RECORD CHAMBERS
479-481 COLLINS STREET MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The retained front section of the Record Chambers building comprising the facade to Collins Street, and returning to a depth of approximately 12 metres and including the iron gate which gave access to the laneway leading to the rear.
History summary
The printing and publishing firm of McCarron, Bird & Co. was established in 1872 in Flinders Lane west. Among their early publications was the Australasian Insurance and Banking Record, founded in 1876. The Record, which later gave its name to the Record Chambers building, was pre-eminent amongst insurance and banking journals in Australia. Other publications by the company included Alexander Sutherland's Victoria and Its Metropolis (1888), and numerous journals, including Australasian Trade Review, Manufacturer's Journal, Australian Brewers' Journal, and Temperance News. In 1887 the partnership moved to their own purpose built premises, the Record Chambers building, designed by J A B Koch and built by G B Leith of Flemington. Koch was from Germany and many of his designs betray German Baroque roots. The new premises were constructed during the building boom of the 1880s, which transformed this part of the city from one of small warehouses in close proximity to the wharves, to one of commercial and mercantile activity. The printing works incorporated lithography, engraving and bookbinding. The ground floor served as a retail stationary shop. The Record Chambers was threatened with demolition in the late 1960s, but as a consequence of heritage legislation, the front part of the building was retained in the 1984 redevelopment.
Description summary
The Collins Street facade of the Record Chambers building retains the original ground floor arrangement of two entrances (one pedestrian, one vehicular) flanking a large shop window, although the window has been replaced by an entrance lobby. The iron gate, which gave access to the laneway leading to the rear, is now fixed in an open position.
The facade, which is the most significant part of the building, is an expression of free classicism. It is arranged as four bays, the central two projecting slightly towards the street. Engaged columns and pilasters define each bay. A caryatid terminus (half-female figure on a pedestal) takes the place of the central column on the second storey. The four large arched windows to the first and second storeys contrast to the eight smaller windows on the third storey. A prominent cornice and a segmental pediment crown the second storey. The top of the building is decorated with a bracketed cornice, with balustraded parapet and four urns. The words 'Record Chambers' are inscribed in the centre balustrade.
Internally the building has a depth of approximately eleven metres, which is all that survives following redevelopment at the rear. Exposed timber roof trusses and a tongue and grooved lining board ceiling survive in the top floor, though the ceiling linings are concealed behind modern finishes.
How is it significant?
The Record Chambers building is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
The Record Chambers building is historically significant as the premises of one of Melbourne's largest and most prominent nineteenth century publishing companies. The company published many of the important contemporary banking and insurance journals. The Record Chambers building is historically significant as a large and important commercial work of the prominent architect J A B Koch. Koch brought to the boom style a personal, Baroque flavour. [Criterion A]
The Record Chambers is also historically significant for its association with the burgeoning heritage movement of the 1970s, in particular the campaign to save the Gothic streetscape of Collins Street by the National Trust. This campaign and the public concern and development in the city led to the introduction of the Victorian heritage legislation. [Criterion A]
The Record Chambers building is architecturally significant as an early expression of a city building in the so-called boom style. The free and animated use of classical elements demonstrates the growing architectural exuberance of owners and architects during the boom period of the late 1880s. [Criterion D]
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RECORD CHAMBERS - History
Contextual History:
Maker/Builder
G B Leith. Leith was based in Flemington. He came to Victoria in 1881 and worked as a stonemason for 12 months before becoming a building contractor. His other major project was the Stock Exchange for architect William Pitt (G Sutherland, Victoria and Its Metropolis, Vol II B, p 645).
Architect
J A B Koch
Distinctive style and a master of the decorative use of cement render. Eg. Labassa (formerly Ontario) in Caulfield, 1889-91; Friesa (formerly Oxford, Isabella Grove, Hawthorn (1888); Ulimaroa, St Kilda Road(1880).
History of Place:
The printing and publishing firm of McCarron , Bird & Co. was established in 1872 in Flinders Lane west. The partnership comprised JF McCarron, JH Bird, HW Puttman and Andrew Stewart. The partnership published the International Exhibition catalogue, 1875. and then in 1876 founded the Australasian Insurance and Banking Record. The Record, which later gave its name to the Record Chambers building, was pre-eminent amongst insurance and banking journals in Australia. Other publications by the company included Alexander Sutherland’s Victoria and Its Metropolis (1888), and numerous journals, including Australasian Trade Review and Manufacturer’s Journal, Australian Brewers’ Journal and Temperance News (Victoria and Its Metropolis, Vol.2, A Sutherland, 1888, p.569).
In 1887 the partnership moved to their own purpose built premises, designed by J A B Koch and built by G B Leith of Flemington. The MCC building permit, no.2542, is dated 19 November 1886 (Burchett Index). Presumably the building was finished in the first half of 1887. The building, with fireproof floors, cost over £18,000 (Builders and Contractors News 15 October 1887 p 366). Despite being recently completed, by the late 1880s the building was barely adequate for the burgeoning business. The printing works incorporated lithography, engraving and bookbinding (Victoria and Its Metropolis, Vol.2, A Sutherland, 1888, p.569). The ground floor served as a retail stationary shop. The first and second floors were divided into offices for tenants.
A 7 ft (2.1m) well hole was left in the building for the later erection of a passenger lift. An Otis goods elevator was installed during construction and served the printing works (Builders and Contractors News 15 October 1887 p 366).RECORD CHAMBERS - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.Specific Exemptions:Permit Exemptions
1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.
Exterior
* Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
* Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, signage, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
Interior
* Refurbishment of the entrance lobby.
* Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation
or painting does not remove evidence of the original paint or other decorative
scheme.
* Removal of paint from originally unpainted or oiled joinery, doors, architraves,
skirtings and decorative strapping.
* Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and other
window dressings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the
hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
* Refurbishment of existing bathrooms, toilets and or en suites including removal,
installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors,
wall and floor coverings.
* Removal or replacement of existing kitchen benches and fixtures including sinks,
stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and wiring.
* Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all
new wiring is fully concealed: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber
conduits then the conduits should remain in-situ.
* Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectorsRECORD CHAMBERS - Permit Exemption Policy
The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow works that do not impact on the significance of the place to take place without the need for a permit. The primary significance of the Record Chambers Building is the facade. The interior spaces have lower degrees of integrity. Exemptions are designed to allow non-structural refurbishment of interior spaces. The 1980s lobby is not considered significant and changes to this area that do not impact on the outward appearance of the building are exempt from permits.
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