GRAPHIC BUILDING ANALYSIS : IMMIGRATION MUSEUM
Rizal Ambotang, 641233 , ABPL 20030, GROUP 6, Andrew Murray - Monday 10a
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Typology of a 19th century colonial customs house
On sketch : Street facing façade of Melbourne Immigration museum
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On photo : Customs soat of arms (Source : Ambotang)
Melbourne History
IMMIGRATION Museum (Sketch by Ambotang)
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Urban context
This building located on the corner of Flinders and William streets, started as a “weatherboard cabin” in 1830s. The position was strategically placed to serve as the customs office for Queen’s Wharf, the then port of new British colony of Victoria.
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As customs became significant due to the busy port, a two-storey bluestone building was erected in 1841. Later in the 1850s, with the gold rush that led to a large influx of immigrants and increasing revenue from custom duty, an elaborate customs building was commission by the Victorian government to reflect its significance and grand aspirations of colonial Victoria. The building took 20 years to complete. Initial design and construction was undertaken by Peter Kerr and J.G. Knight (and later with J.J. Clark and A.E. Johnson) inspired by typical customs house in 19th century similar to London Customs House on the Thames River. The building was finally completed in 1876 after a long period of inactivity due to lack of funding. Finally the design was simplified from the original proposal.
On photo: Customs house on Hoddle grid in 19th century Melbourne CBD (Source :SLV)
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5 On photo: Bluestone customs house of 1841(Source : State Library of Victoria) 6 On photo: Queen’s wharf, opposite customs house in 19th century Melbourne. (Source : NLA) 7 On photo: Customs house circa 1895. (Source : SLV) 8
On photo : Street facing façade of Melbourne Immigration, present day. (Source : Ambotang)
19th century The building is located at the corner of William and Flinders street. In 19th century Melbourne, it is opposite of Queen’s Wharf which served as the main port of Victoria. It’s positioned within the Hoddle grid which defines the contemporary 19th century Melbourne CBD grid. It’s bounded by Western Market to the north, several hotels on its west side and gauging sheds at the Queen’s Wharf.
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(formerly Old Melbourne Customs House)
Present
Functions
The museum situated on Flinders street has easy access from several tram routes and two train stations. This provides regular visitors from local and overseas tourists. It’s neighbouring the business district on its northern side while its street facade is facing the Southbank entertainment district over the other side of the Yarra River.
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19th century until 1960s For 90 years Customs House remained as the customs office of Victoria. Because of its proximity to Queen’s wharf, it served as a busy customs house that cater for new immigrants and central location for customs duty from nearby bustling port. Post 1960s In 1965, it was turned into Melbourne offices for Commonwealth Parliament. And in 1998, it was reopened as the Immigration Museum after extensive renovation.
On photo: Unfluted engaged ionic columns with arched windows on north facing façade. (Source : Ambotang)
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On photo: Long room is the nerve centre of the customs house. Now an activity centre for the present-day museum. (Source : Museum Victoria)
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On photo: In 19th century, long room was used for customs duty collection and immigration hall. (Source :SLV)
GRAPHIC BUILDING ANALYSIS : IMMIGRATION MUSEUM
Rizal Ambotang, 641233 , ABPL 20030, GROUP 6, Andrew Murray - Monday 10a
PAGE 2
(Sketches by Ambotang)
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Exterior
Interior
Clockwise, from right
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Classical & Renaissance Elements
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c g d
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Abacus
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Volute
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Flute
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Fillet
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Plinth
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Pedestal
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Pilaster
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Capital
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Architrave
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13 e f
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London Customs House on the Thames River (Source :Tate Images)
Palazzo style, Travellers Club, Pall Mall, London (Source : Prentice Hall)
Similar to its public building peers and inspired by the London Customs house, Melbourne customs house observed the English colonial tradition style that exert the impression of authority. However, in comparison to its contemporaries, Melbourne custom house is less ostentatious being more austere and restrained in its design. The architects also implemented a mix of classical elements (Greek) with elegantly proportioned renaissance (Italian) palazzo typology for its layout.
