Wales House is a heritage-listed former newspaper office building, bank building and now
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
located at 64–66
Pitt Street
Pitt Street is a major street in the Sydney central business district in New South Wales, Australia. The street runs through the entire city centre from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo, although today's street is in two disjointed sec ...
, in the
Sydney central business district
The Sydney central business district (CBD) is the historical and main Central business district, commercial centre of Sydney. The CBD is Sydney's city centre, or Sydney City, and the two terms are used interchangeably. Colloquially, the CBD or c ...
, in the
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the local government area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Established by Act of Parliament in 1842, th ...
local government area of
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, Australia. It was designed by Manson & Pickering and built from 1922 to 1929 by Stuart Bros. It is also known as the Bank of NSW Building. The property is owned by Wales House Nominees Pty Ltd. It was added to the
New South Wales State Heritage Register
The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...
on 2 April 1999.
Located on the junction of Pitt,
Hunter
Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...
and O'Connell Streets, the building served as offices for
John Fairfax and Sons' ''
The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' from 1927 to 1955 before being acquired by the
Bank of New South Wales
The Bank of New South Wales (BNSW), also known commonly as The Wales, was the first bank in Australia, being established in Sydney in 1817 and situated on Broadway, New South Wales, Broadway. During the 19th century, the bank opened branches ...
, commonly known as "The Wales", hence the building's name. The building has subsequently been converted into an international hotel, as part of the
Radisson
Radisson Hotels is an international hotel chain headquartered in the United States. A division of the Radisson Hotel Group, it operates the brands Radisson Blu, Radisson RED, Radisson Collection, Country Inn & Suites, and Park Inn by Radisso ...
Blu
Blu or BLU may refer to:
Businesses and brands
*Blu (Italian company), a telecommunications company
*Blu Manga, an imprint of Tokyopop
* blu eCigs, a brand of electronic cigarette owned by Imperial Tobacco
*BLU Products, an American mobile phone m ...
hotel chain.
History
![Herald_Office,_Sydney_(3003586345)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Herald_Office%2C_Sydney_%283003586345%29.jpg)
The
Fairfax family
Members of the Fairfax Family were prominent as Australian media proprietors, especially in the area of newspaper publishing through the company John Fairfax and Sons (later known as Fairfax Media, although the Fairfax family no longe ...
controlled ''
The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' for nearly a century and a half: the dynasty played a dominant role in Sydney society and the paper had an exceptional prestige. The newspaper first built offices on the corner of Pitt,
Hunter
Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...
and O’Connell Streets in 1856 when
James Reading Fairfax
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambiguati ...
joined his father, the founding
John Fairfax
John Fairfax (24 October 1804 – 16 June 1877) was an English-born journalist, company director, politician, librarian and newspaper owner, known for the incorporation of the major newspapers of modern-day Australia.
Early life
Fairfax was bo ...
, as a partner in the family business.
By 1920 the newspaper had outgrown the 1856 building and when James Fairfax finally died in 1919 his son,
James Oswald Fairfax
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambiguat ...
demolished his father's offices and commissioned Manson and Pickering to build the present block. The contractors, Stuart Bros, erected it in three stages, completing the sections in 1924, 1927 and 1929. The 1856 building remained in use until stage I was completed in 1924 and was then demolished.
The sandstone building was clad at the lower levels in
trachyte
Trachyte () is an extrusive igneous rock composed mostly of alkali feldspar. It is usually light-colored and aphanitic (fine-grained), with minor amounts of mafic minerals, and is formed by the rapid cooling of lava enriched with silica and al ...
from
Loveridge and Hudson's quarries at
Mount Gibraltar
Mount Gibraltar ( Aboriginal: ''Bowrell'') is a mountain with an elevation of that is located in the Southern Highlands region, between Bowral and Mittagong, in New South Wales, Australia. Further west is .
Location and features
The mounta ...
,
Bowral
Bowral () is the largest town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, about ninety minutes southwest of Sydney. It is the main business and entertainment precinct of the Wingecarribee Shire and Highlands.
