Art Deco Autumn; the Former Repatriation Commission Outpatient Clinic - St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Autumn in Melbourne is always beautiful, with many wonderful deciduous trees full of colour like these elm trees outside the former Repatriation Commission Outpatients Repatriation Clinic on the corner of Coventry Street and St Kilda Road.
Melbourne had a very good start to summer with not too many burning hot days and lots of rain, which means that the autumn display of leaves at present are simply glorious.
The former Repatriation Commission Outpatients Repatriation Clinic at 310 St Kilda Road was, built between 1936 and 1937. Thought to be made to the designs of George Hallendal under the Commonwealth Works Department Director, H. L. McKennall, the clinic is typical of 1930s Commonwealth Government architecture. Built in inter-war Stripped Classical Art Deco design. The use of wrought iron grilles and gates is notable, as is the building's condition and integrity. Famous Melbourne artist Sir Arthur Streeton criticised the use of brown brick used to construct the building with. He complained of its contrast to the established bluestone brick of the Victorian era Victoria Barracks next door.
Completed on the 15th of December 1937 nearly 20 years after the end of the Great War, it was designed for the health and wellbeing of the original Anzac's from World War I. The clinic subsequently supported the wellbeing of veterans of of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Australian veteran community consider it a sacred place due to the connection to the suffering of veterans returned from those wars. It contained a reception, a large central waiting hall with besutiful Art Deco decor, a pharmaceutical dispensary and store room, medical examination rooms, clarks offices, a theatre for minor surgery procedures, a dressing station, sisters office, nursing examination office, massage rooms, administrative offices and an archives file room. Historically, the Outpatients Repatriation Clinic is significant for its association with an important phase of building activity prior to the Second World War which included various barracks and several notable drill halls.
Sadly, in 2017, the Department of Defence identified the former Repatriation Commission Outpatients Repatriation Clinic as "surplus to Defence requirements". The property will be sold in accordance with the Commonwealth Property Disposal Policy. Today it stands shut up and neglected, with its fate unknown. Ideas have been raised of it being converted into a multi-storey apartment block, or another portion of the Melbourne arts precinct.
George Hallendal designed a number of notable Commonwealth Government buildings including the former Royal Australian Army Medical Corps Training Depot on A'Beckett Street in the Melbourne CBD, and the former Royal Australian Corps of Signals Drill Hall on Albert Road Drive in Albert Park. He also designed the house "
Ingoda" in Fitzgerald Street Balwyn in the early 1920s.
Art Deco Autumn; the Former Repatriation Commission Outpatient Clinic - St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Autumn in Melbourne is always beautiful, with many wonderful deciduous trees full of colour like these elm trees outside the former Repatriation Commission Outpatients Repatriation Clinic on the corner of Coventry Street and St Kilda Road.
Melbourne had a very good start to summer with not too many burning hot days and lots of rain, which means that the autumn display of leaves at present are simply glorious.
The former Repatriation Commission Outpatients Repatriation Clinic at 310 St Kilda Road was, built between 1936 and 1937. Thought to be made to the designs of George Hallendal under the Commonwealth Works Department Director, H. L. McKennall, the clinic is typical of 1930s Commonwealth Government architecture. Built in inter-war Stripped Classical Art Deco design. The use of wrought iron grilles and gates is notable, as is the building's condition and integrity. Famous Melbourne artist Sir Arthur Streeton criticised the use of brown brick used to construct the building with. He complained of its contrast to the established bluestone brick of the Victorian era Victoria Barracks next door.
Completed on the 15th of December 1937 nearly 20 years after the end of the Great War, it was designed for the health and wellbeing of the original Anzac's from World War I. The clinic subsequently supported the wellbeing of veterans of of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Australian veteran community consider it a sacred place due to the connection to the suffering of veterans returned from those wars. It contained a reception, a large central waiting hall with besutiful Art Deco decor, a pharmaceutical dispensary and store room, medical examination rooms, clarks offices, a theatre for minor surgery procedures, a dressing station, sisters office, nursing examination office, massage rooms, administrative offices and an archives file room. Historically, the Outpatients Repatriation Clinic is significant for its association with an important phase of building activity prior to the Second World War which included various barracks and several notable drill halls.
Sadly, in 2017, the Department of Defence identified the former Repatriation Commission Outpatients Repatriation Clinic as "surplus to Defence requirements". The property will be sold in accordance with the Commonwealth Property Disposal Policy. Today it stands shut up and neglected, with its fate unknown. Ideas have been raised of it being converted into a multi-storey apartment block, or another portion of the Melbourne arts precinct.
George Hallendal designed a number of notable Commonwealth Government buildings including the former Royal Australian Army Medical Corps Training Depot on A'Beckett Street in the Melbourne CBD, and the former Royal Australian Corps of Signals Drill Hall on Albert Road Drive in Albert Park. He also designed the house "
Ingoda" in Fitzgerald Street Balwyn in the early 1920s.