City of Vincent Administration Building

Statement of Significance

The Town of Vincent Administration Building marks the establishment of the Town of Vincent as a new local authority, following the breakup of the greater City of Perth. The Administration Building is a fine example of Late 20th Century International style, by well known Perth architect Peter Hunt, and was the recipient of a Civic Design Commendation from the WA Chapter of the RAIA.

Physical Description

Two storey office structure set above a basement undercroft. Its entry façade is predominantly steel and glass, contrasting with the stone cladding to the rest of the facades. It is set in an elevated position on a paved platform, reached by a flight of steps from the car park, to give it greater prominence. It is located adjacent to the extensive community facilities of the Loftus Centre. It has a landmark presence in its parkland setting at the corner of Loftus and Vincent Streets, which retains some remnant bush trees. Parkland None

History

The site where the Town of Vincent Administration Building is currently located belonged to a Government reserve (Reserve 884) which was under the control of the Perth Board of Health in the 1890s. Reserve 884 covered the north side of Vincent Street and stretched from Charles to Oxford Streets. The area east of Loftus Street was used as a rubbish tip for some years in the 1890s, while the area along Oxford Street was parceled off as sites for public buildings such as post office, municipal offices, primary school and police station. The Wise's Post Office Directories indicate that the subject site was a 'Recreation Reserve' at least until 1949 when the publication of the Directories ceased. In the mid 1990s, Perth City Council was divided into four smaller local government areas, creating Perth City and the towns of Victoria Park, Vincent and Cambridge. This was a reversal of the amalgamation that had taken place in 1914 and 1917, when the Greater Perth area had been created, and was brought about by the growth of the affected suburbs into a size considered unmanageable by one council body. In November 1994, the site at the corner of Vincent and Loftus Streets was approved to be the location of the new Administrative Centre as it had a number of advantages: the land was Reserve land and was unencumbered, thus construction could commence without negotiating leases; the new Administrative Centre would complement other existing facilities which were already on the site including Council Library, Council Child Health Centre and Leederville Community Centre. The building was designed by architect Peter Hunt, and built by Consolidated Construction Pty Ltd, at a cost of $5.65 million. Construction began on 4 April 1995 and the building was completed on 22 March 1996. Prior to its completion, the Town's offices were temporarily located in a grandstand at Leederville Oval from February 1995 to March 1996.

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High degree

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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.