140 St Georges Terrace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 140 St Georges Terrace |
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| Former names | AMP Building |
| General information | |
| Type | Office tower |
| Location | Corner of St Georges Terrace & William Street Perth, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°57′15.16″S 115°51′22.72″E / 31.9542111°S 115.8563111°E |
| Construction started | 1972 |
| Completed | 1975 |
| Opening | 1975 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 131 m (430 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 30 |
| Floor area | 29,800 m2 (321,000 sq ft) (lettable) |
| Lifts/elevators | 14 (including freight) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Forbes and Fitzhardinge |
140 St Georges Terrace is a tall, 30-story building in Perth, Western Australia. It first opened its doors in 1975. This building, which stands about 131 meters (430 feet) high, used to be called the AMP Building or AMP Tower. This was because its owner and main tenant, AMP Limited, gave it that name. When it was finished in 1975, it was the tallest skyscraper in Perth. However, it only held that title for a short time, as Allendale Square opened the very next year in 1976.
Contents
Building's History and Construction
The Old AMP Chambers
The land where 140 St Georges Terrace now stands is at the corner of St Georges Terrace and William Street. This spot was known as "Carr's Corner." A company called AMP bought this land in 1910.
In 1915, a six-story building called the AMP Chambers was built there. It was designed by architects Oldham and Cox. This older building was covered in sandstone. Inside, it was decorated with beautiful jarrah wood.
The Famous Statue
On top of the old AMP Chambers was a very special bronze statue. It became a well-known landmark in Perth. The statue was about 3.6 meters (12 feet) tall and showed four figures. A main figure represented protection, and next to it were a man, a woman, and a child.
This hollow statue weighed around 900 kilograms (2,000 pounds) and had a wooden base. People believed it was made in Europe.
Saving the Statue
When AMP decided to knock down the old building to build a new, modern skyscraper, many people were sad. The National Trust, a group that protects old buildings, decided not to save the old AMP Chambers. Instead, they liked the idea of a new tower with open space in front of it.
Even though the building couldn't be saved, the famous statue on top was rescued! A man named Clive Rutty helped save it. A rich collector named Lew Whiteman bought the statue for $1,000. On March 19, 1972, when the statue was taken down, workers found a piece of wood inside it. On the wood were the names of the four men who put the statue up in October 1914.
Later, AMP wanted to buy the statue back from Mr. Whiteman, but he refused. After Mr. Whiteman passed away, the statue was sold at an auction for A$60,800. A company called Sherwood Overseas bought it. Today, you can see the statue in the middle of a lake at Floreat Waters, near Herdsman Lake. It's now a piece of public art for everyone to enjoy.
Building the New Tower
The developers were allowed to build a taller tower than usual. This was because they agreed to create public spaces. They made an open area in front of the building and added seats for people to use. They also got a bonus for connecting their new building with another development across St Georges Terrace.
The old AMP Chambers building was torn down starting in May 1972. Then, construction began on the foundations of the new office tower. The building was finally completed in 1975.
The Observation Deck
When the building first opened, it had a special observation deck on the 29th floor. From here, people could see amazing views of the city. However, in 1988, the BankWest Tower was built, blocking the western view. Then, in 1992, Central Park was built, blocking the eastern view. Because of this, the observation deck had to close.
Life After Completion
The Black Stump Sculpture
When the tower was finished in 1975, a unique sculpture called "The Black Stump" was placed in its front area. This sculpture was made by artist Howard Taylor. It was built from concrete and mosaic tiles and weighed over 28 tons (61,700 pounds)! In 1990, "The Black Stump" was moved to the University of Western Australia. It has been there ever since, next to the Octagon Theatre.
Changes in Ownership
The building was owned by AMP companies from 1915. AMP used it as their main office in Western Australia from 1975 until 2002. Most of their staff then moved to other offices. The last AMP staff left the building in 2003.
Since 1997, the tower has also been used as a launch spot for some fireworks during the yearly Lotterywest Skyworks display.
In 2000, AMP decided to sell the building. They hoped to get around A$80 million for it. A group from Perth offered to buy it, but the sale didn't go through. So, AMP continued to own it. In August 2005, AMP finally sold the building for A$153.5 million.
Building Upgrades
In 1992, the building had some small updates to its look. This $15 million project was done by a company called Multiplex. The main lobby on the ground floor got a new look with polished granite floors, new wall panels, and special ceilings with hidden lights. The revolving doors were also improved, and new glass and plant boxes were added. The area outside the building was repaved with cobblestone, and new plants and public seating were put in. The building's underground car park was also connected to Central Park's car park.
Even after the 1992 updates, by 2000, people felt the building needed more work. In 2003, when the building was "almost empty," a huge renovation project began. This cost A$34 million and was the biggest office tower upgrade in Perth's history!
The work started in April 2003. Most of the changes were inside the building. Office floors were refreshed, and important systems like air conditioning and lifts were replaced with new, energy-efficient ones. The outside of the building mostly stayed the same, except for a new "two-story high, 15-meter long bronzed-glass canopy" at the ground level. This canopy has small white dots that provide shade during the day. At night, lights make it look like a white ceiling. This new entrance made the tower look more welcoming. New meeting rooms were also added.
The 2003 renovation was designed by architects Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland, and Multiplex won the contract to do the work. The project finished on time and within budget in 2005. The renovation was a big success! Before the work, the building was nearly empty, but by 2006, it was almost completely full. The updates also helped the tower get a high "Australian Building Greenhouse Rating" because of its new, energy-saving features.
Building's Design
140 St Georges Terrace has a special design called a "service core." This means the main concrete core in the middle holds all the lifts and two stairwells. The outside edges of the square-shaped tower have strong columns that support the building. This design allows the office floors to be mostly open, without many columns getting in the way.
The building has one service lift and twelve passenger lifts. Six lifts go to the lower floors (1-14), and six go to the higher floors (15-28). You can see where the low-rise and high-rise sections are from the outside of the building. They are separated by a special floor for machines and equipment.
The bottom of the tower is about 15 meters (49 feet) above sea level. The roof of the building reaches 131 meters (430 feet) above the street. The building has 28 office levels, plus the ground floor, basement levels, and machine rooms. The 29th (top) floor used to be an observation deck, but it closed after taller buildings like BankWest Tower and Central Park were built nearby.
Each floor in the tower is about 3.66 meters (144 inches) high, and the ceilings are about 2.74 meters (108 inches) high. The building has 29,800 square meters (320,760 square feet) of space that can be rented out. It also has an underground car park with 260 parking spots.
