ABPL90301 Architectural Finishes Labassa Site Recording Report Ground Floor and First Floor Stair Hall Bixiang Zeng 363773 Junhong Huang 363777 Lin Luo 366038 Ye Zhang 571895
contents
Introduction & brief history - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p 2 General plan and studying site - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p 3 Site recording and problem analysis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p 4-9 Sample studies - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p 10-11 Restoration pespectives (estimation) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p 12-15 References - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - p 16
Labassa stair hall photos taken by group member
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INTRODUCTION & BRIEF HISTORY The house that we see it today was designed by John Augustus Bernard Koch who was employed by Cobb & Co. millionaire Alexander Robertson to create a lavish setting for grand social occasions. The house was designed in a French Renaissance style with Germanic and Hellenistic influences. Embossed wallpaper and mahogany timber were largely used in interior and the illusionist ceiling enhances the Stair Hall. In 1863, the Labassa was built by Richard Billing. It was called Sylliott Hill with only 8 rooms. However, by 1873, the house has been transformed into a 20-roomed house on an estate of 12 acres. When John Augustus Bernard Koch finished the renovation in 1890, the Labassa has become a 35-roomed mansion standing in 15 acres of park-like grounds. Its first four landowners – William Lyall, Judge Richard Annesley Billing, Alexander William Robertson and John Boyd Watson II – were significant figures in the early life of the State of Victoria. After the death of Watson II, the house was offered to an auction. However, the house remained unsold until 1980 when National Trust of Australia (Vic) purchased it. The house was sold for $282,500. Most of the interior of Labassa has been repaired and maintained by groups of professions and volunteers. However, due to the insufficient funds, only part of the Labassa has been repaired. Timeline: 1863: Labassa was built 1873: transformed into a hotel 1887: Alexander Robertson brought Labassa 1890: J A B Koch renovated Labassa 1904: John Boyed Watson II brought Labassa 1980: Labassa was brought by N.T (Vic)
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Labassa south elevation photo taken by group member
GENERAL PLAN & SITE
Source: National Trust Location of the stair hall
South wall
East wall
North wall
West wall
Samples collecting site
Labassa stair hall photos taken by group member
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Site recording and problem analysis
East wall NO.
Description
E01
Wall paper already replaced, however the colors are quite different from the original
E02
Wall paper missing, maybe due to water
wall paper
E01
damage
E03
E03
Replaced wall paper
E04
Uncleaned wall paper
E05
Wall paper fell off
E06
Paint fell off
E07
Salinization of paints on wood skirting, salt
E08
from ground may raise this issue Carbonization, wall paper turned black might caused by fire or high temperature
E02
E09
Decorative panel color fade out
E10
Infilling painting on missing wall paper surface
E11
Holes on wood
E05
E04
LEGEND
E08
E10
E09 E11
E06
E07
E01 & E02
E06
E07
E10 & E08 & E04
E10
E03
4
E11
E09
E08
Site recording and problem analysis
West wall
W01
NO.
Description
W01
Wallpaper pealed off, need to stick them back
W02
W09
W02
Wallpaper repaired
W03
Color on metal faded out
W04
Wallpaper colour faded out
W05
Wallpaper missing
W06
Wallpaper that still need to be cleaned
W07
Wall panels colour faded out and some original colour could be found.
W08
Paint felt off from the skirting
W09
Repaint colour could be found and different from other colors
W10
Evidence of salinization
W04 W03
W05
W06
LEGEND W10
W07
W08
W06
W06
W07
W09 & W02
W01 & W02 & W04 & W05
W07
W03
W02
W01 & W09
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Site recording and problem analysis
South wall
S01 S02
S03
S04
S05
S06
NO.
Description
S01
Structural cracking
S02
Wall paper fell off
S03
Replaced wall paper
S04
Missed wall paper due to water problem
S05
Wall paper fell off
S06
Wall paper fell off
S07
White paint on original color
S08
Trace of wall from previous hotel
S09
Structural cracking
S10
Holes from previous wall joinary
S11
Decorative panel’s color fade out
S12
Uncleaned wall paper
S13
Structural cracking
S14
Paint fell off
S13
S07
S14
S08
LEGEND S09
S12
S10 S11
S03 & S04 & S05
S11
S13 & S14
S04
6
S12
S07 & S08 & S09 & S10
S11
Site recording and problem analysis
North wall
N05
NO.
Description
N01
Wallpaper missing
N02
Broken glasses
N03
Wallpaper colour faded out
N04
Wallpaper missing
N05
Wallpaper repaired
N02
N01
N04
N03
LEGEND
N02
N01
N04 & N05
W07
N05
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Site recording and problem analysis
Ground floor ceiling
GC03
GC01
NO.
Description
GC01
Visible white paint suggesting repair work has commenced
GC02
Visible ceiling cracking
GC03
Wallpaper fell off, need repair work
GC04
A dark trace and research has suggesting there was a wall
GC05
Visible white paint suggesting repair work has commenced
GC02
LEGEND
GC04
GC01 & GC02
GC03
8
GC05
GC01
GC01
GC02 & GC05
GC01 & GC04
Site recording and problem analysis
First floor ceiling NO.
Description
FC01
Ceiling drawing restored
FC02
Visible cracking on ceiling
FC03
Trompe L’oell falling, needs moisturize and repair
FC01
FC02
LEGEND FC03
FC01
FC01 & FC02 & FC03
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restoration perspectives
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This sample was taken from the underneath of gutter. The wood substrate could be seen clearly. However, the paint layer was not that visible, probably because of the sample is too small. In this sample two layers are visible, one of them is the substrate, another one is the dark green colour. The dark green colour should belong to the coating of the timber.
From this image, we could identify there are 8 different layers in the sample. Since this sample was collected from the veranda wall, the top dark green layer is covered with dirts. Under the top layer, a even darker layer indicates the underlying light grey layer might be a finish coat. There is a thick grey layer with many sand size inside. The substrat layer of this sample might be plaster where there are two different colours can be recognised.
From this image, we could clearly identify that there are possibly 5 to 6 different layers in this sample. The first layer shown on the image is brown colour. The second layer is the white colour. On top of it, a dark green colour was identified as another layer. A dark grey colour layer was covering the dark green layer. As the latest layers, there were one to two layers covering the dark grey layer. The dark grey colour layer can possibly be part of the dirt with attached on the paint layer. The white thick layer could be the undercoating of the original paint.
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restoration perspectives
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restoration perspectives
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REFERENCES
National Trust, ‘LABASSA: A Grand Victorian Mansion’, National Trust: Melbourne, 2004. National Trust, ‘The History of Labassa’ handout.
Labassa stair hall photo taken by group member
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