West Australian Bank (fmr)

Author

National Trust of Western Australia

Place Number

12000

Location

1 Hayward St Harvey

Location Details

Other Name(s)

Bank of New South Wales (NSW) (fmr)
Westpac Bank Building

Local Government

Harvey

Region

South West

Construction Date

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
RHP - Does not warrant assessment Current 30 May 2003

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Statewide Bank Survey Completed 01 Nov 1997
Municipal Inventory Adopted 27 Oct 2015 Category 2

Statement of Significance

*architectural/ technical accomplishment: The Challenge Bank building (formerly Wespac, Bank of New South Wales, Western Australian Bank) has seen various successful alterations and extensions since it was first built in 1911. *historical significance of development of cultural phases; association with important figu res: The Art Deco style facade constructed for the building exemplifies the relative prosperity experienced in the Harvey District at the end of the 1930s. The Challenge Bank building provides a continuity of architectural development on the site since 1911 *environmental importance; townscape or landscape value; high degree of unity of setting This prominently located bank building with its pristine facade provides an entry statement to the business section of the Town of Harvey. *demonstration of a way of life, custom, process or function: \ The Challenge Bank building has provided banking facilities for the Shire of Harvey since 1911. *educational/research value: *socialsignifance: The building has great social significance to the residents of the Harvey Shire *scarcity value; a particularly fine (or unique) example: The building is a particularly fine and pristine example of regional Art Deco styled bank building.

Physical Description

Large brick building combining banking chambers and offices with attached residence. Because of the complexity of the prominent comer site, the two sections of the building have separate, but linked, terracotta roofs at a 45 degree angle to each other, each penetrated by a number of cement rendered chimneys. The main facades of the entrance and banking chamber are modelled in painted cement render to form a curved frontage addressing the corner. The horizontal emphasis of this frontage is reinforced by a series of recessed bands in the Art Deco manner linking the row of similar fixed casement windows with the assymetrically placed entrance porch and doorway . The parapet steps up from each end to form a vertical central feature section at the corner which is crowned with a flagpole and features the name of the bank. The residential section of the building is constructed in a style typical of the late 1930s when it was built and the banking section is designed in the Streamlined Moderne style which was the height of modernism at that time. The essential character of the banking chamber facade, which addresses the comer by sweeping around in a quarter circle, has been retained in the relatively recent (1982) alterations and renovations. The strong horizontality of the smooth facade, which is emphasised by recessed bands and aligned windows, is counter-balanced by the use of vertical piers between the windows and a dominant vertical entry pylon which was originally the main doorway, but has been turned into a window with the creation of a new entry porch facing Uduc Road, replacing the original entry porch to the residence. The flagpole which originally helped to focus attention on the entrance has been removed as part of the alterations, but the horizontally banded support bracket remains.

History

Assessment 1997 Construction: 1938 Additions: 1979, 1982 The Western Australian Bank, which amalgamated with the Bank of NSW in 1927, first opened an agency in small wooden premises in Uduc Road near the corner of Herbert Road in Harvey on August 16, 1909. The agency was converted to a branch on July 27, 1910 and shortly afterwards the bank purchased the sight of the present building for 150 pounds. A timber building with tiled roof was erected in 1921 and this served as bank chambers and staff residence until it was destroyed by fire on November 22, 1937. The following day the bank re-opened for business in temporary premises in Markham's Buildings , where it remained until the first stage of the present building was completed in 1938. Initially the facade of the banking offices consisted of the central doorway and one window bay each side. This was expanded as business grew by another three bays around the corner into Haywood Street, prior to 1979, and in 1982 by the extension of the banking chamber into the attached residence and the addition of a new entrance and porch on the other side replacing the previous entry to the residential section.

Creation Date

08 Sep 1998

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

18 Mar 2024

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.