Saunders Building

Statement of Significance

The place is of aesthetic significance as an example of a commercial building constructed during the period of economic affluence and increased development that followed the gold boom.
The place is of historic significance because it reflects the expansion and development of commerce and trade in the City of Perth in the early years of the twentieth century.
The place is a representative example of a commercial building constructed in Perth during the period of development and consolidation following the gold boom.

Physical Description

Demolished. Saunders Building was originally a single-storey building constructed in the early Gold Boom period. A second storey was added in the 1950s when the shopfront and interior of the ground floor were substantially remodelled. As a result, the building became a crudely designed version of Post-War International Style, featuring a horizontal band of glazing set within bands of rendered masonry. The masonry construction street elevation was completely rendered and painted and has a single storey suspended canopy. The face of the building below canopy level was filled by a modern shop front.

History

Saunders Building was built in 1892 for the Silver Pan Confectionery Company. The site comprised a single-storey shop fronting Wellington Street and a separate factory building to the rear. By 1900, the factory at the rear housed the printing works for Frederick Vosperʼs Sunday Times. In 1910, the lease was taken over by John Saunders, a draper from Kalgoorlie, who purchased the property in 1919. The Saunders family operating
Western Australia’s most prominent menswear business from the premises until the early 1980s and made a number of changes to the building over the years, including the addition of a second floor and an extension to the rear in the 1950s. In 2003, a discount travel agency, coach booking office and internet café occupied the retail premises fronting Wellington Street, while the upper floor was used as accommodation is association with the Globe Backpackers next door. Saunders Building was demolished in 2004.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.