FORMERROYALMI NT
TRI NHPHAM 7 8 4 1 7 3
HI STORI CALCONTEXT Th ed i s c o v e r yo fg o l di nJ u l y1 8 5 1h a sl e dt oad r a ma t i ci n c r e a s ei n Me l b o u r n ep o p u l a t i o na sg r o u p so fmi n e r sf r o m Ne wSo u t hWa l e s , Ch i n aa n dEu r o p emo v e dt oVi c t o r i af o rg o l de x p l o i t a t i o n .Co n s e q u e n t l y ,t h e r eh a db e e na nu r g e n tn e e dt oe s t a b l i s hg o v e r n me n ta n d i n v e s ti nu r b a ni n f r a s t r u c t u r e .Al o n gwi t ho t h e rg o v e r n me n tb u i l d i n g sa n ds e r v i c e s , Me l b o u r n eRo y a l Mi n t , ab r a n c ho fRo y a l Mi n t i n Lo n d o n , wa sc o n s t r u c t e di n1 8 7 2o nt h es i t eo fa nEx h i b i t i o nBu i l d i n gt op r o d u c ec o i n sf r o mt h el o c a lg o l d .Si n c et h e n ,t h eMi n th a d b e e no p e r a t i n gf o r9 6y e a r sb e f o r eb e i n gu s e da sMa r r i a g eRe g i s t r y Of fic ea n dn o w He l l e n i cMu s e u m.Th eb u i l d i n gi so n eo ft h er e ma r k a b l e1 9 t hc e n t u r yVi c t o r i a ng o v e r n me n tb u i l d i n g st h a tp l a ya n i mp o r t a n ts o c i o p o l i t i c a lr o l en o to n l yi np r o v i d i n gc u r r e n c y ,b u t a l s oma r k i n gt h ec o n fid e n c ea n dma t u r i t yo fBr i t i s hc o l o n yi nt h e g o l d r u s hp e r i o d . a
Fi g u r e3 :Th eo r i g i n a lp l a no fRo y a lMi n tc o n s i s t i n g t h ea d mi n i s t r a t i v eb u i l d i n gi nt h ec e n t e ra n ds u r r o u n d i n gc o i np r o d u c t i o nf a c i l i t i e s .Ni c h o l a sJ o h nCa i r e , Me l b o u r n e , 1 8 7 7
LANDSCAPEANDPLANNI NG
Th eRo y a l Mi n t wa sl o c a t e dn e a rFl a g s t a f fHi l l a n dc l o s e dt o o t h e rg o v e r n me n tb u i l d i n g ss u c ha sVi c t o r i a nDe p a r t me n t s o fCr o wnLa n d( Fi g u r e2 ) .Fl a g s t a f fHi l lwa sr e g a r d e da sa “ s i g n a l i n gs t a t i o n ”t oi n d i c a t es h i p p i n ga r r i v a l s .Si t u a t i n gi n s u c he c o n o mi ca n dp o l i t i c a l c e n t e r , t h eMi n t a p p a r e n t l yh a v e c o n s i d e r a b l es i g n i fic a n c et ot h ee c o n o mya n dp o l i t i c so ft h e Br i t i s hc o l o n y . a t t
Fi gur e1:TheRoya lMi nti n19551965. Aut r a l i a nNe wsa ndI nf or ma t i onBur e a u,1969
FormerRoyalMint,locatedatthe
c o r n e ro fLaTr o b ea n d Wi l l i a m s t r e e t s , i so n eo ft h ei mp r e s s i v eVi c t o r i a ng o v e r n me n tb u i l d i n g st h a t r e c o r dt h ep r o s p e r o u sa n dwe a l t h y l i f eo f Br i t i s hc o l o n i e sd u r i n g g o l d r u s hp e r i o d .I ta l s or e fle c t sa s i g n i fic a n tg r o wt hi n Me l b o u r n e e c o n o mi c sa n dc o n s t r u c t i o nt e c h n i q u e si n1 9 t hc e n t u r y .Th eFo r me r Ro y a lMi n twa sd e s i g n e db yJ o h n J a me sCl a r ki n1 8 6 9a n dc o n s t r u c t e df r o m1 8 7 1t o1 8 7 2b yWi l l i a m Mu r r a ya n dCo mp a n yo fEme r a l d Hi l l ,a n d Ma r t i na n d Pe a c o c ko f We s tMe l b o u r n e . a
Fi g u r e4 :Th ei n i t i a lp l a no fRo y a lMi n ti n1 8 7 3 .Ch a r l e s Ed wa r dWi s t o n , Me l b o u r n e , 1 8 7 3 Gr o u n dflo o r
e ne Of fic r bou a d l n e L M own Cr
Fi r s tflo o r
