State Buildings: c.150 years old, 10 years young

Over the last 80 years, Western Australia’s approach regarding its architectural heritage has shifted from a Post-war orgy of destruction and modernist “renewal” to a more nuanced advocacy-fuelled, policy-backed strategy of enlightened preservation and adaptive reuse. The result is a unique, attractive language of placemaking and “meanwhile use” aligning vernacular and internationalist architectural idioms with economic, environmental, community and cultural imperatives.

Arguably one of the most conspicuous and successful examples of adaptive reuse, certainly in the Perth CBD, is the $105 million State Buildings (Old Treasury Buildings) restoration, completed on 15 October 2015 as part of the larger $580 million Cathedral Square development.

Originally, architects including George Temple Poole, Richard Roach Jewell, John Grainger and Hilson Beasley designed sections of the Victorian Second Empire and Federation Free Classical style complex (1874-1905) to serve various functions which over its early history included the Treasury, General Post Office, Titles Offices and the Lands and Surveys Department.

While sensitively preserving and restoring distinctive original features such as the slate and copper mansard roofs and stucco decoration FJM Property, Kerry Hill Architects, Palassis, Spaceagency and others transformed this Grande Dame beneficiary of WA’s gold rush into a multi-use hub where luxury hotel COMO The Treasury and fine dining restaurants rub shoulders with cafes, bars and retail outlets.

Whilst a popular events venue and destination for locals and tourists alike, the State Buildings really come into their own when seen, and experienced, in the context of the Cathedral Square precinct, which includes St George’s Cathedral and associated buildings, the Perth Town Hall, the City of Perth Library, the David Malcolm Justice Centre – and of course Perth’s geographical Point Zero.

With its porous commercial and cultural conversations playing out against a backdrop of impressive historic and contemporary structures, outdoor and indoor public spaces, art galleries, a place of worship and retail and hospitality offerings, Cathedral Square is in effect the ultimate community theatre, absorbing our stories into its own and projecting them back on ourselves. This is not just placemaking but identity making.

Across town, WA Museum Boola Bardip has taken into the bosom of an imposing new structure five important heritage buildings to create a contemporary museum and cultural precinct. Given the current redevelopment of the Perth Cultural Centre and the imminent opening of the nearby ECU City, it will be interesting to see how these two very different urban hubs will continue to work together to contribute to Perth’s maturity as a city in which tradition and innovation walk hand in hand towards a bright future.

Over the month of October, State Buildings is hosting a packed program of events celebrating its 10th anniversary. See here for full details.