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The Erechtheion, Athens
(Source : CharlesScribner)
Peter Kerr was believed to be inspired by the Greek temple of Erechtheion in Athens in designing the building. The highly decorated ionic order columns mirrors that of the temple.
‘PALAZZO RENAISSANCE
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TYPOLOGY
GREEK REVIVAL
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STYLE’ REVIVAL
Mirroring its colonial contemporaries, Melbourne customs house follows the 16th century Italian renaissance palazzo layout, similar to Palazzo Farnese (Rome). This style was popularly implemented in 19th century English public buildings including customs houses, post offices, city halls and gentlemen clubs i.e. Travellers Club in Pall Mall (London).
DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS
The building is a rectangular block of 3 storeys with a centre projected
lobby and 2 corner towers. FLOOR PLAN It has a symmetric floor plan with main floor designated on the second floor (Piano Nobile) typical of an Italian Palazzo. Common on all colonial customs houses, a large high-ceiling saloon, the long room was allocated for customs activities. STREET FACING FAÇADE Rusticated walls on lower storey. Smooth walls on above stories with attic panel relief (recessed) on the 2 corner towers. Ionic order entablature with tetrastyle engaged ionic columns on the main facade. WINDOWS Lower storey windows are recessed into the rusticated walls with no embellishment. Second floor windows are decorated with ancons with double scroll consoles and cornices reflecting
Octastyle half Ionic columns on the north facing faҫade. 8 windows with ornamented arched lintels between the columns. (Source : Ambotang)
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Octastyle fluted Ionic columns with classical pilasters on the same pedestals. Celestory windows above the cornices provide day lighting into the Long Room. (Source : Ambotang)
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Dentil mouldings projecting from the underside of the classical cornices with friezes and architraves underneath. (Source : Ambotang)
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Coffered ceilings in the long room as well as lobby and passageways. (Source : Ambotang)
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Rusticated ground storey recessed unadorned ground storey windows and entrances with classical detailed timber doors. (Source : Ambotang)
18 Coffered ceilings with ornamental rosette details in passageways. (Source : Ambotang)
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Double scroll consoles (exterior) 19 Double scroll consoles (interior) supporting the entablatures of windows supporting the entablatures of doors surround surround on piano nobile level. Windows at on piano nobile level. Interior consoles, cornices this level have cornices that tops the surround. and door surrounds are heavily decorated. (Source : Ambotang) (Source : Ambotang)
PUBLIC BUILDING | CUSTOMS HOUSE 14
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TESSELATED TILES (Source : Ambotang)
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CAST IRON ARTWORK BALUSTERS (Source : Ambotang)
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OPEN-WELL STAIR HALL (Source : Ambotang)
PLAN VIEW - LEVEL 2 - ‘PIANO NOBILE’ MAIN FLOOR
the prominence of the piano nobile floor. Mezzanine (3rd floor) windows have lesser decoration of window surrounds with top crossette vertices. DOORS Heavy timber doors (interior and exterior) with panels of rails and stiles with brass door handles. Interior entrances are decorated with door surrounds with ancons and decorated scrolls on entrances to the long room. Some passage entrances have round headed lintels. INTERIORS Tesselated colored tiles in the long room and large black and white marble tiles throughout the buildings and halls. Decorated cast iron balusters with timber handrails in the rectangular open-well stair hall. Ceilings are coffered and arranged to meet the pilasters and piers at the edges. Rosette detailings can be found on the coffered ceilings in passageways.
OCTASTYLE UNFLUTED ENGAGED/HALF IONIC COLUMNS - COURTYARD FACING FAÇADE
LONG ROOM
TETRASTYLE UNFLUTED ENGAGED IONIC COLUMNS - STREET FACING FAÇADE (Source : Immigration Museum)
OCTASTYLE IONIC FLUTED COLUMNS WITH PILASTERS ON SINGLE PEDESTALS NORTH & SOUTH WALL
OPEN-WELL STAIR HALL