Fi g u r e2 :Me l b o u r n ec i t yp l a ns h o wi n gl o c a t i o no fRo y a lMi n t ( o r a n g e )o p p o s i t et h eMe l b o u r n eCr o wnLa n d sOf fic ea n dFl a g s t a f fg a r d e n . De p a r t me n to fLa n da n dSu r v e y , Me l b o u r n e , 1 8 7 8
Fi g u r e5 :Ro y a lMi n tp l a ni n2 0 1 6 , a u t h o r ’ so wnd r a wi n g s
Du et ot h eo r i g i n a lf u n c t i o no fRo y a lMi n ta sac o i nf a c t o r y , t h ei n i t i a lp l a n ,wh i c hwa sd e s i g n e db yEW Wa r da n dTF Co mb e ro ft h eBr i t i s hMi n t ,c o n s i s t so ft h ea d mi n i s t r a t i v e b u i l d i n gs u r r o u n d e db ymi n t i n go p e r a t i o n sf r o mt h r e es i d e s , r e s i d e n t i a lq u a r t e r sa n da s s o c i a t e ds t r u c t u r e s( Fi g u r e3&4 ) . I tc a nb es e e nf r o mt h i sp l a nt h a tt h eo v e r a l ll a y o u ti sh i g h l y s y mme t r i c a l , i nwh i c ht h ea d mi n i s t r a t i v eb u i l d i n gi sl o c a t e d i nt h ec e n t e ra n dt h ec o i np r o d u c t i o nf a c i l i t i e swe r eh a r mo n i o u s l yl o c a t e do nt h et wos i d e sa n dt h eb a c ko ft h eb u i l d i n g . Al s o ,t wog u a r d h o u s e sl o c a t i n ga tt woc o r n e r so ft h es i t e g r e a t l yc o n t r i b u t et ot h es y mme t r i c a ll a y o u to ft h eRo y a l Mi n t . Su c hl a y o u t r e fle c t st h ef o c u so fRe n a i s s a n c ea r c h i t e c t u r eo np r o p o r t i o na n ds y mme t r y . a Ho we v e r ,t h ep l a nwa se v e n t u a l l yr e d e s i g n e dd u et ol i mi t e d b u d g e t .I n s t e a do fh a v i n gt h r e es t o r e y s ,t h ea d mi n i s t r a t i v e b u i l d i n gwa sr e d u c e dt ot wo s t o r e ya n di t sl e n g t hwa ss c a l e d d o wnf r o m5 5me t e r st o3 1me t e r s .I n1 9 7 0 s ,t h ec o i n i n g r o o msa n do p e r a t i n gf a c i l i t i e swe r ea l ld e mo l i s h e d a n d wh a t r e ma i n e di nt o d a y ’ sp l a ni st h ea d mi n i s t r a t i o nb u i l d i n g , t wog a t e h o u s e s , g a r d e n , p e r i me t e rwa l l a n dt h ewr o u g h t i r o n p a l i s a d ef e n c e( Fi g u r e5 ) . a
ARCHI TECTURAL STYLESANDFORMS
TRI NHPHAM 784173 ke y pi l a s t e r s s t one I nc o n t r a s tt ot h ep l a i na n ds i mp l ea p p e a r a n c eo ft h ee x t e r n a l di me nt wa l l s , t h ei n t e r n a ls p a c ewi t hh i g hc o f f e r e dc e i l i n ga n db e a u t i f u l l y I r onl a c e wor k pe ba l c ony c a r v e da n dg o l d e np a i n t e da r c h e ss u p p o r t e db yb r a c k e t sa l o n gt h e
Cor ni c e Tr i gl yph
Cor ni c e
wa l k wa y se x h i b i t sas p l e n d o r o u sa t mo s p h e r e , r e fle c t i n gawe a l t h y a n dp r o s p e r o u sBr i t i s hl i f ed u r i n gg o l d r u s hp e r i o d( Fi g u r e1 7 ) . Th ep r o mi n e n ts t a i r st ofir s tflo o rwi t ho r n a t e l yc a r v e dwo o d e n n e we lp o s ta n dp a i n t e dwr o u g h ti r o nb a l u s t e r sa swe l la sc o mp l e x i r o nl a c e wo r ka l o n gt h es t a i r sh a sa l s oc o n t r i b u t e dt ot h ee l e g a n c e Fr i e z e a n dg r a n d e u ro ft h ewh o l eb u i l d i n g( Fi g u r e1 8 ) .Th eg l a s sf r a me o nt h ec e i l i n go ffir s tflo o ra l l o wsn a t u r a ll i g h tt os h i n ei n t ot h e Aba c us b u i l d i