soldiers’ Memorial

RBA have been appointed to monitor the dismantling and conservation of the South African Soldiers’ Memorial on St Kilda Road, which is being temporarily removed to allow for the construction of the new underground Anzac Station (part of the Metro Tunnel Project). Piece by piece, the memorial is slowly and carefully being dismantled, each separate component labelled and prepared for storage in custom–made cases. 

Whilst in storage, specialist conservators will carry out conservation works on the stone and bronze elements in preparation for the memorial's future reinstatement within Albert Road Reserve.

The memorial was recently featured on the Channel Seven news, which can be viewed here.

The South African Soldiers’ Memorial was erected to commemorate the Australians who fell in the Boer War fought in South Africa between 1899 and 1902. The memorial rises over 21m and takes the form of a grey granite obelisk and pedestal, embellished with a bronze plaque, sword, and eucalyptus wreath, set on a raised square podium. It was designed by Melbourne based architects, Leighton Irwin and Roy Stevenson, and constructed between 1922 and 1924. Some thirty years later in 1952, four sandstone lions, designed and carved by sculptor Stanley Hammond, were finally added at each corner of the podium.

'View from the Shrine balcony, looking South', photograph dated May 1934. The South African Soldiers' Memorial is on the right. (Source: Pictures Collection, State Library of Victoria, accession no. H99.67/9)

Interpretive panels, with content developed by RBA, are on display at the site providing historical and descriptive information to enhance an understanding of the memorial.

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Two New Homes

RBA is excited to announce the much anticipated completion of two residential projects! Both projects involved contemporary additions to Victorian era houses to create beautiful family homes adapted to modern living.

Lewisham Road, Windsor

A desire to retain treasured features of the original dwelling, and provide for flexible family living were the drivers behind this project. The result is a well-considered collaboration of old and new elements.

Page Street, Middle Park

The tight footprint behind the 1890s row cottage, a pervasive challenge, demanded an economy of space and clever storage solutions, aspects of the design which were inspired by Japanese machiya. Environmental sustainability measures are integrated into the design, including natural lighting, solar energy, hydronic heating, double glazing and water tanks.

Sympathetic repairs have vastly improved the presentation of the original front part of the house. The external paint colours were chosen based on the original scheme, which was revealed by paint scrape analysis of the various painted elements.

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A Facelift for the Ritz Mansions

The Ritz Mansions on Fitzroy Street St Kilda, RBA's much loved home for the past 15 years, is currently undergoing repair and refurbishment works to the exteriors. RBA have been closely involved with researching and documenting the works which include repainting the façades and repairs.

For the facades, a mineral paint (Keim), rather than a modern acrylic paint, was selected to achieve an effect more in keeping with the original coloured render. The colours are a contemporary version of the original scheme which was determined via a paint scrape analysis (cross sectional analysis under a polarised magnified light source using the Munsell colour reference system). 

Painting and repairs underway. (Source: RBA, 2017)

To the rear, the opportunity has been taken to restore the original 'blood and bandages' facade presentation (alternating bands of render and face brickwork) by removing the acrylic paint from the brickwork - unfortunately this approach was not possible at the front where the brickwork has previously been fully rendered. 

Various repairs are being carried out to damaged render, concrete and timber elements.

Rear façade with the original ‘blood and bandages’ presentation restored (Source: RBA, 2017)

The five storey Ritz Mansions was built in 1927 to a design by Ernest H Long during a time when many apartment buildings were being built in St Kilda.  

St Kilda Junction in 1929, showing the Ritz Mansions (at right) soon after its completion. Photograph by C D Pratt. (Source: State Library of Victoria,  accession no: H91.160/452)

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Secretariat Building, Yangon

At the invitation of Myanmar Heritage Preservation Limited (MHP), RBA Director and Deputy Chair of AusHeritage, Roger Beeston, travelled to Myanmar (Burma) in October and November to inspect the most spectacular of the British colonial-era legacy places in Yangon (Rangoon), the now vacant Secretariat (or Ministers’ Office) building (1889 - 1905).

