QUESTION
Assessment Task 2
Assessment Task 2: Illustrated Building Analysis Report
Assessment Weight: 20% of semester mark
Word Limit: 1,000 word report
Due Date: Thursday 12 April, 11.00am
Citations:
Assignment MUST include a full bibliography of all references used in your
research.
All quotes and sections paraphrased from another source MUST be
acknowledged using footnotes. This means that you are NOT to use the Harvard
system (in‐text citation) and you MUST include exact page numbers in your
footnotes (page numbers citing sections or chapters of a book are NOT
sufficient). Footnotes are numbered consecutively and referred to in the body of
the text by a superscript number. Word does this automatically for you if you use
References/Insert Footnote.
Description of Assessment Task:
1. You are asked to visit a building of historical importance in Melbourne
from a list of available choices.
Building chosen:
Flinders Street Station, corner Flinders Street and Swanston
Street, Melbourne.
2. Write a concise 1,000‐word report on the building, analyzing it in terms
of its context, function, form, planning, style and construction. You
will need to do historical research to explain its physical, social,
political and historical context.
3. Locate an historical image of the building to include in your report (you
may include a maximum of one exterior and one interior image).
4. Reflect upon the use of architectural styles in your analysis and the
representational significance of their use.
5. Consider whether the building belongs to a broader typology and
comment on that typology in the Melbourne context.
6. Use your own sketches to illustrate the building, providing at least a
view of the main elevation and several detailed sketches of specific
architectural elements of interest.
Aim of Assessment Task:
The purpose of this assignment is to develop:
• Your analytical and observational skills;
• Your research skills in finding historical sources, including images;
• Your writing skills in analyzing your building;
• Your knowledge of architectural terminology;
• Your presentation skills.
Research Questions
Some of the key questions you will ask in researching your building include:
• When was it built?
• Who was/were the architect/s and contractors (if known)?
• Who commissioned it?
• What was its original function?
• Has its use changed over time, and if so, how?
Make note of any references relating to sources of design, materials and
construction that might be mentioned in the history of the building.
Some useful sources:
1. http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/
2. Arts Victoria’s Picture Victoria at: http://www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au/
3. The National Library of Australia’s Picture Australia at:
http://www.pictureaustralia.org/
4. The National Trust of Victoria Register at:
http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/search/nt_search
5. The Victorian Heritage Register at: http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/
You may also find information via searching Discovery.
These are suggested sites for references but you would definitely need more
references than this.
Assessment Criteria:
1. Demonstrates accurate historical research and is illustrated by an
historical image (maximum use of historical images is one each of the
exterior and interior);
2. Analyses the building, clearly, thoroughly, and concisely in no more than
1,000 words utilizing appropriate architectural terminology;
3. Displays sound presentation skills including the author’s own sketches;
4. Conforms to submission and formatting requirements.
Building chosen:
Flinders Street Station, corner Flinders Street and Swanston Street,
Melbourne.
Advice from tutor:
• Use more than 8 references for your report.
• Key questions:
• What type of building is it? (what is its function/use?)
• What adjectives would you use to describe the overall impression of
the building upon you, i.e. grand, welcoming, spiritual etc.?
• Where does it stand in relation to its context? (these can be interior
spaces, other buildings or urban elements such as streets, squares,
parks etc.)
• What are its formal characteristics?
i.e. How large is it?
How is it assembled or composed?
How does the eye travel across and around it?
How do the elements relate?
Do they form a coherent whole?
• Can you identify any particular architectural style or styles being
used?
• Can you recognize and name any specific architectural elements
introduced in lectures, tutorials and site visits? E.g. Doric column,
pediment, podium etc.?
• Of what materials are the different building elements made?
• What is the plan of the building? How is the interior space organized?
• What architectural elements contribute most towards the overall
impression conveyed by the building?
• What ideas/ideals do you think the architect wanted the building to
represent?
• How does the building express the socio‐political context of early
Melbourne?
SOLUTION
Flinders Street Station
The cultural icon to Melbourne, Flinders Street Station is considered as a symbol of Victoria’s capital in the past several years. It is a famed landmark in Melbourne. The station is often used in imagery representation of the city. Victorian Heritage Register also lists the station because of its cultural importance. The popular Melbournian parlance “I’ll meet you under the clocks” and “I’ll meet you on the steps” has originated because of the clocks at the main entrance. These clocks are indicator of the departure time of the trains running on different lines; and wide staircase underneath these clocks.
In 1882, to supplant the old ad-hoc construction, government took a decision to construct a new central passenger station. For this purpose a competition was organised in 1899 to get the best design for the station. 17 designers took part in this competition. Decisions regarding the location of the concourse, entrances, the track and platform layout, the type of platform roofing and even the room layout were already decided in advance. Thus competition was indispensable in order to get the most appropriate design for the building. Two railway employees, James Fawcett and H. P. C. Ashworth won the first prize which was the £500. The name of their design was Green Light and it was inspired by French Renaissance style. A large dome and a tall clock tower were the key attractions of the design. An impressively high three arched roof (running east-west) over the concourse survives was another unique thing in their design.
