RICHARDS & CO. PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO (FORMER)
23 AND 25 STURT STREET, BALLARAT CENTRAL - PROPERTY NUMBERS 2047211, 2047212, BALLARAT CITY
Lydiard Street Heritage Precinct
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Statement of Significance
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RICHARDS & CO. PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO (FORMER) - Physical Description 1
This builqing is an Edwardian Flemish baroque composition employing the use of contrasting materials and colour to special effect. The pricples element of the first floor is the recessed balcony and its intact windows. There are two arche which enclose the verandah, of which the archivolt is rusticated with radial' papels of brickwork. Above this is an elaborate gable with coloured tiles, principally a striking blue colour. Internally the stairwell is of considerable interest with late art nouveau work with pressed metal ceilings and skylight open and elaborate joinery and leadlights. The building is extraordinarily intact, particularly the external red brick, render, tiles and paint finishes. It is a unique and important example of the use of colour in architecture,heralding the emergence of a conscious Australian style.
RICHARDS & CO. PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO (FORMER) - Intactness
INTACTNESS: shopfront altered
RICHARDS & CO. PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO (FORMER) - Physical Description 2
This building was constructed in 1891 apparently for Thomas Belson, and was operated as a photographic studio in 1900 by John Deardon.
This building is an Edwardian composition in Elizabethan/Flemish Baroquo. Although the ground floor has been altered, the rest of the builaing exterior and interior is amazingly intact. There is a large arch over the ground floor which is surmounted by a recessed balcony behind two arches of which the archivolt is rusticated by radial p3nels of brickwork and render. The balcony has two projecting bay windows, notable for the apparently original red painted finish and leadlight highlights. The arched section is surmounted by panels of striking blue ceramic tiles and an elaborate gable section including three panel capped in a recessed pediment, and flanked by brick quadrants.
The building is externally intact above first floor level, particularly the finishes, natural cement, blue tiles, face brick and the apparently original red paint on the joinery in the balcony recess.
Externally some comparison may be made with a red brick and tile panelled circular oculi; house at Kyneton. a course of impost blocks flanked by scrolls and a However in form this building has no surviving comparative examples.
Accordingly this building is considered to be of statewide importance, representing an important and intact example of faience work with contrasting materials. This design approach was popularized by architects such as Nahum Barnet. The use of coloured contrasting materials was considered more suitable to the bright Antipodean skies than plain stucco. 3 This building in fact bears some relationship to Barnet's work of the 1890's, since demolished.
Internally the shop section has been altered but the stairwell of the upper level is largely intact with late art nouveau decoration, pressed metal ceilings and cornice, and a skylight opening on to one side - all done in pressed metal.
There are windows in leadlight post art nouveau glazing, door surrounds in the Greek revival fashion with roundels at the corners and moulded architrave in between. The doors are fairly coarse, with six panels with the same roundel corner motif in the frame of each panel, and basket work ~ decoration inside the panel.
The newel post at the top of the stairs on the left hand side is an open work one consisting of four round colonettes carrying a pyramidal top and a little object like a lantern light rising above that, while along the side of the stairway is a dado in relief paper work, now unfortunately pair-ted over. floor is more or less intact.
To all intents and purposes, the upper floor is more or less intact.
Heritage Study and Grading
Ballarat - Ballarat Conservation Study
Author: Jacobs Lewis Vines Architects
Year: 1978
Grading:
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SYNAGOGUEVictorian Heritage Register H0106
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FORMER BALLARAT EAST FREE LIBRARYVictorian Heritage Register H1493
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FORMER POLICE STATION, BALLARATVictorian Heritage Register H1544
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"1890"Yarra City
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"AMF Officers" ShedMoorabool Shire
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"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
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"1890"Yarra City
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'BRAESIDE'Boroondara City
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'ELAINE'Boroondara City
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