The Secretariat is a place of exceptional national cultural significance and, having been vacated of its administrative functions by the national government c. 2005, is now to be conserved and adapted to new uses, including cultural museums and galleries, commercial offices and retail. Treasured memorials within the vast complex associated with independence are to be especially conserved. 

Above: Recent aerial photograph showing the location of the Secretariat Building (Source: nearmap)

Built as the administrative seat of the British colonial government and occupying an entire city block (16 acres land area), the Secretariat is the city's largest colonial-era building (c. 400,000 square feet of building area) and an iconic example of Myanmar’s colonial era architectural heritage. To the people of Myanmar, the building is of especial significance for its strong associations with defining events and phases in the nation's modern history, including the years of colonial rule, the steps towards independence, and the 1947 assassination of independence leader General Aung San and eight others. 

Above: An early 20th century photograph, showing the original dome and turrets (Source: ‘Twentieth century impressions of Burma’, A. Wright, 1910)

The Secretariat was designed by architect Henry Hoyne-Fox, a British civil engineer cum architect, and was constructed in two main stages - the south wing between 1889 and 1893, and the east and west wings between 1903 and 1905. The wings of the broadly classical red brick building with cast stone dressings are arranged in a 'U' shape around an inner quadrangle. A number of other detached buildings were also constructed at the site between 1905 and the 1930s. The Secretariat suffered considerable damage from an earthquake in 1930, losing some of its turrets and the central dome. 

When the new capital of Myanmar was established at Naypyidaw in 2005, all government departments were transferred and the Secretariat has been left unoccupied since that time. The harsh tropical environment and lack of any sustainable use over the intervening period have left the place with many conservation challenges. The prescient installation of a temporary, but effective roof over most of the buildings has contained much of the decay, with the exception of the north service buildings which remain without roofs and are overgrown by vegetation.

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Prahran Arcade

Dan Murphy's recent return to the Prahran Arcade at 282 Chapel Street involved a strong conservation effort in the fitout of their new flag ship store. RBA worked closely with the design team to develop a sympathetic scheme which has reinvigorated part of the arcade, including the basement, and revealed key original features both internally and externally. Typical of many retail fitouts, it was undertaken at a rapid pace, and RBA were involved throughout the project to provide expert advice on the details and oversee the effecting of Heritage Victoria's permit conditions.

Internally, paint layers were partly removed revealing fragments of earlier colour schemes and the original brickwork. Sections of the original vaulted Traegerwellerblech ceiling of corrugated steel sheeting (a fireproofing system employed in Australia primarily during the 1880s and 1890s) have been retained, and the timber joists and cross-bracing remain exposed. All the new shelving and services, including the HVAC and lighting, were sympathetically introduced.

Externally, hoarding was removed at ground level to reveal the original masonry wall, which features several early painted signs for businesses in the arcade. For the new store, a sympathetic recessed shop front was introduced. The canopy roof cladding was also removed (originally there had been no canopy) restoring broad views of the elaborate detailing of the wall including the cornice which has modillion brackets and a Doric Order frieze with alternating triglyphs and metopes enriched with fleur-de-lys motifs. Traces of some of the other mouldings survive including the pediment above the keystone and capital-like sections to the piers.

Interestingly, most of the original prismatic pavement lights survive to Chapel Street providing borrowed, natural light to the basement. These pavement lights were manufactured by Hayward Brothers (labelled ‘Hayward Brothers Patent, Collins Street Melbourne’) and may be relatively early surviving examples of their usage.

The grand Victorian era Prahran Arcade opened its doors in 1890, and initially had 29 shops in the central arcade, a three storey section with Turkish baths and a hotel to the upper levels, as well as a bakery and icemakers in the basement. Dan Murphy's long association with the Prahran Arcade began in 1952 and spanned roughly 50 years - initially the wine merchants occupied the basement of the arcade, later leasing the entire building and renaming it the 'Gallery' with areas let to other businesses and occupants. 