Bowral once served ...
, and was richly caparisoned internally with
Caleula marble. It was largely used by the Sydney Morning Herald staff, but also had a number of tenants as well as, after 1934, both the SMH Art Gallery and the offices of Art in Australia.
In 1954–1955 a new ''Sydney Morning Herald'' building was erected off
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
and the 1922–1929 building was sold to the
Bank of New South Wales
The Bank of New South Wales (BNSW), also known commonly as The Wales, was the first bank in Australia, being established in Sydney in 1817 and situated on Broadway, New South Wales, Broadway. During the 19th century, the bank opened branches ...
(now
Westpac
Westpac Banking Corporation, known simply as Westpac, is an Australian multinational banking and financial services company headquartered at Westpac Place in Sydney, New South Wales.
Established in 1817 as the Bank of New South Wales, it ...
), which took possession in 1956, opening a public branch-office in 1958. Various internal changes took place and a car-park was inserted in the sub-basement where the SMH had been printed for thirty years.
Description
Fairfax & Sons phase
Completed in the
Interwar Commercial Renaissance Palazzo style, Wales House was noted in the ''Building'' magazine "to be the largest building in the Southern Hemisphere".
[
Wales House consisted of twelve floors including the basement at Pitt Street Entrance plus sub-basement. The materials used included reinforced concrete for the structural frame, floors, ]stairs
Stairs are a structure designed to bridge a large vertical distance between lower and higher levels by dividing it into smaller vertical distances. This is achieved as a diagonal series of horizontal platforms called steps which enable passage ...
, roof and awning
An awning or overhang is a secondary covering attached to the exterior wall of a building. It is typically composed of canvas woven of acrylic, cotton or polyester yarn, or vinyl laminated to polyester fabric that is stretched tightly over a lig ...
roof. The street facade was fashionable - conservative "Modern Renaissance" or "Italian Renaissance Palazzo" modelled on Florentine and Roman Palaces of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The basement and ground floors were clad in Bowral Trachyte. Sydney sandstone
Sydney sandstone is the common name for Sydney Basin Hawkesbury Sandstone, one variety of which is historically known as Yellowblock, and also as "yellow gold" a sedimentary rock named after the Hawkesbury River north of Sydney, where thi ...
was used on all floors. The windows were zinc sprayed steel framed.[
The main entrance was situated on the Hunter Street Corner on the ground floor. Pitt Street contained two entrances for lessees at the Basement Floor whilst O'Connell Street contained one entrance for ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' staff and two loading docs. The basement, ground and first floors were heavily rusticated, also the projecting ]bays
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a narr ...
which terminated the Pitt and O'Connell Street, facades. The first floor's rectangular windows were arranged in triplets and surmounted by arched hoods linked by a continuous string course. Above the first floor plain ashlar
Ashlar () is finely dressed (cut, worked) stone, either an individual stone that has been worked until squared, or a structure built from such stones. Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, generally rectangular cuboid, mentioned by Vitruv ...
walling was punctuated by plain triplet windows with a prominent continuous sill course.[
Balconies were provided on the first floor over Pitt and Hunter Street entrances and in protecting bays; and on the sixth floor between the bays. A range of attached Tuscan columns extended from the balconies to the ninth floor supporting a deep ]entablature
An entablature (; nativization of Italian , from "in" and "table") is the superstructure of moldings and bands which lies horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and ...
extending around the entire perimeter of the street frontages. Bay windows were placed between the columns
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...
. The entablature consisted of an architrave
In classical architecture, an architrave (; from it, architrave "chief beam", also called an epistyle; from Greek ἐπίστυλον ''epistylon'' "door frame") is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of columns.
The term can ...
"frieze
In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...
and cornice
In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a ...
projecting 1.2 metres and supported by a massive reinforced concrete cantilever
A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a canti ...
. Above the cornice was the attic storey at which the projecting bays were terminated by decorated semi-circular windows, while between were single, hooded window in plain ashlar walling. Each facade was surmounted by a simple string course and parapet
A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). Whe ...
