Trust Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trust Building |
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The Trust building pictured in 2013
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| Location | 72-72a Castlereagh Street, Sydney central business district, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1914–1916 |
| Architect | Robertson & Marks |
| Architectural style(s) | Interwar Commercial Palazzo |
| Official name: Trust Building | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 676 |
| Type | Historic site |
| Builders | Stuart Brothers |
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The Trust Building is a historic office building in Sydney, Australia. It's located on Castlereagh Street in the city center. This amazing building was designed by Robertson & Marks. It was built between 1914 and 1916 by Stuart Brothers. Today, it's recognized as an important heritage site. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999.
Contents
Building History
Home of a Newspaper
The Trust Building was built between 1914 and 1916. Its first purpose was to be the main office for The Daily Telegraph. This was a very popular newspaper at the time. The building was designed by the famous architects Robertson and Marks. They used a style called "Interwar Commercial Palazzo." Stuart Brothers were the builders.
The newspaper's president, J. Randall Carey, laid the first stone in February 1914. The Daily Telegraph started working from the building in 1916. The first other businesses moved into the upper floors in 1917.
The building was designed to handle everything a newspaper needed. Huge printing machines were in the basement. You could even see them working from the street through small windows! The main entrance was at the corner. It opened into a big hall where people could place advertisements.
From Newspaper to Hotel
The Daily Telegraph stayed in the Trust Building until 1929. The newspaper then moved after it was sold to another company. After the newspaper left, many different businesses rented offices. These included architects, dentists, and lawyers. A famous businessman named Sir Rupert Clarke even rented the 7th floor.
In 1929, a group of Sydney investors bought the building. They decided to turn it into a hotel called the Hotel Savoy. The building was updated for its new purpose. The lowest floor became a two-level bar. The ground floor was turned into a large lounge area. The upper floors were divided into smaller rooms, and bathrooms were added. Each floor also got its own lounge room. The original corner entrance was removed, and a new entrance was built on the side street.
The Trust Building Today
Sadly, the Hotel Savoy closed just three years later. This was during the Great Depression, a time when many businesses struggled. The building was then sold again. It became the office for an insurance company called Southern British National Trust.
The building was updated once more by architect Samuel Lipson. New entrances were added on both King and Castlereagh Streets. The lower floors were decorated with polished stone. The new inside look was in the "Art Deco" style. Other new parts included a conference room and a banking area. All this work was finished by 1934. That's when the building officially got its name: the Trust Building. In 1936, the Bank of New South Wales bought the building. This bank later became Westpac.
The original architects, Robertson and Marks, worked on the building again. They added shops on the lower ground floor. One of these, Cornelius Furs, was still there in 1989. Over the years, small repairs and changes have continued. Today, many lawyers and jewelers still have offices on the top floors.
What the Building Looks Like
The Trust Building is located at 155 King Street, right on the corner of Castlereagh Street in Sydney. It's a tall building with twelve stories above ground. It also has three basement levels below. The building is made with a strong concrete and steel frame. Its outside walls are made of stone. The roof is a steel mansard roof, which means it has a special sloped shape. It was originally covered in slate.
The lower parts of the building were first made of rough stone. The upper floors used smooth sandstone. Inside, the building had a mix of marble, tiles, and fancy plasterwork. Many parts of the inside, like the Art Deco banking hall, the two main entrances, hallways, and elevator areas, are still much like they were originally.
Why the Trust Building is Important
The Trust Building is very important to the history of New South Wales. It's considered one of the biggest buildings built in Sydney before World War I. It's also a fantastic example of the "Interwar Commercial Palazzo" architectural style. The outside of the building shows what the first tall skyscrapers in Sydney looked like. It's also rare because it's one of the few commercial buildings from the Edwardian period that still stands in Sydney.
The Trust Building is also important because it was once the home of The Daily Telegraph. This newspaper had the most readers in Sydney at the time. This building is one of only four newspaper offices from 1900 to 1930 that are still around today.
The Trust Building was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. It met several important requirements:
- It has a strong link to important people or groups in New South Wales history.
* It was the main office for The Daily Telegraph, Sydney's most popular newspaper. * It was also the Sydney office for Sir Rupert Clarke, a leading businessman.
- It shows great design or technical skill in New South Wales.
* It's a top example of Sydney's first tall skyscrapers.
- It is a rare or special part of New South Wales history.
* It's one of the few commercial buildings from the Edwardian period that still exists.
