History of Australian Architecture - Essay Example

In 1810 colonial Governor Lachlan Macquarie arrived in New South Walesan area that produced livestock and poultry. He ordered the removal of the market (Victoria Market) to a well-located place that was two kilometers inland and on the east it was bordered by George Street, on the west by newly York Street, and on the south by the colony's first cemetery. This place that later become the location of Queen Victoria Building (Modjeska, D 1989). A two-story building was set up on the site in 1820. The Druitt street had offices to manage the market among items sold on the market included maize, wheat, green forage, vegetables, turkeys, ducks, geese, pigs, cloth and groceries. By 1829 a general order was issued by the Government of the day to leave the area now currently the QVB for the market to be built and in 1869 the whole area was roofed and the stairway became a retail arcade within the marketplace (Murphy, Peter & Watson S 1997). George Mac Rae was appointed as city architect in 1887 and 1888 procedure for the new George street market started to appear for the first time. The street is named after the architect George Mac Rae. Then in 1883 George Mac Rae submitted the market plan to the market committee with designs such as Gothic, Queen Anne, Renaissance and Romanesque for QVB.Romanesque design was chosen and they agreed that the building should have room for the coffee palace, a concert hall that can hold 500 people, shops, warehouses and the market in the basement (Murphy, Peter & Watson S 1997) The Hilton bombing in Sydney in 1978 destroyed the glasses of QVB and it had to replace which started in 1979 also the minor domes were also renovated the same year this was a time consuming work for the craftsmen. The city council of Sydney seeks public compliance to the restoration of Queen Victoria building in 1980 which was done by Malaysian company Ipoh Limited. In 1983 Ipoh Limited gets a 99 years lease from the Sydney city council and renovation plan is signed and officially begins in 1984(Murphy, Peter & Watson S 1997) QVB opens its doors for another time to the public in 1986 and in 1987 a number of Turrets are brought back to their original position around the minor domes. In 1998 QVB celebrates 100 years of it is success, the QVB ballroom is restored to the tearoom which is one of the best restaurants in Sydney popularly called tea room QVB in 2000 finally the Queen Victoria building basement reopens after 66 years to hold one of its most triumphant retailer, Victoria's basement (Murphy, Peter & Watson S 1997) The paper will evaluate the historical context of the edifice; closely examine the exterior as well as the interior attributes. The architectural structure known as Queen Victoria otherwise QVB, is an architectural blueprint found in Australia, in Sydney's nucleus commerce territory. The spot was initially home to the George boulevard bazaar, but later earmarked for the magnificent regime structural construction. The queen Victoria structural edifice was designed by an architect by the name George McRae in a Romanesque form. The edifice was erected at a time when recession was rocking the continent; the construction was nonetheless finished in 1898 to commemorate the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria and it is named the Queen Victoria building subsequent to the hegemony. The design covers about 190 metres in length as well as 30 metres in width occupying the entire metropolis hunk. The architectural structure is a shopping mall in our current times. The structure comprises of coffee shops, outlets as well as performance hall. The place offers a trading platform for merchants like tailors, mercers, hair saloon, as well as florists. The innermost auditorium is an overriding facet, this comprises of the innermost glass dome as well as a central glass dome and copper-material on the outside, with an arched copula. Blemish glass windows, comprising a vault casement represent the antique arms of Sydney's Metropolis, allowing light into the central region, while the rooftop includes domed transom spanning end-to-end north and south respectively form the interior arch. The building's interior has 4 shopping floors, the top three stabbed by voids secured by decorated fail-safe balustrades. Most of the tile work is new fangled, fastidiously the one found in the interior arch. Subversive conduits head off towards the south extreme; to Town Hall Station and also on the extreme north where it ends up in a food court. The Queen Victoria Building was designed in 1898 replacing the original markets in Sydney. Today is commonly called the QVB. Constructed at the time when Sydney was almost collapsing as a tribute to the long reigning monarch. The sophisticated Romanesque architecture was designed specifically for government many unemployed craftsmen including masonries, plasterers, and stained window artists. In the beginning, a recital foyer, brunette superstores, agencies, outlets, stockrooms in addition to a variety of activities like tailors, mercers, hairdressers and florists, were accommodated. Discovering Queen Victoria Building (QVB) is an occurrence of luxurious magnitude where history, culture and shopping are under one magnificent roof. The interior of the QVB consists of the royal clocks, Crown Jewels, Time Capsule and the two automatic clocks that can be seen from the bordering railed walkways, with feature that reflect the Australian history ( Proud foot, Peter 1996) The crown jewels that are placed on level 2 south end, represents Queen Victoria on the morning of her inauguration in 1838. The jewels were created after the originals were housed in the tower of London. Also on level 2 is the time capsule that contains a letter from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II that she wrote in 1986 to the