".[
A reinforced concrete awning roof was constructed above the roof level, on which were located left motor rooms and ventilation plant rooms. The Hunter Street main entrance consisted of an almost semi-circular ]portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...
; Polished Tuscan order columns; the sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
head of Caxton, which had originally adorned the keystone of the entrance arch of the 1856 building was incorporated into the second floor window heads above the entrance. The curved junction of the Pitt and O'Connell Street facades was surmounted by an ornate circular tower, raising three storeys above roof level, topped by a copper clad dome
A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
and lantern with flagpole.[
A central ]light court
In architecture, a lightwell,light well, light-well sky-well,skywell, sky well or air shaft is an unroofed or roofed external space provided within the volume of a large building to allow light and air to reach what would otherwise be a dark or ...
was incorporated within the base of the triangular site resulting in a distinct, narr-v-shape plan arrangement. The court provided natural light and ventilation for the full height of the interior of the building down to the basement lettable offices. The walls were plain cement rendered, with steel framed windows at each floor.[
Changes over time to the buildings exterior:][
*1928New Roof outdoor gymnasium enclosed by chain wire fence with new dressing room at Pitt Street South.
*1934new ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' Art Gallery on fourth floor consisted of gallery, entrance vestibule and annex, reception room. Designed by architect J.L. Stephen Mansfield ARIBA. The Art gallery was later relocated with new entrance and Wunderlich awning at Pitt Street.
*1930New Loading Dock at Pitt Street north.
*1941Wartime office accommodation for the ministry of munitions on roof beneath awning roof.
*1946New kitchen and dining room in earlier office accommodation on roof.
*1946Loading dock on O'Connell Street formed by enlargement of window in end projecting bay.
*1950New stair at O'Connell Street entrance.
*1951Second opening to sub basement, northern end of Pitt Street, facade. Existing awning extended one bay over new opening.
;Original Interior:
Building designed to provide space for publishing operations of John Fairfax and Sons plus considerable leasing space for tenants.][
Fairfax Space included the sub basement and ground floor facing Pitt and O'Connell Streets; entire first, second and third floors; part of O'Connell Street frontage (fourth - ninth floors); public entrance at Hunter Street corner with two lifts to serving administrative floors; one lift from sub-basement to third floor, the other from sub-basement to second floor; staff entrance at O'Connell Street, two cart docks adjacent to staff entrance; two goods lifts behind serving all floors. Two main full height stairs provided on O'Connell Street, served Fairfax operations, the other adjacent to Pitt Street entrance serviced the leased offices.][
Minimal interior design remains; descriptions of the above were obtained from contemporary drawings, photographs, written descriptions and extant remnants. They show considerable effort was expanded to create interiors which expressed the modernity prosperity and optimism of "John Fairfax and Sons". The greatest effort centred on the basement, ground and first floor public areas, and to a lesser extent throughout the remainder floors. The interiors were treated in a conservative manner typical of similar offices of the period. The materials consisted of "solid" and "traditional" ]marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...
, timber and terrazzo flooring; marble and ceramic tiled walling, decorated plaster ceilings, polished timber joinery and brass fittings.[
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' articles describe the most memorable interior features which include "a mounting curved step of the portico – its suspended ]trachyte
Trachyte () is an extrusive igneous rock composed mostly of alkali feldspar. It is usually light-colored and aphanitic (fine-grained), with minor amounts of mafic minerals, and is formed by the rapid cooling of lava enriched with silica and al ...
ceiling (only one in Sydney), pendant lamps, antique in style-it hangs like a regal canopy". 'The marble decorations containing rich veins of copper and purple splashed vividly through the main substance of creamy limestone, typifying the beauty of our native marbles. The grand central staircase of marble, banistered with wrought metal, at the midway landing where the stairs divide and rise in two wings' (date unknown).[
Changes to the Interior over time:][
*1934Fourth floor – opening of ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' Art Gallery.][Jackson Teece Chesterman Willis Consultants Pty Ltd, 2000.]
