Sydney Art Deco Heritage

This very handsome Art Deco bank building at 31 Hall Street in Bondi is, at the time of writing (2009) in the process of getting new tenants after the Commonwealth bank closed the branch. A comment from "bondi" says "The building is now (Aug 2012) a surf shop, SURFECTION. The facade has been changed somewhat, with the ground floor windows being widened to act as display windows. It's a relatively modest and sympathetic change, with the window frame divided where the building line used to be. The interior pays no heed to the original ceilings, but at least they remain intact. The job was supervised, I understand, by Sydney Heritage consultants Weir Philips." Main entrance View of the branch before it closed Sources: Commonwealth Bank Archives

The Commonwealth Bank Drummoyne branch was located at 204 Victoria Road in Drummoyne. In 1914, the Government Savings Bank engaged Mr W Schofield of Dalley Street, Sydney to demolish the old Fire Station that was originally on the site and to erect a new two storey brick building. The work was supervised by the Bank’s architects, Messrs H E Ross and Rowe. The Government Savings Bank merged with the Commonwealth Bank in December 1931 and in 1937 the branch interior was completely remodelled. The work was carried out by S J Campbell of Mortdale and was completed in October 1937. Banking operations were transferred to a new building in Drummoyne in March 1982 and the old branch was sold in July 1982 for $253,110.00. Facade detail The branch in 1937 Sources: Commonwealth Bank Archives

Located in Herd Street, Wellington, on the waterfront next to Waitangi Park, Chaffers Dock (the former Post and Telegraph building) is a majestic example of Art Deco architecture. The original building was designed by the architect Edmund Anscombe and finished in 1939. Postal services finished in the late 1980's and the current Chaffers Dock building was redeveloped into a mix of apartments, restaurants and shops. The imposing Chaffers Dock corner facade has been retained however the unsympathetic treatment of the waterfront side of the building leaves much to be desired. Chaffer's Dock main facade Main corner entrance Imposing corner facade Sources: Chaffers Dock website

Located at 128-140 Broadway in the Sydney suburb of Chippendale Pioneer House is largely intact and is a good example of an Inter-war Art Deco commercial building designed by Wright and Apperly Architects circa 1939. It was constructed following resumptions and road widening in Broadway in the late 1930's as part of a group of buildings built at that time. It originally included a bank and six shops on the ground floor with warehouse space above. There was a caretakers flat on the top floor that would have had a nice outlook over Sydney for the lucky occupant! The building makes a strong contribution to the Broadway Streetscape. One of the nice aspects of Pioneer house is the brick detailing along the top of the front facade. The design is arranged symetrically about the axis of the prominant vertical triangular windows which combine to give a stately and monumental feel to the building without being garish. More classic Art Deco touches can be found at ground level along the...

ACI House is located at 52-58 William Street in Woolloomooloo and is also known as Peejays House, Australian Consolidated Industries and Hoskins Block. Designed by the prominent archtectural practice of Stephenson and Turner with Arthur Baldwinson for the Head Office and showrooms for the glass manufacturers, Australian Consolidated Industries. It is a fine example of an Inter-war Fuctionalists style commercial building. The building is listed in the RAIA Registry of Significant 20th Century Buildings and was completed in 1941. Facade detail It has eight storeys clad in burgundy glass mosaic tiles with long horizontal glass block sections on each floor. The curved corner is also built from *insulux* glass blocks spanning up all six floors which serve to reduce acoustic input and retain solar heat. The building is crowned by a floating concrete cornice perforated by large circular cutouts. The use of glass in the construction is carried on into the foyer area as well. Here...

Located on the corner of Walker Street at 305 Cleveland St, Redfern, the Norfolk Hotel is a quaint Art Deco style hotel with a prominant facade. It was purchased by Tooths & Co in the 1930's and plans were submitted to Council in 1939 for alterations designed by Sidney Warden to modernise the building. The main feature was the extension of the street awning up Walker street and removing the gabled tiled roof. The ground floor walls were tiled following the fashion of the day and the first floor exterior walls were painted instead of the more popular raw brick. Today the tiles are gone and the whole hotel has been painted over to *improve* and *modernise* its appearance. At the time of writing blue neon tubes highlighted the hotel's Art Deco lines in the evening. Nice. Similar treatment was given to the St George Tavern in Rockdale. Up to 2007 it had already undergone major renovations inside leaving little of the original decor remaining. It still posseses some charm a...

The Dental Hospital at 2-28 Chalmers St, Surry Hills, is one of the best examples of the interwar Functionalist style in Sydney CBD with strip windows in surrounds and strong horizontal lines demonstrating key characteristics of the style. With an illuminated tower of glass and long bands of windows that emphasised its striking wedge shape, the Dental Hospital of Sydney drew international attention for its world-class design and oral hygiene services. The original Dental Hospital on this site was built in 1910. By the early 1930s the building could no longer cope with the demands of the public and the requirements of the advancing dental profession. The new building, completed in 1940, one of the first to be partially paid for by a grant from the State Lottery, secured Sydney's place as a world leader in dental hygiene services. The new Dental Hospital was designed by distinguished architecture firm Stephenson & Turner (formerly Stephenson & Meldrum) that served the du...

The first Petersham Town Hall was built on this site at 105 Crystal Street in Petersham in 1882. In 1937 a plan for a new town hall, prepared by architects Rudder & Grout, was accepted and the old hall demolished. The new building was opened in July, 1938. Much of the interior has been retained and the hall itself has some nice detailing. The building is listed in the RAIA Register of significant 20th century buildings. The hall had a brush with fame when some of the flamboyant dancing scenes from director Baz Lurhmann's 1992 film "Strictly Ballroom" were filmed in its main auditorium. The Clock Tower detail The imposing Art Deco interpretation of a classic Greek temple entrance The auditorium above left and detail of the ceiling lights Sources: Sydney Heritage Listing Marrickville Council website

A Rockdale landmark, the Rockdale Town Hall at 448 Princes Highway was designed by Douglas Babbington Gardiner and built in 1940 to replace the original hall (designed by William Kenwood) on the site. This was all part of a general road widening scheme for the Princes Highway at the time. The building has simplified Art Deco details on the exterior which are similar to the Petersham Town Hall. The interior of the hall has elaborate art deco plaster details on the walls and ceiling. The building is associated with public events such as the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953. It is listed in the RAIA 20th Century Register Of Significant Buildings. Clock tower detail View of the auditorium Auditorium ceiling light Sources: NSW Heritage Database

The Charing Cross Hotel at 81 Carrington Road in Waverley is little changed since it replaced an inn built on the site by William Newland in 1857. Originally known as Newlands Inn, its name was changed to the Charing Cross Hotel in 1859. The original hotel was demolished and rebuilt circa 1935. The newer building, designed by Sidney Warden, was featured in the journals "Decoration and Glass", Vol. 2, No. 3, July 1936.(see below) The hotel is one of three Art Deco hotels in the immediate vicinity. The Robin Hood hotel is directly opposite on Bronte Road while the Tea Gardens hotel is just a 10 minute walk towards Bondi Junction. Facade detail Upstairs verandah "The Public Bar, where glass and stainless steel sing the triumph of modernity and modern materials.White opal glass is used in the unusual light fittings which conceal the structural support of the glass and steel canopy." "Decoration and Glass", Vol. 2, No. 3, July 1936....