n g , r e fl e c t i n g o n t h e g o l d p a i n t e d a r c h e s a n d c r e a t i n g a b e a u Ec hi nus t i f u l l ys p a r k l i n gs t r u c t u r e( Fi g u r e1 6 ) . Mo s t o ft h ei n t e r i o rs p a c eo f Ne c ki ng Ro y a lMi n tn o wa d a y si so c c u p i e df o rp r i v a t eu s ea n di n a c c e s s i b l e Ar c hi t r a ve e x c e p t f o r t h e g a l l e r y o n g r o u n d fl o o r a n d t h e e x h i b i t i o n r o o m o n Sha f t fir s tflo o r .Un l i k ePa l l a d i a nn o r m,t h ePi a n oNo b i l ei sp l a c e do n g r o u n dflo o r . Ast h ewh o l e ,t h ec o n g e n i a lc o mb i n a t i o no fl i g h t gur e14:a r c he dwi ndowa nd Fi gur e7:Dor i ce nt a bl a t ur ede t a i l ,Fi i n g , p a i n t i n ga n dc a r v i n gwi t h i nt h ei n t e r i o rs p a c eh a sg r e a t l yi l l u s e di c ul e s ,a ut hor ’ sownphoa ut hor ’ sowndr a wi ngs ,Me l bour ne ,a . t r a t e dt h ed i g n i t ya n dma n n e ro ft h eBr i t i s hc l a s s e s . a t o, Me l bour ne , 2016 2016
Fr i e z e Fl a t pe di me nt I oni c c ol ums
Por t i c o Rus t i c a t e d ba s e
Bl ue s t one ba s e
Fi gur e6:a ut hor ’ sowndr a wi ngs ,Me l bour ne ,2016
Atfir s tg l a n c e ,t h eFo r me rRo y a lMi n ta p p e a r st ob ep l a i n a n dr u s t i c .Ho we v e r ,t h et r u ee l e g a n c ea n dg r a n d e u ro ft h e b u i l d i n gi se v e n t u a l l ye x p o s e dt h r o u g hc a r e f u lo b s e r v a t i o n . Th ed e s i g no fRo y a lMi n ti sc o n s i d e r e dt ob eo n eo ft h eb e s t e v i d e n c eo fRe n a i s s a n c eRe v i v a li nAu s t r a l i aa n di twa sa s s u me dt oh a v ef o l l o we dRa p h a e l ’ sPa l a z z oVi d o n i Ca f f a r e l l i i nRo me( 1 5 1 5 ) .I nf a c t , t h ei n flu e n c eo fRe n a i s s a n c ea r c h i t e c t u r ea n dRo ma n t i c i s mc a nb eo b s e r v e dt h r o u g hs e r i e so f . a r c h i t e c t u r a le l e me n t sa n df o r ms .p
Mut ul e
Th ema i ne n t r a n c ep o r t i c o ,s u p p o r t e db yp a i r e dDo r i cc o l u mn sa n de n t a b l a t u r e , i se mb l a z o n e dwi t ht h eCo a to fAr ms i nb r i l l i a n tc o l o r( Fi g u r e9 , 1 0 , 1 1 , 1 2 ) .Co l o r f u lo l e a n d e r s a n ds ma l ll o d g e sg u a r d e dt h eAr ms . Asas y mb o lo fBr i t i s h a u t h o r i t y ,t h ec o l o r f u lCo a to fAr mse r e c t i n gf r o m ag r e y mo n o c h r o meb r i c kwa l la c t sa sar e mi n d e ro fBr i t i s hp o we r . I n t e r e s t i n g l y , a l lDo r i ca n dI o n i cc o l u mn so fRo y a lMi n ta r e u n flu t e d ,wh i c hmi g h tb et h er e s u l to fb u d g e tc o n s t r a i n t s . Du et oi t sf u n c t i o na sac o i nf a c t o r y ,c o mp l e xa n du n n e c e s s a r yo r n a me n t a t i o nwa ss t r i c t l yl i mi t e dwi t hmi n i ma li n t e r f e r e n c ewi t ht h ema c h i n e s ,t h u st h eb u i l d i n gh a saf o r mo f Fi gur e9:ma i ne nt r a nc epor t i c o,a ut hor ’ sownphot os , p l a i nr e n d e r e db r i c ks t r u c t u r e( Fi g u r e1 3 ) . Ho we v e r , i t ss i mMe l bour ne , 2016.Fi gur e10:por t i c oi n1969,J ohnT. p l i c i t yi nr e t u r nr e fle c t sa“ p r e s t i g i o u sy e t f u n c t i o n a l n a t u r e ” Col l i ns ,Me l bour ne ,1969 o ft h eMi n t . a Fi gur e16:c of f e r e dc e i l i ng, i r onl a c k- Fi gur e17:or na t e l ybr a c ke t s ,a ut hor ’ s wor kr a i la nddoubl ewi ndows ,a ut hor ’ s ownphot o, Me l bour ne , 2016 ownphot o,Me l bour ne , 2016 Woode n ha ndr a i l
