Shops

Statement of Significance

• The place has aesthetic value as a good and intact example of the post war international style as practised in the suburbs of Perth. • The place has historic value for its association with the development of Bassendean in the post World War Two period when the population of the area grew and created retail demands. • The place has social value for the many members of the community who have used and visited these premises since the 1950s. • The place has historic value for its association with successful local builder, Harry Stanford Hyde.

Physical Description

Single storey commercial building of brick construction with four separate roofs and parapet wall to the street facing façade. Only the front or north façade can be seen, the building is bounded by other structures on the east and west. There is a combination of exposed, rendered and clad brick across the four shopfronts. While varying in decorative elements and colours, all maintain a consistent exposed brick parapet and a consistent awning. The two shops to the east have corrugated metal roofs while the two shops to the west have hipped tiled roofs, none of these are seen from the main façade. The shop fronts all display large aluminium or timber framed glass frontages with the sizes and shapes varying from shop to shop. Some shops have included fanlights to maximise natural light. Cladding varies across the shops from assorted colour, size and shape tiles to painted weather board.

History

The Bassendean town centre was established and laid out as an extension of Guildford townsite in the 1840s but it was not until the 1890s that the town developed rapidly with the influx of workers during the gold boom period. The West Guildford Road Board was formed in 1901 which became the Bassendean Road Board in 1922, in recognition of one of the first farms in the district ‘Bassendean’ established by the First Colonial Secretary, Peter Broun. The town developed on either side of what was called the Perth Road and later, Guildford Road, which logically connected Perth to Guildford. This portion of the road name was changed to ‘Old Perth Road’ in the 1970s when Guildford Road was realigned. The date of construction of this shop is estimated to be the mid to late 1950s as it is not evident in the aerial photograph of the site in 1953 but is present in 1965. Its styling is representative of the 1950s although further research of the rates books may reveal the date of construction, original owner, occupants and builder. It is likely that the builder was local firm, H.S. Hyde who was responsible for the construction of the nearby Hyde Buildings at 45-51 Old Perth Road, and the shop at 47-71 Old Perth Road (facing James Street). These buildings may have been built in stages as they feature different roof lines and roof cladding. The buildings have been added to and altered since construction with the most recent addition to the rear of 75-77 in 2015.

Integrity/Authenticity

High Moderate

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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