Heritage significance and executive director recommendation to the
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESPONSE SUMMARY
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- CRITERION A
- CRITERION B
- CRITERION C
- CRITERION D
- Criterion E
- Criterion F
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESPONSE SUMMARYIt is the view of the Executive Director that this place should not be included in the Victorian Heritage Register for the reasons outlined in this report. RECOMMENDATION REASONSREASONS FOR NOT RECOMMENDING INCLUSION IN THE VICTORIAN HERITAGE REGISTER [s.34A(2)] Following is the Executive Director's assessment of the place against the tests set out in The Victorian Heritage Register Criteria and Thresholds Guidelines (2014). CRITERION AImportance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. STEP 1: A BASIC TEST FOR SATISFYING CRITERION A The place/object has a clear ASSOCIATION with an event, phase, period, process, function, movement, custom or way of life in Victoria’s cultural history.
The association of the place/object to the event, phase, etc IS EVIDENT in the physical fabric of the place/object and/or in documentary resources or oral history. Plus The EVENT, PHASE, etc is of HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE, having made a strong or influential contribution to Victoria. Executive Director’s Response The establishment, expansion and operation of telephone and internet networks is a process of historical importance and has made a strong and influential contribution to Victoria. The Collingwood Telephone Exchange is a place which has a clear association with this process. The association of the Collingwood Telephone Exchange to this process throughout the twentieth century is evident in the physical fabric of the Exchange buildings and equipment, and in documentary resources. Criterion A is likely to be satisfied. STEP 2: A BASIC TEST FOR DETERMINING STATE LEVEL SIGNIFICANCE FOR CRITERION A The place/object allows the clear association with the event, phase etc. of historical importance to be UNDERSTOOD BETTER THAN MOST OTHER PLACES OR OBJECTS IN VICTORIA WITH SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME ASSOCIATION.
Buildings which housed telephone exchanges and which were constructed and commissioned in each decade since the 1880s remain throughout Victoria. The Collingwood Telephone Exchange contains an illustrative combination of 1920s, pre- and post-WWII and 1970s architectural solutions to housing the functions of an inner suburban telephone exchange. However, the association of the process of the establishment, expansion and operation of telephone and internet networks with a particular place can be better understood at a large number of other local telephone exchange buildings throughout the State. These include the:
Malvern Automatic Telephone Exchange and Post Office; Windsor Post Office and Telephone Exchange building complex; and Hawthorn Post Office and telephone exchange building complex. See ‘Comparisons’ section. Criterion A is not likely to be satisfied at the State level. CRITERION BPossession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history. STEP 1: A BASIC TEST FOR SATISFYING CRITERION B The place/object has a clear ASSOCIATION with an event, phase, period, process, function, movement, custom or way of life of importance in Victoria’s cultural history.
The association of the place/object to the event, phase, etc IS EVIDENT in the physical fabric of the place/object and/or in documentary resources or oral history. Plus The place/object is RARE OR UNCOMMON, being one of a small number of places/objects remaining that demonstrates the important event, phase etc. OR The place/object is RARE OR UNCOMMON, containing unusual features of note that were not widely replicated OR The existence of the class of place/object that demonstrates the important event, phase etc is ENDANGERED to the point of rarity due to threats and pressures on such places/objects. Executive Director’s Response The Collingwood Telephone Exchange is an example of the ‘telephone exchange’ class of cultural place within the broad ‘public utility buildings’ place type. The Collingwood Telephone Exchange is one of at least 400 existing telephone exchanges in Victoria, and one of about 120 of those substantial ones which Telstra describes as ‘nodal point’ exchanges. The buildings which comprise the Collingwood Telephone Exchange are typical of telephone exchange buildings in Victoria across each of the periods in which they were constructed – and the features of the exchange at Collingwood appear in many other exchanges too. The Collingwood Telephone Exchange is not a rare, uncommon or endangered example of its class of place Criterion B is not likely to be satisfied. CRITERION CPotential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. STEP 1: A BASIC TEST FOR SATISFYING CRITERION C The:
visible physical fabric; &/or documentary evidence; &/or oral history, relating to the place/object indicates a likelihood that the place/object contains PHYSICAL EVIDENCE of historical interest that is NOT CURRENTLY VISIBLE OR UNDERSTOOD. Plus From what we know of the place/object, the physical evidence is likely to be of an INTEGRITY and/or CONDITION that it COULD YIELD INFORMATION through detailed investigation. Executive Director’s Response The Collingwood Telephone Exchange does not have the potential to yield information that is not currently visible or understood (such as archaeological information) that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. Criterion C is not likely to be satisfied.