Image Sources 

Top: Courtesy of Dan Murphy’s 

Bottom: RBA Architects + Conservation Consultants

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September Announcement

Introducing Sam Sempill and Hannah Shaw

Left: Sam Sempill- Senior Architect Sam Sempill is RBA’s  recently appointed Senior Architect. Sam has extensive and diverse project experience, including residential, educational, commercial and institutional works. She can take on a project from the initial phases through to successful completion. She takes pride in building long-standing relationships with stakeholders, clients and consultant teams. She has a strong design focus and has a keen interest in sustainable architecture. Sam is currently working on overseeing several adaptive re-use projects including refurbishment works at the University of Melbourne, Windsor Railway Station and Moonee Valley childcare centre with an emphasis on design.

Right: Hannah Shaw- Graduate Architect Recently appointed Graduate Architect Hannah Shaw focuses on the careful design balance of maintaining cultural heritage with contemporary intervention. Hannah has a keen interest in the layering of the built environment bringing new life to old buildings whilst maintaining cultural heritage with contemporary intervention to suit new requirements. Hannah has been involved in an array of architectural adaption and refurbishment projects both in Australia and Scandinavia.

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Railway News

Malmsbury & Carlsruhe Railway Viaducts

RBA are researching and documenting works for the refurbishment and repointing of two basalt railway viaducts on the Bendigo railway line (originally known as the Sandhurst line) at Malmsbury and Carlsruhe. 

The large, five bay Malmsbury viaduct constructed in 1859, was the scene of Victoria’s first strike. Six hundred men worked at the site of the 500 ft (152 metre) long structure, one of the largest and most intact examples of a large railway bridge built to nineteenth century techniques.

Maldon Goods Shed

Another completed railway project by RBA is the refurbishment of the Maldon Goods Shed. An historical photograph was used as a guide to the reconstruction of an extended platform to the east of the building. The site was inspected during the works by state member Maree Edwards, who announced the restoration funding along with federal member Lisa Chester. As an adaptive reuse of the building, the Victorian Goldfields Railway, a volunteer group, utilise the space as a workshop to rejuvenate and rebuild rail carriages to join others drawn by an authentic steam train on the Maldon to Castlemaine tourist line.

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Tallangatta- Victoria’s second ‘Notable Town’

The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) has named the town of Tallangatta as its second ‘Notable Town’.  In the 1950s the town was relocated 8km to higher ground to allow for the expansion of the Lake Hume reservoir.  What had been up until that point a typical late-Victorian style town was transformed into one with distinctive 1950s flair. More than 100 buildings were relocated whilst others, such as the town’s civic and commercial buildings, were redesigned in the prevailing architectural style, a restrained modernism. The placement of streets, recreation reserves, commercial and residential lots all display evidence of the careful mid-century planning and zoning of uses.

Tallangatta is only the second town to receive the designation of ‘Notable Town’, the first having been Maldon in 1965. It was only fitting that on the 60th Anniversary of the relocation, and the 60th Anniversary of the National Trust of Australia (Victoria), that the town was recognised for its significance as the ‘Town that Moved’. 

Images above: High and low water levels showing remains of the old town.

Tallangatta is located within the Shire of Towong in the north-east corner of Victoria, an area particularly rich in sites related to squatting, selection and mining, and with a unique history brought about by its relative isolation.  In 2003, RBA was commissioned by the Shire of Towong to identify and assess significant sites in the area as part of the Heritage Study. Prior to the study, many places of historical interest had been unprotected. Community consultation was a key part of the process, ensuring that the values and memories of local residents were represented.  Stage one of the study was undertaken during 2003-2004 and stage two during 2007-2009. The study was approved in November 2013 (Amendment C28). 

