Curtin House

Curtin House
Former names Tattersall's Club
Tattersalls Building[1]
General information
Architectural style Art Nouveau
Address 248-256 Swanston st
Town or city Melbourne
Country Australia
Coordinates 37°48′43.2″S 144°57′54.7″E / 37.812000°S 144.965194°E / -37.812000; 144.965194Coordinates: 37°48′43.2″S 144°57′54.7″E / 37.812000°S 144.965194°E / -37.812000; 144.965194
Opened 1922
Cost £50,000[2]
Dimensions
Other dimensions Frontage of 81 ft 5 in to Swanston St. by a depth of 88 ft on the southern boundary and 66 ft on the north side. It has a rear frontage of 50 ft 8 in to Tattersalls Lane.[1]
Technical details
Structural system Structure of reinforced concrete (as placed by the Steel Form Supply Co P/L
Floor count 6
Floor area 21,360 sq. ft.[1]
Lifts/elevators Single open cage lift encircled by stairs.
Design and construction
Architect Harry Norris[3]
Civil engineer Hawkins & Bendixsen

Curtin House is a six storey Art Nouveau building on Swanston Street in the Melbourne city centre.

History

The building was built in the 1922, originally the Tattersalls Building, it was renamed after the Labor Prime Minister John Curtin. It was also once the office of the Communist Party, and was also used for meetings concerning card games at the time. Built on the former site of Nunans's Buildings destroyed by fire on April 13, 1921 caused by Morton Parker Pimentel the fire claimed one victim Miss Gertrude K Riley.[4][5][6][7][8]

Restoration

After being bought by a collaborating group of Melbourne-based business men including Tim Peach (owner of Rooftop Cinema[9][10]), Curtin House was restored in 2003.

Curtin House hosts thai restaurant and bar Cookie, Rooftop Cinema,[10] a family owned and operated Kung Fu academy,[11] website developers,[12] a bookstore,[13] rare record store,[14] architecture office,[15] and live music venue,[16] which hosts cabaret, comedy, acoustic, blues, jazz and world music performances.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "City building to syndicate for £145,000.". The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956). Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 31 March 1951. p. 14. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  2. ↑ "TATTERSALL'S CLUB.". The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956). Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 29 August 1922. p. 9. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  3. ↑ Harry A. Norris established his own architectural practice in 1919. Norris's first significant city building was the seven-storey Tattersall's Club premises (now Curtin House) at 252 Swanston Street in 1922 Pg 131. Moreland North of Bell Street, Heritage Study, Volume 2 – Heritage place and precinct citations, Final, April 2011
  4. ↑ "SWANSTON STREET FIRE.". The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956). Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 15 April 1921. p. 7. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  5. ↑ "SWANSTON STREET FIRE.". The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956). Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 16 April 1921. p. 20. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  6. ↑ "NUNAN'S BUILDINGS FIRE.". The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956). Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 23 July 1921. p. 17. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  7. ↑ "Classified Advertising.". The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956). Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 14 August 1920. p. 2. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  8. ↑ "Advertising.". Oakleigh Leader (North Brighton, Vic. : 1888 - 1902). North Brighton, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 16 December 1893. p. 1. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  9. ↑ Raising the Curtin, By Larissa Dubecki, April 4, 2007, The Age
  10. 1 2 Rooftop Cinema
  11. ↑ Wing Chun Bing Fa Kung Fu Academy
  12. ↑ Tundra
  13. ↑ Metropolis
  14. ↑ Collectors Corner
  15. ↑ SIBLING
  16. ↑ the Toff in Town

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