people of Sydney and it is to be opened again in 2085.The letter conveyed a message to the citizens of Sydney wishing them the sustainability of QVB as a timeless structure and a place to enjoy. From ground to the upper floor of the Queen Victoria Building there are all kinds of fashion wear boutiques, jewelry and souvenir shops (Park, Ruth 1973) Exterior features of QVB include the statue of Queen Victoria placed on a light grey stone 1987.Before the statue was found at the Irish Parliament in Leinster Dublin, until 1947 when it was given to the inhabitants of Sydney by the regime of the democratic Ireland. Close by there is a bronze sculpture of Queen Victoria's favorite dog Isay. The statues are placed on a wishing well that was established there in 1987. The statute of the Queen's dog acts as a tourist attraction feature of it own kind where on lookers give donations to NSW Institute to help the deaf and blind children annually (Park, Ruth 1973). It was recommended in 1928 that the building could be used as a station for car parking. Years later it was agreed upon that the building be used as offices by the Sydney County Council electricity department. In 1935 there was an extensive renovation on modern inside that incorporates luminosity, air expels and handrails, and ground base outdoor aptness; things like access, casements and sustaining files to ensure that the county council was a modern one and improve the supply of electricity (Karskens, Grace 1999) The refurbishment of QVB was part of a broader Art Deco endorsement form employed in Sydney and other areas of Australia. Amongst the companies at the front position of this development were the Wunderlich Limited, superlative restricted producers of goblet, terracotta and metal design components and radiance aptness. As a result the County Council of Sydney contracted Wunderlich Limited to deliver material for its new offices (Karskens, Grace 1999) In 1960s the QVB was seen as a worn out building and city council of Sydney started receiving proposals to pull it down. Nevertheless, citizens and members of council refuted these proposals and as by 1971 a pronouncement about safeguarding and renovate the building as a historical significant site was reached. Therefore, in 1980s work began to renovate the building and the art deco fitting of 1930s and 1940s were removed. On the one hand the restoration of the QVB was part of the increased appreciation of the significance of its historic and artistic (Logan, M.I & McKay, J 1981) All the way through the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s several older Sydney buildings were demolished to pave way for offices, shops and residential houses. Several art deco including the light fittings and window panels were planned and made by Wunderlich limited. These items are impeccable sources that expose so much about the narrative of the stylistic as well as the communal variance that for long has typified the Sydney account throughout two centuries respectively; the nineteenth and twentieth century. Shopping in the central part of Sydney metropolis is a satisfaction compared to other cosmopolitan cities across the world. Queen Victoria Building reopened as a shopping center and worth a 75 million dollar and remains as the most essential historical sites. The building has been modernized with the renovation of escalators and air conditioning. QVB has four shopping floors with 200 shops and boutiques such as fashion, jewelry, antiques and Australian crafts. The QVB structural blueprint is fantastic from within and without presenting a unique distinction to the surrounding modern structures that are so appealing not only to shoppers but also onlookers that would rather enjoy spectacular precincts. (McCarthy, Finbarr 1995). Queen Victoria Building is one of the most spectacular examples of Victorian architecture in Sydney. The building now houses an excellent collection of 190 designer label, department stores and outstanding dining places and rests on complete structure besides George boulevard flanking Town Hall and bazaar boulevard and generally good for people who are into fashion (Kelly Max.1987). Today Queen Victoria building is a four storey building, with ABC shops, H2o plus, Malaysian Laska house, Pulp juice bar, Review Australia psty limited, Sportsco and wanted Shoe Company as the main occupants. Between 1917 and 1935 QVB underwent refurbish and restoration by a Malaysian based legacy frontage Ipoh Garden Berhad (Australia) and in the 1980s till now the building has three floors for retail arcade and a basement car park for seven hundred and twenty vehicles in the York street (Kelly Max, 1987) There is also a good place for tea popularly called the tea room QVB located on level 3. Conveniently situated, the tea room QVB was started in 1997 by owner operator Manuel Spinola in the heart of Sydney city, the tea room QVB in the past ten years it has evolved as one of the Sydney's most beautiful restaurants for dining (Mathews J 2005) The QVB, rescued from demolition in 1980s has become a big threat to Sydney's most darling edifice Opera House. To improve access to the upper floors staircases have been reinstated and in the basement areas lighting has also been improved. Colors scheme has also been changed from dignified and downcast gloominess into kaleidoscope oriented on typical Victorian profit-making method. The Druitt boulevard staircases and vestibule have been decorated in two divergent emeralds, whereas the focal shopping regions in ashen and also incorporated with a pastel emerald ceiling. On the northern extreme, the equivalent layout is painted with brawny blues as well as brown, in addition to a pale blue ceiling (Kelly Max, 1987) In the 1960's Australia's Capital Sydney experienced a deluge with regard to construction and development which strongly agitated for International