Cullity Timbers (fmr), Leederville

Statement of Significance

Cullity Timbers (former) is a comparatively rare intact group of commercial buildings in the Postwar Contemporary/Functionalist style. It is an early work of Geoffrey Summerhayes, one of Perth’s notable Postwar architects. Its association with the innovative Cullity Timbers and Westralian Plywoods, leaders in the Postwar production techniques of the timber industry. Since the cessation of its original use the place has been used for community purposes by the State Emergency Services and, latterly, a youth centre.

Physical Description

The place comprises the former Cullity Timbers Administration Building and the Yard Office. The administration building is two storey in a domestic form with a hipped tile roof. The use of plain red brickwork, given emphasis by the crisp articulation of openings and infill cladding, is typical of the architectural interests of the time. The use of crisply detailed timber joinery for windows and cladding animated the building facades. The use of timber was appropriate for a building by Cullity Timbers. The building is Postwar Contemporary in style with a number of cladding and joinery elements in the Functionalist style. It is an early work of Geoffrey Summerhayes, one of Perth's notable architects of the Postwar period. His practice continued two previous generations of architectural pratice by the Summerhayes family. The single storey yard office has a gable roof concealed behind a parapet wall at the front. The yard is articulated by plain red brick walls placed to compose with the buildings. Mostly paved car parks Numerous

History

The firm of Cullity Timbers Ltd (company) was established in 1928 by Thomas Cullity and Norman Moore. Tom Cullity was educated at Christian Brothers College, Fremantle and the University of WA. He was employed by the WA Forests Department as their first Utilisation Officer, then he worked as Kiln Operator for Millars Timber & Trading Company at Yarloop. In 1924 he was employed by Holden Motor Body Co in Adelaide as Kiln Timber Manager (car bodies were made primarily of wood in the 1920s). In 1928, Tom Cullity returned to Perth and Cullity Timbers was registered on 7 September 1928 with Norman Moore as Chairman and Tom Cullity as Managing Director. The Company's first home was an old livery stable in West Perth, but it had moved to Tower Street, Leederville by 1930. It was listed for the first time in Wise's Post Office Directories in 1931. Its office was a pie shop already on the site, which is listed as No. 60 Tower Street. In 1944, Cullity perfected the technique of 'peeling' karri, enabling the Company's subsidiary, Westralian Plywoods, to begin producing veneer and plywoods from local eucalypts. The Company expanded into pine plantations in 1955. In 1971, Westralian Plywoods merged with Hearn Industries to become Westralian Forest Industries Limited (WESFI), a public company, and Cullity Timbers became a subsidiary of WESFI in 1974. Tom Cullity died in 1977, but members of the Cullity family have remained in the business. The Administration Building at the Tower Street site was constructed in 1954 as a single storey structure. The Yard Office was constructed in 1955, and the upper floor of the Administration Building was added in 1957. These works, and other work associated with buildings that are not extant, were designed by architectural firm Summerhayes & Associates. In 1976, Cullity Timbers vacated the site. The construction of the Mitchell Freeway cut through Tower Street and isolated the area, making it untenable for business purposes. Many of the local businesses that stayed on did suffer a decline in trade which was alleviated initially by improvements to the road access to the area and by the opening of the Leederville Station. Both of these initiatives were the result of activity by the local Chamber of Commerce. The City of Perth acquired the property and demolished most of the buildings for use of the site as a carpark. A community centre was established in the two remaining buildings, the Yard Office and the Administration Building, and the section of Tower Street north of the freeway was renamed Frame Court after K.J Frame, a former City of Perth Councillor. When the community centre closed, the buildings were occupied by the State Emergency Service Northshore Emergency Centre. In 1998, the site was redeveloped as a youth centre with the assistance of State Government funds. An outdoor skate park was constructed and a café, workshops and retail outlets were planned for the place.

Integrity/Authenticity

Intact

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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