Sydney Art Deco Heritage

The heritage listed Pier Hotel at 1751 Botany Road in Banksmeadow was purchased by Tooth and Company in December 1917. A new building design by architect R G Simpson was completed in November 1940 in the interwar period Functionalist style. Sources: Botany Bay Heritage

The Rozelle Hotel at 118-122 Victoria Road in Rozelle was established in 1938 with the licence of the former Norfolk Pine Hotel. The name was changed to the Balmain Hotel in 1990. The Hotel was closed in 1996 and is now used for commercial purposes. Rozelle hotel facade detail Sources: Gidday Pubs

The Kirribilli Hotel is located near Milson's Point railway station at 35 Broughton Street in Kirribilli. The hotel is listed in the RAIA Register of Significant 20th Century Buildings and it was designed by Justelius and Frederick. The Kirribilli Hotel is a nicely proportioned interwar hotel built in 1938. Sources: RAIA Register of Significant 20th Century Buildings

Built in 1938 by architects Provost and Ancher the North Annandale Hotel, located at 105 Johnson Street, Annandale, is listed in the RAIA Register of significant 20th Century buildings. The North Annandale hotel is a fine example of an interwar hotel with nice detailing on the facade. North Annandale hotel facade detail More facade detail Sources: RAIA Register of Significant Buildings

Now known as the Eastern Hotel, the former Bondi Junction Hotel at 512 Oxford Street in Bondi Junction was built by Tooth & Company Limited. It was designed by Rudder and Grout after the license was transferred from the Queens Hotel, Woollahra in December 1941. Its construction was completed in 1942. The Bondi Junction hotel now sits in Oxford Street overshadowed by multi-storeyed office towers and shopping complexes. Hooray for heritage! Facade detail of the hotel More facade detail Sources: Sydney Heritage Listings

The Bridge Hotel located on the corner of Victoria Road and Wellington Street in Rozelle was purchased by Tooth and Company in January 1926. It was rebuilt August 1941 to a design by Joy and Pollit architects. As with many hotels today it is now a live music venue and has lost much of its community character which was so much a part of the hotel scene in the 30's and 40's. Detail photo of the hotel facade View of the side bar Sources: Sydney Heritage Listings

The Clovelly RSL and Air Force Club at 263-269 Clovelly Road, Clovelly, was built in 1939 and was formally known as the Kings Theatre. The former Kings Theatre is a nice example an Art Deco style theatre of the interwar years. The strong vertical element on the facade is typical of many theatres of the period. Photographs of the Kings Theatre are avaiable through collections in the NSW library if required. Front facade Sources: Sydney Heritage Listings

One Newtown landmark which has undergone many changes during the 20th century is the site of the former Burland Community Hall at 222 King St Newtown. In the early 1900s the site was occupied by the original Hub Theatre. From the mid-1900s it was occupied by an Art Deco-style cinema operated by the Hoyts cinema chain. In the mid-1960s the cinema was converted into a community hall and it was renamed Burland Community Hall in 1965. For many years it was the venue for community events such as dances, concerts, film screenings, meetings, parties, wedding receptions and a community market. From 1986 to 1995 the upper floor of the hall was the Newtown branch of the City of Sydney library network. After the library moved to new premises Burland Community Hall was redeveloped into offices and retail premises. Sources: Newtown Suburb Guide

The Crest Theatre, located at 157 Blaxcell Street Granville, opened at Easter, 27th March 1948. It was designed by the architectural firm Cowper, Murphy and Associates in the Post Modern style. It had an imposing corner entrance that had a slender fin-tower feature. Inside the auditorium, the seating was on a stadium plan with a raised stepped section at the rear instead of an overhanging balcony. It was operated by the Hoyts Theatres chain for its entire cinematic life. In it last years it was only open one day a week on a Saturday. The final closing date was Saturday 24th August 1963. After closing as a cinema, it was used as a bingo hall. The building is currently used as a public hall. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings.

The Collaroy Cinema is located at 1097 Pittwater Road in Collaroy. It is a rare surviving example of an interwar Art Deco cinema built in 1938 to a design by J.C. Rennie Bartle. The builder was C.A. Bullivant. The Collaroy Cinema was built for Casmi Theatres Pty Ltd who wanted "a modern theatre with all the features...considered essential..." They obviously achieved their goal leaving future generations with such a fine example of a classic Art Deco theatre. It was originally called the "De Luxe Theatre". Sources: Sydney Heritage Listings

The Empire Picture Theatre building at 303 Cleveland Street, Redfern, is historically significant as it illustrates the changing nature of leisure, entertainment and commerce in the inner city over the course of the 20th century. It was built as the Palace Skating Rink in 1890 and by 1895 was a Swimming Baths. In 1905 Petchell F and Co, boot manufacturers were in residence and in 1917 the Eclipse Printing Company called it home. It became the Empire Picture Theatre in 1930 and in 1933 was owned by George Harold Towart of Enfield, Showman. In 1961 it was known as 'The Stage Club Limited'. Facade detail Today nothing is left inside and the space has been completely gutted and converted into commercial office space. The Cleveland street facade has been modified (I would guess by George Towart?) into a stylised, post-modern interpretation of Art Deco motifs giving it a monumental character. It had apparently been "colourfully painted" however today it is qu

Built in 1937 the Ritz Theatre at 43-47 St Pauls Road in Randwick is the last known surviving theatre designed by Arron Bolot. It is listed in the RAIA Registry of Significant 20th Century buildings. It is an outstanding example of the interwar Art Deco style. The exterior has been modified to include an outdoor area above the awning. Pictures of the original facade can be found on the Heritage Council of NSW link below. It was in the theatre building era of the late 1930s that Aaron Bolot came to be more involved in cinemas. In 1936 he produced the plans for the very moderne Ritz Theatre at Goulburn, NSW, an outstanding example of its genre, clearly showing the influence of Griffin & Dellit. That same year he produced the designs for the Astra at Wyong. By 1937 he designed the Randwick Ritz similar to the Ritz Goulburn and the large and decorative Art Deco Regal Theatre at Gosford, featuring a prominent facade of stylish blocks and curves in the then streamlined moderne s