modernism which was characterized with tall glass concrete as well as steel office blocks. With The Art Deco motif now fallen out with the times as well as the handfull of ground floor shops, the Queen Victoria Building presented a menace to the eye in modern times. It was now inherent that the QVB goes down and as such The City Council was overwhelmed with calls for its demolition. This calls were received with pockets of resistance with some within the City Council as well as Australian patriots who percieved the QVB as a Historical site that held Australian History at its core and thus deserved to be preserved. With the foregoing support, the 1980's saw the refurbishment of the building with some areas undergoing innovation though retaining its original taste and design . The Art Deco design was shed off and Romanesque was once again retained thus keeping intact its founder's motif. The retaining of the Queen Victoria Building owed much of its support to a patriotic desire of pride in ancient heritage as well as a love for victorian taste and preference . Despite its enormous finacial budgetry allocations, this aspect was overshadowed by what historians describe as the Euphoria of Heritage and splendour. Yet this madness of Heritage is contrasted with the events of the time as the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s witnessed heritage and historical landmarks in sydney dissolve to dust for settlement, offices as well as business premises. May be, It can be argued that, as a result of the QVB's offering of shops for business enterprise, it remained a fincially viable option to retain it unlike other sites that were demolished like The Walter Burley Griffin designed Pyrmont incinerator, the Regent Theatre as well as The Anthony Hordern's building. The Art Deco motif that was a marvel in 30's and 40's of the Twentient Century as well as the light fittings signify an architectural blueprint of that period in history. Their removal form the QVB although signaling a desire to retain originality also remark the end of an era in the architecture of sydney. As such the removal of the Art Deco does not symbolize a redundant form of Architecture but on the contrary it signifies an Important architecturein Sydney Australia at a given time. The QVB's Recording and Preservation of History The royal clock is one of the main attractions of this building. It was made by the Queens clockmaker and looks a lot like Balmoral Castle. It is hanged from the ceiling and is the world's largest suspended steeple clock. It was placed in Queen Victoria Building after it's reconstruction in 1986.The royal clock was made in England to represent the relationship between Australia and England. The clock is located on level 2 and works form 9am to 9 pm presentation six scenes for the Royal English history such as King John signing the Magna Carta in 1215, Queen Elizabeth I knighting Sir Frances Drake in 1588 and the beheading of Charles I in 1649 (Proud foot, Peter 1996) When entering The QVB You will notice A statue of Queen Victoria Located on the Forecourt by Irish sculptor, John Hughes. Formerly the Statue Sat on the front lawn outside the Irish paliament. To establish and maintain cultural hegemony with the Aussies Dublin donated the statue of the monarch to the Australians. This enables Australia to maintain internatioanl understanding that has always existed between the two nations. The QVB also houses The Wishing Well which is situated at the Bicentennial Plaza, The well was erected in 1987. It houses a bronze statue of The Monarch's favourite pet -her dog Islay. There also is a small stone which initially was in Ireland famous Blarney Castle but was given to the QVB as a gift. The proceeds from the well are handed to the NSW Institute for Deaf and Blind Children. There also are Stained Glass Windows. These are found on the first and second levels of the QVB as well as The Centre Dome Area.The stained glass windows that are found on the York Street side are original. On the George Street side, the window that originally their was damaged when a bomb planted in a rush bin exploded in the Hilton Hotel in February 1978. As a result a new window was made to mark the retaining of the Queen Victoria Building. The Time Capsule is found on the secondlevel of the Queen Victoria Building. In it there is a letter from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II that was written in the year 1986. At the now reigning mornachs request the letter is to be opened 99 years later, which would be the year 2085. It is rumoured that the letter contains a message to the residents of Sydney. Perhaps it contains a message of goodwill from the mornach and it congratulates them on their peacefull co-existence as well as their shear guardianship to the Queen Victoria Building that has it span decades unchanged . References. Karskens, Grace (1999) inside the rocks: the archeology of a neighborhood, Sydney, Hale and Iremonger. Kelly Max (ed), (1987) Sydney, City of Suburbs, UNSW Press, Sydney. Kohen, J., (1993) the Darug and their Neighbors: Conventional Aboriginal Owners, Sydney Region. McCarthy, Finbarr (1995) Sydney from Below, Sydney, Matthew Talbot Hostel. Mathews J (2005) Dance Hall & Picture Palace: Sydney's Romance with contemporary, Sydney, Currency Press. Murphy, Peter & Watson S (1997) surface City: Sydney at the Millennium, Sydney, Pluto Press, 1997. Park, Ruth (1973) Park Sydney, Sydney, Duffy and Snelgrove, Parkin A (1982) Controlling the Urban Centers: The Australian exposure on standpoint, Adelaide University Press. Proud foot, Peter (1996) Harbor Sydney: The making of the city landscape, South Wales University Press: Sydney, Modjeska, D (1989) Interior Metropolis: Australian Women's Memory of Place, Penguin Books. Logan, M.I & McKay, J (1981) Urbanization: Australian Exposure: Shillington House. Read More