Belford Court Arcade
54-58 Kilby Road KEW EAST, BOROONDARA CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is Significant?
The Belford Court arcade, at 54-58 Kilby Road, Kew East is significant. The initial set of 10 shops, fronting Kilby and Belford roads were constructed in 1954-55 by builder/developer William H. Deague.
How is it significant?
The Belford Court arcade is of local historical, architectural and aesthetic significance to the City of Boroondara.
Why is it significant?
Belford Court arcade is a good example of a post war commercial premises It represents the evolution of modern retail culture of the 1950s and is of interest for its contribution as an isolated retail hub in the interwar and post war residential area. (Criteria A)
Belford Court arcade is a good example of post war shopping arcade. Belford Court arcade is representative of a small-scale post war commercial development, with shopfronts built to key site street interfaces, forming a continuous street wall, with arcaded way linking spaces internally across the site. Roofs are hidden behind the expressed brick parapet, whilst shopfront demonstrate typical features such as metal framed windows within an eye-catching facade. The uniformity of design and intactness of the arcade make it of further note. (Criteria D)
Belford Court is a landmark building within the local residential context of Kew East. The design utilises Castlemaine slate veneer to clad the entirety of the surrounds to each shopfront and extends internally to the arcade. Combined with the coloured panelling of the ceilings, the consistent use of Castlemaine slate contributes to a sense of aesthetic unity to the whole. The facade more generally is articulated through angling of the shopfronts, with the timber framed doors standing as strong elements against the lightweight metal windows. A shallow curved canopy steel feature defines the level of the brick parapet, which is then capped with contrasting manganese bricks, against the cream. The parapet gives the building a modern industrial style aesthetic. This aesthetic extends to the sawtooth roofs, an element integral to the function providing natural light to the internal shopfronts of the arcade.(Criteria E)
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Belford Court Arcade - Physical Description 1
Belford Court at 54-58 Kilby Road is a single-storey brick shopping arcade at the southwest corner of Kilby and Belford roads. The site is a rectangular block, with a small carpark located in its southwest corner. Constructed in 1955, the subject building has clerestory windows and metal roof sheeting in different orientations and arrangements. These windows, which are uncommon for shopping arcades built in the 1950s, allow natural light into the building.
The subject building is built to the front and side boundaries, forming a continuous street wall. It is built following the slope of both Kilby and Belford roads, which is reflected in the uneven level of its parapets. The building has a symmetric double-frontage on its Kilby Road elevation, which includes the arcade entrance and two metal-framed, double-paned windows. The Belford Road elevation contains five shopfronts and another arcade entrance. The signage 'Belford Court' is clearly visible above this entrance. Shopfronts on the Belford Road side demonstrate a high degree of uniformity, as each consists of one metal-framed single-paned window, one timber-framed glazed door and fanlight. Shop No 5, with its double-panelled door and two single-paned windows, is the only exception. Each shopfront is set on a slight angle, which creates a subtle articulation of recessive view on both Kilby Road and Belford Road elevations.
Both the Kilby Road (north) and Belford Road (east) elevations are vertically clad in random veneer Castlemaine slate. A thick metal cornice projects out through both elevations of the building above the shopfronts and a parapet is formed in cream brick, topped by a manganese brick detail. A corner shop entrance (Shop No 1) is located on the street corner of Kilby and Belford roads.
Internally, the arcade is an L-shaped passageway that connects Kilby and Belford roads. Stained concrete flooring contrasts with the sections of multi-coloured ceiling sheeting to the arcade, a response reflective of the various colours in the stonework. The design of the internal shopfronts is similar to the ones on the Belford Road elevation, as each contains a large rectangular steel-framed window, door and fanlight, with internal walls and stallboards also clad in Castlemaine slate. A rear exit door is located at the turn of the arcade and leads to small carpark and toilet facilities.
The interior of Belford Court underwent several stages of alterations in 1960 to 1981, which included a new opening on an interior wall (1960), and alterations to the interior of Shop Nos 1 & 2(1981). Despite the alteration works identified, its early design remains highly intact. Belford Court is overall in good condition.
Heritage Study and Grading
Boroondara - Municipal-Wide Heritage Gap Study Volume 5: Kew East and Mont Albert
Author: Context
Year: 2018
Grading: Significant
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