Fi gur e8: TheRoya lMi nt2016, a ut hor ’ sownphot o, Me l bour ne , 2016
Th ea d mi n i s t r a t i v eb u i l d i n gi sas y mme t r i c a lt wo s t o r e y b r i c kb u i l d i n gr e n d e r e di nc e me n t a n dr e s t o nh e a v yr u s t i c a t e db a s e( Fi g u r e9 ) . I t i sc o n s i d e r e dt ob et h efir s t p u b l i cb u i l d i n gi nMe l b o u r n et h a twa sc o n s t r u c t e da sb r i c ks t r u c t u r eo n b l u e s t o n eb a s e .Th el o wh i p p e dr o o fh a si t se a v e ss u p p o r t e d b yr e t a n g u l a rmo d i l l i o n s( Fi g u r e1 5 ) .Wh i l et h efir s tflo o r f e a t u r e sc o mp l e xRe n a i s s a n c ee l e me n t ss u c ha sa e d i c u l e a n dp a i r e dI o n i cc o l u mn s , t h eg r o u n dflo o rl e a v e sa ni mp r e s s i o no fs i mp l i c i t ywi t hc o l u mn si nDo r i co r d e r , p o r t i c o sa n d r e c t a n g u l a rwi n d o ws( Fi g u r e8 ) . a
I nt h emi d s to fg r o wi n g we a l t ho fi nMe l b o u r n e , t h e Ro y a lMi n twa se s s e n t i a l l y On ei mp r e s s i v ee l e me n t t h a t e s s e n t i a l l ys t a n d so u t i st h ea e d d e s i g n e di nap r a c t i c a la n d I r onl a c e wor k i c u l e so nfir s tflo o r .Afla tp e d i me n t ,s u p p o r t e db yo r n a t e l y e c o n o mi c a ls c a l et h a ts u i t s c a r v e db r a c k e t sa n dk e y s t o n e ,i sc o mb i n e dwi t ha na r c h e d i t sf u n c t i o n . Ov e r a l l , Th e a n db a l u s t r a d e dwi n d o w( Fi g u r e1 4 ) .Th eb r a c k e t sr e s to n Fo r me rRo y a lMi n ti sa t h i np i l a s t e r s .Su c hc o mb i n a t i o ns i g n i fic a n t l yc o n t r i b u t e st o g r e a th i s t o r i c a lb u i l d i n gt h a t t h eo v e r a l le l e g a n ta n dg r a n dl o o ko ft h eb u i l d i n g .Ont h e c l e a r l yr e fle c t sp r o mi n e n t o t h e rh a n d ,t h ei r o nl a c e wo r ko nt h eb a l c o n ymi g h tb e l i f e s t y l e sd u r i n gg o l d r u s h s e r v e da sa ni n d i c a t i o no fRo ma n t i c i s mi n flu e n c eo nMe l p e r i o da n di so n eo ft h ee v i Woode n b o u r n ea r c h i t e c t u r ei n1 9 t hc e n t u r y( Fi g .1 4 ) .Ha r mo n i o u s d e n c eo ft h eRe n a i s s a n c er e ne we lpos t mi x t u r eo fd i f f e r e n ta r c h i t e c t u r a ls t y l e sh a sc r e a t e du n i q u e v i v a la r c h i t e c t u r ei nMe l gur e18:s ke t c hoft hene we lpos t , a us t r u c t u r a lc o mb i n a t i o n sa n dt o g e t h e rt h e yma k eas p l e n d o r - Fi o u r n ed u r i n g1 9 t hc e n t u r y t h o r ’ s o w n d r a w i n g , Me l b o u r n e , 2 0 1 6 b o u sMe l b o u r n eMi n t . a Fi gur e15:r oofe a ve ss uppor t e dbymodi l l i ons , a ut hor ’ sownphot o,Me l bour ne ,201 6
Fi gur e1 1:Coa tofAr ms ,a ut hor ’ sownphot os ,Me l bour ne , 2016. Fi gur e12:Coa tofAr msi n1969, J ohn T.Col l i ns ,Me l bour ne ,1969
Fi gur e 13:Ma c hi ne sope r a t i ng i ns i de t he Roya l Mi nt ,Edwa r dSt a ndfie l dWa r de l l ,Me l bour ne ,1915
SOCI ALI MP ACT
Wr oughtI r on Ba l us t e r