Liner House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Liner House |
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Liner House, pictured centre in 2019, through roadworks
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| Location | 13-15 Bridge Street, Sydney central business district, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1959–1960 |
| Built for | Wilh. Wilhelmsen Agency Pty. Ltd. |
| Architect | Bunning and Madden |
| Architectural style(s) | International |
| Official name: Liner House; Moran Art Gallery | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 589 |
| Type | Commercial Office/Building |
| Category | Commercial |
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Liner House is a special office building in Sydney's city centre. It's located at 13-15 Bridge Street. This building was designed by Bunning and Madden and built between 1959 and 1960. It's also known as Moran House and today it has a restaurant and the Moran Arts Foundation on its lower floors. Liner House is considered so important that it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. It even won a big award, the Sir John Sulman Medal, in 1961 for its excellent design.
Contents
A Look Back at Liner House's History
Early Days of the Land
The land where Liner House stands today has a long history. It was once part of the Government Lumber Yard, set up in the early days of Sydney. This yard was used to store timber. In 1832, the yard closed, and the land was divided into smaller pieces and sold. This also helped make Bridge Street wider.
The land changed hands many times in the early 1800s. It was bought and sold by different people like Joseph Barrow Montefiore and Samuel Lyons. Eventually, John Terry Hughes owned it. He built a group of four single-storey brick shops there, which were known as "Pauls Row."
Changing Owners and Buildings
Over the years, the property kept changing owners. In the 1840s, it was owned by Thomas Moore, and after he passed away, it was given to the Church of England. The church owned the land for a long time, and it's thought that a new one-storey building was put up in the mid-1850s.
Around 1878, two more floors were added to the building. By the early 1900s, different businesses rented spaces there, including Tylor & Sons, who were sanitary engineers, and Smith and Lane, who were printers.
In 1938, the property was bought by Burns Philp Trust Ltd. The businesses renting there changed again. During the 1940s, one part was a cafe called Leyton Lantern Cafe, and another was used by auctioneers.
Qantas and Wilh. Wilhelmsen
In 1945, Qantas Empire Airways Ltd. bought the property. They turned the buildings into the Qantas Cargo Terminal, where they handled goods being shipped by air. This continued until 1957.
Then, in early 1958, Wilh. Wilhelmsen Agency Pty. Ltd. bought the property. Wilhelmsen was a very large shipping company from Norway. They decided to build a brand new office for their agency.
Building the Modern Liner House
The old 19th-century building was taken down in mid-1959. The new Liner House was designed by the famous architects Bunning and Madden. Construction began in late 1959 and took about 49 weeks to complete.
The Wilhelmsen Agency had been in Australia since 1918, helping manage shipping for the Wilhelmsen Line. They had several offices in Sydney before moving into the first three floors of the new Liner House in 1960. At that time, the Wilhelmsen Line was Norway's biggest shipping company.
The architects designed Liner House to fit well with the other buildings on Bridge Street. They didn't try to make it as tall as possible to earn the most money. Instead, their goal was to create a high-quality building for Wilhelmsen's own use. In 1961, this thoughtful design earned the building the Sir John Sulman Medal. The judges praised its "honest design" and "good manners" towards its neighbours, showing a strong sense of community.
Protecting a Special Building
In the 1980s, there were some discussions about changes to Liner House. The Heritage Council of NSW stepped in to protect its special features, like a unique mural screen by artist Douglas Annand. There were some disagreements about alterations, but in the end, the building's important design elements were kept safe. In 1988, Liner House became the first modern building in New South Wales to receive a Permanent Conservation Order, meaning it would be protected for its historical and architectural value.
What Makes Liner House Special?
Liner House is a great example of the "International style" of architecture, which was popular in the late 1950s. It's known for its clean lines, open spaces, and use of modern materials.
Building Structure and Design
The building has a basement for parking, a ground floor, a mezzanine, and four upper floors for offices. There are also two more floors at the top for the air conditioning systems and other services.
The building has a strong steel frame. Its floors are made of reinforced concrete. A special feature is its "curtain wall" on the outside. This is a wall that doesn't support the building's weight but keeps the weather out. It's made of anodised aluminium and navy blue glass panels. Most of the windows are fixed, but one on each floor can slide open for cleaning.
The architects made sure Liner House looked good next to its older neighbours. They used stone on the side walls and ground floor to match the nearby buildings, which were mostly made of stone. The building also has deep sun hoods to protect the north-facing windows from the summer sun, which helped reduce the need for air conditioning.
Inside, the building had advanced features for its time. It had four separate air conditioning systems for different parts of the building. Offices had special floor boxes for power and phone lines. The lighting was modern, with fluorescent lights in offices and special fixtures in the entrance. It also had a fast, automatic lift and a system for sending messages between departments.
Inside Liner House
The inside of Liner House was designed with high-quality materials. Most office ceilings had special metal panels to help with sound and allow for flexible lighting. Floors were covered with vinyl or linoleum tiles. However, the main shipping area on the ground floor had a checkerboard pattern of terrazzo (a type of polished concrete). The Directors' Suite and Board Room had beautiful Tasmanian Oak wood floors.
The walls were mostly painted, but the ground and mezzanine floors featured elegant Thailand teak wood panelling. The Directors' Suite and Board Room had English Beech wood panelling.
Two very important features inside are the Douglas Annand mural screen and the spiral staircase.
- The mural screen was designed by artist Douglas Annand. It's a huge piece, about 32 feet (9.8 metres) wide and 11 feet (3.4 metres) high. It's made from 160 different shapes of brass, copper, aluminium, and stainless steel, with various textures and patterns. It forms a side wall to what used to be the Passage Department on the mezzanine floor.
- The spiral staircase is also a striking design. It turns a full 360 degrees as it goes up about 12.5 feet (3.8 metres). It's made of steel steps filled with terrazzo.
Changes Over Time
Since it was built, Liner House has had some internal changes. These mostly involved adding or changing office partitions on different floors in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. For example, the caretaker's flat on the fourth floor was converted into office space in 1984.
Why Liner House is a Heritage Site
Liner House is important for several reasons:
- It shows the history of Bridge Street as a centre for shipping companies.
- It's a great example of the "International style" of architecture from the late 1950s, a time when many new commercial buildings were being built in Sydney.
- It was designed by Bunning and Madden, a well-known architectural firm after World War II.
- The building's design, materials, and features like the curtain wall, circular staircase, and the Douglas Annand screen show high artistic and technical skill. The Society of Sculptors even called the Annand screen "a considerable artistic advance."
- It has been recognized for its beauty and historical value, winning the Sulman Medal and being protected by heritage laws.
- It helps us understand the early European settlement of Australia because of the land's long history.
- Liner House is the only existing building in the Sydney city centre designed by Bunning and Madden in the International style, making it quite rare.
