Inside Perth’s Iconic Buildings – Pt 2

Thank you to Open House Perth for unlocking the doors allowing us to explore inside Perth’s iconic buildings during this wonderful event.  We continue to learn more of the history behind Perth’s great buildings as we explore their design.  “There is something truly fantastic about exploring your own backyard and becoming inspired by it.”

After our tour of Council House we made our way along St George’s Terrace to the Geyer Studios in the Atlas Building on The Esplanade.

Built in 1931 this classical Art Deco style building is made of salmon pink stone.  The original art deco bronze entrance doors are impressive being 3 metres wide and just over 5 meters high.  The foyer is Terracotta with Egyptian features. The bronze grills, lift cage, mailbox and dado panels are all original.

The original copper lined lift is still working and we used it to take us up to the 2nd floor.  About 75% of the outside walls are windows making natural lighting a conspicuous feature throughout and also giving vantage point to view the construction of Elizabeth Quay near the Bell Tower.  A reminder of the original Atlas emblem can be seen on the fittings on the doors.  The variety of materials used in this building blends really well, using timber, copper, stone, wrought iron and terracotta.

Inside we saw the Obscura installation. Here the boardroom is blacked out and lined entirely in white paper.  Light is passed through a small hole in the window, reproducing a giant pin hole camera to project the outside image rotated 180 degrees onto the interior wall.  This building was constructed in Perth during the Great Depression and is a very rare reminder as very few commercial buildings were constructed in this period.  They don’t make them like this anymore.

After a stop for lunch we head along the Hay St Mall and see another sign for Open House Perth.  We are greeted by two of their volunteers who explain there is a Coffee Shop with a great view upstairs.  We learn in 1912 Moana Café was said to be the “finest building of its kind in the Commonwealth”.  A turn of the century building, the Chambers housed tea rooms and a supper club.  The Ezywalkin Boot Store was housed on the ground floor until the 50’s.

Operating as Moana Chambers since 2012 the site is now collaborative space for 25 creative professionals, incorporating a café and a gallery.  We are enticed up the grand old staircase. The café was busy, many sitting out on the gorgeous balcony, overlooking the Hay Street Mall and Perth Town Hall.  We checked out the view, looking down on the street below. It took us back to what it would have been like many years ago in a supper club and gave us a different outlook of the city.

Next it was off to Perth Technical College, now Linton Kay, Brookfield Place on St George’s Terrace.

  

Built in the Federation Free Medieval style in the 1900 this building was the first tertiary education venue in Perth. The three level red brick building has a square tower, limestone footings and Donnybrook stone trim, with beautiful jarrah timber staircase and art nouveau lead lighting dominating the interior.

We saw the other Perth Technical College building in James Street, now housed by PICA.  Built in 1896 in Federation Free Classical style it was Perth Boys’ and Girls’ School. In 1936 the new Perth Girls’ School was built so the entire building was used as Perth Boys’ School until 1958 when it became Perth Technical College until 1988 when they vacated and it became PICA.

Unfortunately when we got to the Terrace Hotel there was a long queue and our Priority tickets didn’t seem to make any different so we decided we would go down check out two more places and come back.  Sadly we got to Parmelia Hotel an hour and a half before the event was due to finish but we were told we were too late, so off to our next stop.  London House also due to close at 5, was locked up and nobody to be found well before 4 o’clock.  Never mind, we had seen some great places and had another list of places ready to see inside Perth’s iconic buildings the following day.

We decided we’d head up to King’s Park and check out number 42 in Open House Perth, the Bali Memorial. The memorial was commissioned to honour the victims of the terrorist bombing in Bali and dedicated to those Western Australians who didn’t survive the Bali terrorist attacks on 12th October 2002.  It honours the courage and support provided by many volunteers and organisations following the incident. The memorial embraces the site’s natural qualities nestling into the native landscape and looks out across the Swan River to the Darling Ranges. The glass barricade is etched with the words “Let the river carry your sorrows away”. Comprised of several elements, the sunrise axis is oriented in such a way that the sun-rays are perfectly aligned to the memorial and in the process, it captures the direct light from the first rays of light on 12th October each year, illuminating the victim’s names cast into the bronze plaque.

The plaque is fixed to a cut and polished face of a massive granite boulder. As well as the names, the plaque is inscribed “In the shadow of our sorrow we find a light, with the dawn comes hope, with the setting sun, time to heal”. Materials used are stone from the Kimberley region, weather resistant plate and granite. The artwork on the curved steel wall, the poetic phrases etched into the stone walls and the native planting are themed around growth and freedom, celebrating and honouring those whose lives were lost.  Themes of life and rebirth are integrated into the two walls that lead to the river axis stretching below the open skies.  Inscriptions on the walls are “May you find serenity in this sacred place”, “We cherish the spirit and unity of all those who came to help” and “We honour the endurance of those who survived”. This is a fitting memorial for supporting the friends and families with a place to capture a moment of reflection.

Still to come in the series Perth Concert Hall, Parliament House, State Theatre, Duxton Hotel and the Bell Tower.

Have you attended a public open house? Do you enjoy learning about the history of some places you walk past everyday?

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