Ballarat builder Peter Rodger got the construction contract. The contract was of worth £93 478. The construction work of the station started in many tranches. In 1900, the rearrangement of the station was initiated. The final design of the station building was still under progress. In 1901, central pedestrian work was initiated. However the foundation of the building got completed in 1903, the construction of building started in 1905. Construction of dome started in 1906. Heavy and strong foundation was quite essential for the structure as the dome was extended over railway tracks.
Marvellous Melbourne, museum Victoria, <http://museumvictoria.com.au/marvellous/powered/flindersst.asp> [accessed 18 January 2004].
Only Melbourne, Flinders Street Railway Station, <http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=774> [accessed 18 January 2004].
Originally, it was decided to use stone to face the station, but due to the high cost factor the building was constructed using red brick. Cement was used to give details to the main building. Sides of station were constructed using Harcourt grey granite. The southern facade of the main building above ground level was constructed of lightweight timber frame clad with zinc sheets scored into large blocks, and painted red, giving the appearance of large bricks. The southern front gate of the main building was constructed using lightweight timber frame clad. Red colored painted zinc sheets were scored into these large blocks in order to make them look like large bricks.
April 1909 was decided as the tentative date for the completion of the station. In May 1908, it was realized that work was progressing at a slower pace and with this flow of progress it was quite difficult to complete the work on the decided date. Rodger’s lost the contract in August 1908. The project was then assigned to Way and Works Branch of the Victorian Railways and they completed the work by mid of 1909.
First three floors of the main building contain a large number of rooms. Most of the rooms are situated at the Flinders Street frontage. The rooms were meant mainly for the purpose of railways, but also as extra space for emergency. Adequate ticket windows were constructed at each entry. Other services like food and beverages, refreshments, bookings were also made available at the station. Victorian Railway Institute was constructed at the top most floor of the station. This space is now used as a ballroom. For past many years, these rooms are deserted and decaying. In 1930-40, a crèche with an open-air playground was introduced at the top floor near the dome. Since 1910, there is one hat store besides the main entrance at the basement level. Since 1933, this hat store in popularly known as ‘City Hatters’.
With an intention to show the departure time of trains some classifiable clocks were put under the classical dome in 1860. These clocks were manually operated. A railway officer had to operate it after every 8 hours with a long pole. During the redevelopment of the station, the original indicator clocks were replaced by digital clocks in 1983. However, the decision had to be reversed within one day as public did not like it. Their sentiments associated with the clocks led to an outrage among public. Finally, the ancient clocks were put back but instead of manual operations, clocks were altered to automatic computer operations. Since 1883, there existed one clock tower at the end of Elizabeth Street.
Filder Street Station, Public Transport Vctoria, < http://ptv.vic.gov.au/maps-stations-stops/flinders-street-station/> [accessed 18 January 2004].
Marc Fiddian, Flinders Street Station: Melbourne’s Taj Mahal, (Galaxy Print & Design, 2003), pp.10-17
Between 1960mto the 1970, the station was deserting and decaying. It was not cleaned for a decade. It was all covered with advertising hoarding and light up signs. Thus there were plans to demolish and redevelop the station during that time.
This heritage building has completed its 100 years and now is in a very decaying stage. It surely need government intervention to save this marvellous piece of construction. Finally in 2007, renovation of the station got completed. The final rounds of changes were completed by 2007. Under the restoration program, building ceiling and base were rebuilt, platform 10 has been upgraded with an escalator. All ticket booking offices has been developed again and new LCD Passenger Information Displays (PIDS) has been put. In addition, in March 2009 the lift to platform was replaced by an escalator to platform 12 and 13.
Over 1500 trains and 110000 commuters pass through this station every day. It is the busiest railway station in the southern hemisphere. Platform of the station is 708 meter long. There are only three other platforms of this length in the world.
Marvellous Melbourne, museum Victoria, <http://museumvictoria.com.au/marvellous/powered/flindersst.asp> [accessed 18 January 2004].
Only Melbourne, Flinders Street Railway Station, <http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=774> [accessed 18 January 2004].
Filder Street Station, Public Transport Vctoria, < http://ptv.vic.gov.au/maps-stations-stops/flinders-street-station/> [accessed 18 January 2004].
Marc Fiddian, Flinders Street Station: Melbourne’s Taj Mahal, (Galaxy Print & Design, 2003), pp.10-17
Bibliography
Marc Fiddian, Marc., Flinders Street Station: Melbourne’s Taj Mahal, (Galaxy Print & Design, 2003)
Miller, Vandome and John, Flinders Street Station (VDM Verlag Dr. Mueller e.K., 2010)
Marvellous Melbourne, museum Victoria, <http://museumvictoria.com.au/marvellous/powered/flindersst.asp> [accessed 18 January 2004].
Only Melbourne, Flinders Street Railway Station, <http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=774> [accessed 18 January 2004].
Filder Street Station, Public Transport Vctoria, < http://ptv.vic.gov.au/maps-stations-stops/flinders-street-station/> [accessed 18 January 2004].
JH34
But you can order it from our service and receive complete high-quality custom paper. Our service offers “Architecture” essay sample that was written by professional writer. If you like one, you have an opportunity to buy a similar paper. Any of the academic papers will be written from scratch, according to all customers’ specifications, expectations and highest standards.”