Images above:Left-Tallangatta Heritage Museum, Right- Soldiers Memorial Hall 

The 60th anniversary of the ‘new’ Tallangatta was marked with the opening of a new library and community centre. The festivities included an exhibition at the Memorial Hall and a walking tour lead by local historian Ray Crispin.  You can find out more about the Towong Shire and Tallangatta’s festivities here. Related articles appeared in the Age, the Bendigo Advertiser, and the Border Mail.

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Prahran Arcade

RBA are currently assisting with several projects at the VHR listed (H 1960) Prahran Arcade at 282-284 Chapel Street Prahran, including adaptive reuse and some conservation works . One of the key projects includes the return to the site of the pioneer wine retailer, Dan Murphy’s, who established themselves during the mid-20th century and eventually took over the whole ground premises for some years.  

Above image: Dan Murphys circa 1960-1980 

The Prahran Arcade, also currently home to JB Hi-Fi, is of architectural, historical and social significance at the state level.  Its ambitious scale and opulent facade symbolise the confident exuberance of commerce in Melbourne during the boom of the late 1880s. Architecturally, it is a representative example of the Victorian Second Empire style applied to a suburban commercial building.

Above Photo: Prahran Arcade 1887 

The Arcade was designed by local architect George McMullen, and constructed by James McMullen, for Elizabeth Delaney in 1890. It initially incorporated a central arcade containing nearly 30 shops at ground level and a hotel and Turkish Baths in the upper levels. With the economic depression of the 1890s, low tenancy rates ensued. During the early 20th century, it was re-named the Centreway Arcade (evident in the floor at the entrance to JB Hi-fi) and the shop fronts were refitted in a contemporary Edwardian/Federation period manner. The 1930s economic depression resulted in another period of low tenancy, from which there was no further recovery. Eventually the internal shopfronts  were removed and other changes made. RBA is providing heritage advice and assisting with heritage permits for the building’s adaptation, including sympathetic installation of HVAC and providing equitable access according to DDA regulations.

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Mount Alexander Shire Council Exhibition in Castlemaine

Last week the Mount Alexander Shire council hosted a launch function at the Castlemaine Market for the recently completed and endorsed Thematic History prepared over more than 2 years by the RBA team.

An exhibition featuring dedicated posters of the nine key themes of the two-part thematic environmental history of Mount Alexander Shire at the historic Market Building in Castlemaine was also on display.

You can read more about the exhibition and our study here

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Former Tarpaulin Shop Newport Railway workshops

IMAGE: The Former Tarpaulin Shop at Newport Railway Workshops (RBA Architects + Conservation Consultants)

The original Tarpaulin Shop was built by H Maxwell in 1887. The size and specialised design of the building demonstrates the importance of tarpaulin manufacture and repair to the Victorian rail system and was operative for more than 90 years.

The building was an integral part of the extensive Newport Railway Workshops, which was established to maintain the substantially increased number of railway locomotives and rolling stock needed as a result of the massive increase in the Victorian railways systems following the “Octopus Act” of 1884 which authorised 66 new railway lines.

In addition to undertaking forensic analysis of the condition of the heavily decayed building fabric, RBA have subsequently completed an adaptive re-use study so that the building and site can be re-purposed for a contemporary rail industry. 

This process will see the essential conservation works deliver not just another redundant-to-purpose, barely maintained heritage asset, but a properly conserved and fully fit for purpose, economically sustainable heritage asset.

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A warm welcome to our new team members!

RBA welcomes two new staff members and a new puppy  to the team.

Tan Le- Tan recently joined RBA Architects + Conservation Consultants, having graduated with a master’s degree in architecture and a bachelor in Property and Construction from the University of Melbourne.  Tan brings almost 8 years of experience working on numerous projects; varying in complexity from small alterations and additions, to larger educational and community buildings.