*1934New offices for Ure Smith's "Art in Australia" magazine on seventh floor, after purchasing the publication.[
*1934Former school room on first floor converted to offices.][
*1934Subdivision of ground and first floor, set back of ground floor counters - increased public spaces.][
*1936First floor partition alterations.][
*1936Ground, first, second, third floor extensions into light court.][
*1937Basement relocation of Art Gallery to Pitt Street Entrance.][
*1941Roof construction of wartime spaces.][
*1944Excavation of sandstone ten metres (three new levels) below sub-basement along north wall for printing presses and reels.][
*1946Roof Kitchen and dining area provided.][
]
Bank of New South Wales phase
External renovations included major changes for the Bank of New South Wales, branch usage to incorporate in the basement: Savings Bank; Chambers, offices, safe deposit and Trading Bank strong rooms; access to new vestibule at Pitt Street entrance. Ground floor: new Trading Bank chamber; Travel Department and offices.[
*1956New entrance to O'Connell Street.
*1957New entrance to Pitt Street north to basement car park.
*1959Art Gallery awning cut back and lanterns removed.
*1968Major repairs to sandstone cladding by Loveridge & Houston (re-pointing, cornice and parapet stone replacement).
*1955–1960Partition alterations to most floors.
*1956Goods lifts at O'Connell Street replaced.
*1956Car park formed in sub-basement
*1956Bank of New South Wales ("The Wales" bank) occupying two floors - basement and ground
*1961Offices and false ceilings at first floor.
*1964Computer installation ninth floor.
*1965Air conditioning installation with window mounted fan coil units.
*1966Computer installation eighth floor with new roof mounted air conditioning plant.
*1967Computer installed seventh and eighth floors.
*1968Major refurbishing to most levels.
*1981Health centre on tenth floor.
*1984Reinstatement of first floor board room after subdivision of previous refurbishments.][
]
Radisson Hotels phase
The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel addresses O'Connell Street.
Heritage listing
As at 20 May 2009, the site of the building has a 99-year association from 1856 to 1955 with the publication of Australia's oldest surviving newspaper, ''The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
''. The building itself was designed for this purpose which it fulfilled for 28 years from 1927 to 1955. The building, with its rounded corner treatment on the prominent narrow-vee site provides a good and clearly visible element in the townscape. The building is a large and powerful reminder both of the success and prosperity of the publisher-owners, John Fairfax & Sons, and of the dominant role of newspapers in society at that time, before the advent of the electronic media. The exterior treatment of the building is a fine example, in good condition, of the Interwar Commercial Renaissance Palazzo style, then popular for office buildings of this type. It reflects an image consistent with the perceived role of ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' - conservative, substantial, influential and responsible.[
The only substantial and clearly visible surviving remnants of the original office layout are the Manager's Room with its adjacent Elevator Vestibule, portion of the adjoining Assistant Manager's Room, and the Board Room, all on the First Floor. Though now mostly incomplete, they serve as reminders of the quality of original finishes employed for these most important rooms. They are notable for their conservative and solid design and the emphasis placed on usage of Australian joinery timbers.][
Wales House was listed on the ]New South Wales State Heritage Register
The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...
on 2 April 1999.[
]
See also
*Australian non-residential architectural styles
Australian non-residential architectural styles are a set of Australian architectural styles that apply to buildings used for purposes other than residence and have been around only since the first colonial government buildings of early European ...
References
Bibliography
*
Attribution
External links
{{Sydney central business district historical attractions, state=collapsed
New South Wales State Heritage Register
Commercial buildings in New South Wales
Former bank buildings in New South Wales
Hotels in Sydney
Bank of New South Wales
Fairfax Media
Sandstone buildings in Australia
Radisson Hotels
Articles incorporating text from the New South Wales State Heritage Register
1929 establishments in Australia
Commercial buildings completed in 1929
Pitt Street, Sydney
Articles incorporating text from the New South Wales Heritage Database