Walter Burley Griffin Incinerator, Willoughby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Walter Burley Griffin Incinerator |
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Walter Burley Griffin incinerator, Willoughby, pictured in January 2018
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| Location | 2 Small Street, Willoughby, City of Willoughby, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1933–1934 |
| Architect |
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| Owner | Willoughby City Council |
| Official name: Walter Burley Griffin Incinerator; Willoughby Municipal Incinerator | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 84 |
| Type | Incinerator |
| Category | Utilities – Waste |
| Builders |
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The Walter Burley Griffin Incinerator is a special building in Willoughby, Sydney, Australia. It used to be a place where they burned garbage. Today, it's a cool spot with an art gallery, studios for artists, and a public park.
This unique building was designed by two architects, Walter Burley Griffin and Eric Nicholls. It was built between 1933 and 1934. It's also known as the Willoughby Municipal Incinerator. The local council, Willoughby City Council, owns it. Because of its history and design, it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999.
Contents
History of the Incinerator
Walter Burley Griffin: The Architect
Walter Burley Griffin was born in the USA in 1876. He studied architecture and worked with famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1906, Griffin started his own architecture business. He became known for his "Prairie School" style, which focused on buildings that blended with the flat, open landscapes of the American Midwest.
Griffin was also very interested in landscape design, which is about planning outdoor spaces. He believed buildings should fit naturally into their surroundings. He moved to Australia in 1914 after winning a competition to design Canberra, Australia's capital city. He worked on this big project with his wife, Marion Mahony Griffin, who was also an architect.
After his work on Canberra, Griffin moved to Castlecrag in Sydney. He spent many years developing this area. He designed houses that were small and simple, using local plants and materials. He even created a special building system called "Knitlock" using pre-cast tiles.
In the early 1930s, Griffin designed several incinerators (garbage burning buildings) across Australia. These buildings were a chance for him to try out new shapes and textures in his designs. Sadly, not many of these incinerators are still standing. Two of his incinerators remain in Sydney: the Glebe Municipal Incinerator and the Willoughby Incinerator.
Griffin's designs were special. He was known for:
- Using vertical space, which led to the popular split-level house designs later on.
- Open living areas with a large central fireplace.
- Using reinforced concrete in homes.
He was also famous for his town planning, like in Canberra and Castlecrag. He believed buildings should grow out of their environment.
The Willoughby Incinerator's Story
After a serious health issue in Sydney in 1901, local councils started taking care of garbage collection. By the late 1920s and early 1930s, they began building efficient incinerators. The Willoughby Incinerator was one of these solutions.
The Walter Burley Griffin Incinerator in Willoughby was built from 1933 to 1934. It started working on May 7, 1934, and was officially opened in September that year. It was one of many incinerators that used a special Australian invention called the Reverberatory Refuse Incinerator system. This system was very efficient because it preheated and dried the garbage before burning it.
The building's design was perfect for its job. It was built on a slope because the garbage needed to move downwards by gravity from storage areas to the burning chamber. This "top gravity feed" system meant trucks needed access at different levels. Griffin was very good at designing buildings that fit into sloped land.
The 1930s were a tough time due to an economic downturn. Willoughby Council didn't have enough money to keep the incinerator running or to build a second furnace. By the late 1940s, they went back to dumping garbage in open areas. The incinerator stopped being used in the 1960s and was closed.
In the late 1960s, people started caring more about the environment. Community groups fought to save the incinerator building from being torn down. In 1982, it was turned into a restaurant. The restaurant did well for a few years but closed in 1988.
Later, the building was used as office space. In 1996, a fire damaged the incinerator. But by 1997, it was restored for office use again. In 1999, it was officially listed on the NSW State Heritage Register, recognizing its importance.
After more work and approvals in 2008, the building was restored to be a community hall, artist studio, and cafe. On May 21, 2011, it reopened to the public. It now has an art gallery on the lower level, artist studios in the middle, and a cafe at street level, which opened in 2014. The chimney, which was damaged, was also put back, showing hope for the building's future.
What the Incinerator Looks Like
The incinerator is made of local sandstone and has painted stucco (a type of plaster) at the top. It features Griffin's cool geometric designs. The building seems to "cascade" or step down the hillside, looking very dynamic.
It's built with concrete, steel, and brick. It has four levels with different roof shapes and a tall, many-sided chimney. The stepped parts are covered with sandstone and decorative concrete panels. These panels have pyramid-like designs, showing that Griffin was inspired by ancient Mayan art.
The building sits high on the edge of a park, next to a road. It has tall sandstone retaining walls. Because the incinerator needed trucks to access both the top and bottom levels, Griffin used the sloping ground perfectly to make the building fit its purpose.
The incinerator has three levels that step down the hill. Its outside walls are made of rough sandstone blocks and decorative concrete, often using Griffin's favorite triangular pattern. Most windows are timber-framed. The roof is made of steel and covered with green concrete tiles.
When the fire happened in 1996, the inside and the roof were badly damaged. However, the strong sandstone and concrete walls stayed mostly intact. The fire mainly affected the top floor, but the lower floors had a lot of water damage.
The whole building is topped by a noticeable chimney, which also has the triangular cement design. Inside, the building now looks like a modern office, but it's built within the original incinerator structure.
Condition and Changes
The building is in excellent condition today. Over the years, it has gone through several changes:
- 1933-1934: Built as an incinerator.
- 1960s: Closed down.
- 1982: Changed into a restaurant.
- 1989: Converted into office space.
- 1996: Damaged by fire.
- 1997: Restored for office use.
- 2011: Reopened as an art gallery, artist studios, and a cafe after major restoration work. The chimney was also put back.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The Willoughby Incinerator is very important and is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. Here's why:
- Historical Importance: It shows how local governments in Australia started using new technology in the 1930s to get rid of garbage efficiently.
- Design and Beauty: It's one of the best examples of Walter Burley Griffin's work. He used decorative designs with concrete and rough stone. It's a beautiful building that clearly shows how it worked with its multi-level design on a hillside. It sits above a park that used to be a garbage dump!
- Community Connection: People who are interested in Walter Burley Griffin's work really value this building. It's also a big visual landmark for people who use the park below. Many people who have worked in the building, especially since it became offices, also like it a lot.
- Scientific and Technical Value: The building's design perfectly matched the needs of the original garbage burning process. Some parts of the old industrial equipment are still there, and there are good records of how the original technology worked.
- Rarity: This incinerator is rare in Sydney's urban development.
- Best Example: It's considered the highest quality surviving example of Griffin's incinerators in New South Wales.
See also