Victoria Murphy- Victoria joins RBA as our new Studio Manager and brings a wide range of experience to the role. Along with qualifications in Interior Design and Creative Arts, Victoria is also a qualified Graphic Designer. Her background in these areas, along with her experience in Office Management allows the voice of RBA to have a greater understanding of what’s involved in running an Architectural Practice.  

Oberon- Oberon is a 10 week old Welsh terrier who enjoys chewing shoes and generally menacing anything that moves in the office. We are hoping that with the  appropriate training his internship will lead to him becoming more productive and less destructive in the near future.

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Mallee Stations

Conservation works were completed in December 2015 as part of the VicTrack 2014/15 Heritage Program at four heritage listed Railway Stations in the Mallee region: Kaniva, Manangatang, Patchewollock and Wycheproof. Two of the stations, Manangatang and Wycheproof, have been included in a recent Victorian Government initiative to upgrade nine grain rail sites around Victoria. You can find out more about the Victorian grain rail $8.5 million upgrade here RBA are now undertaking concept layout designs to present to prospective community group tenants for reuse of the considerably enlivened buildings.   Images below: Before & After images of the Kaniva, Patchewollock, and Manangatang Railway Stations, and the Wycheproof Goods Shed. 

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Majorca Building

RBA recently completed a Conservation Management Plan and a Building Fabric Condition Assessment for the Majorca Building, located at Flinders Lane, Melbourne, in preparation for future conservation works. 

The Majorca Building, designed by architect Harry Norris, was constructed between 1928 and 1930 as a seven storey commercial building for the soft-goods industry or ‘rag trade’, which flourished in Flinders Lane from the 1850s to the mid-late 20th century. Its distinctive Spanish influenced façade of blue and buff coloured architectural terracotta demonstrates the exotic influences on Melbourne’s architecture during the late 1920s, and makes it one of the most exuberant and colourful Interwar buildings in the City.

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Heritage Award for Footscray Railway Station

RBA are delighted to have been awarded the Heritage Property Award (Victoria) for 2015 by the Australian Property Institute for adaptation and conservation works at Footscray Railway Station.

The recent upgrade works at the state heritage listed station formed part of the broader Regional Rail Link project designed to streamline and separate the metropolitan and regional tracks to the west of Melbourne. RBA worked with design architects HASSELL to resolve the detailing of new works and to oversee a comprehensive program of conservation works to rejuvenate the historic station buildings.

Various interventions to the historic platform buildings were required to facilitate the upgrade. These included truncating two of the canopies to accommodate a new track alignment, and adapting the interiors to increase covered waiting areas. Where sections of wall were removed internally, vestiges of the original floor plans and arched openings were retained for interpretive purposes, part of a broader interpretation strategy that also included six interpretation panels.

Welsh Blue slates were reinstated to the platform buildings, as well as decorative roof elements which had been missing - detailed research guided the reinstatement of new wrought iron (mild steel) cresting, sheet lead repoussé and pressed cement orbs to the main building, as well as spun lead finials to the flanking buildings, all recreated by specialist contractors. During works, it was discovered that the tiles of the signal box were a rare example of Marseilles terracotta tiles manufactured by the company of Martin Frères - these were cleaned in-situ, and some were replaced with a suitable alternative. Other conservation works included the restoration of original colour schemes across the complex, reinstatement of sections of the original ‘bastard’ tuck-pointing to the brickwork of the main building, and repairs to the decorative pressed metal ceilings of the southern platform building.

For over a century, Footscray Railway Station has been in continuous operation as a major nodal station, leading to the western parts of the city and the state. The importance of the station in the rail network is reflected in the distinctive Federation Freestyle design of the historic platform buildings. Interestingly, although appearing stylistically consistent, the buildings were completed over a 30 year period. The upgraded station clearly demonstrates the changing nature of railways and public transport use in Victoria with its combination of historic buildings and 21st century infrastructure.

Look out for Footscray Station when passing through on your next rail journey in Melbourne’s west!

(Photographs by Peter Bennett)