STEP 1: A BASIC TEST FOR SATISFYING CRITERION D The place/object is one of a CLASS of places/objects that has a clear ASSOCIATION with an event, phase, period, process, function, movement, important person(s), custom or way of life in Victoria’s history.
The EVENT, PHASE, etc is of HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE, having made a strong or influential contribution to Victoria. Plus The principal characteristics of the class are EVIDENT in the physical fabric of the place/object. Executive Director’s Response The Collingwood Telephone Exchange is an example of the ‘telephone exchange’ class of cultural place within the broad ‘public utility buildings’ place type. It has a clear association with the historically important process of the establishment, expansion and operation of telephone and internet networks – a process which has made a strong and influential contribution to Victoria. The Collingwood Telephone Exchange buildings do exhibit characteristics that are typical of this class of place, including staff facilities, nodal and local phone switching equipment, underground cable chamber tunnels leading to an exchange distribution frame, a state mobile radio room, extensive air-conditioning equipment, banks of large lead-acid batteries, an automatic diesel generator, and fuel tanks. Criterion D is likely to be satisfied. STEP 2: A BASIC TEST FOR DETERMINING STATE LEVEL SIGNIFICANCE FOR CRITERION D The place/object is a NOTABLE EXAMPLE of the class in Victoria (refer to Reference Tool D). Executive Director’s Response The buildings at the Collingwood Telephone Exchange are in good to fair condition externally, and good condition internally. The 1922 building is largely intact and displays characteristics that are for the most part unchanged from the Collingwood Telephone Exchange’s initial period of development and use. However, a number of telephone exchanges across Victoria exhibit similar qualities, and the intactness, integrity and condition of many of those other exchanges surpass that of the Collingwood Telephone Exchange. Furthermore, the interiors of the original Collingwood Telephone Exchange building have been substantially altered since it was first commissioned, and none of its original telephone switching or other plant equipment remains. For these reasons, the Collingwood Telephone Exchange cannot be described as a notable example of this class in Victoria. It is not fine, highly intact, influential or pivotal. Criterion D is not likely to be satisfied at the State level. Criterion EImportance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics. STEP 1: A BASIC TEST FOR SATISFYING CRITERION E The PHYSICAL FABRIC of the place/object clearly exhibits particular aesthetic characteristics.
The physical fabric of the Collingwood Telephone Exchange buildings do clearly exhibit some particular aesthetic characteristics. The 1922 red-brick building and its later two-storey extension is an example of the Australian ‘Early Commonwealth Vernacular’ architectural style, characterised by structures with gabled, hipped or saw-toothed roofs twinned with domestic features (often with Arts and Crafts overtones). Also, the 1970s off-form concrete buildings display some Brutalist style characteristics. Criterion E is likely to be satisfied. STEP 2: A BASIC TEST FOR DETERMINING STATE LEVEL SIGNIFICANCE FOR CRITERION E The aesthetic characteristics are APPRECIATED OR VALUED by the wider community or an appropriately-related discipline as evidenced, for example, by:
critical recognition of the aesthetic characteristics of the place/object within a relevant art, design, architectural or related discipline as an outstanding example within Victoria; or wide public acknowledgement of exceptional merit in Victoria in medium such as songs, poetry, literature, painting, sculpture, publications, print media etc. Executive Director’s Response The Collingwood Telephone Exchange’s aesthetic characteristics have not received critical recognition within art, design, architectural or related discipline as an outstanding example within Victoria, or received wide public acknowledgement of exceptional merit in Victoria in medium such as songs, poetry, literature, painting, sculpture, publications, print media etc. Criterion E is not likely to be satisfied at the State level.
STEP 1: A BASIC TEST FOR SATISFYING CRITERION F The place/object contains PHYSICAL EVIDENCE that clearly demonstrates creative or technical ACHIEVEMENT for the time in which it was created.
The physical evidence demonstrates a HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY. Executive Director’s Response The Collingwood Telephone Exchange contains physical evidence – a 1922 building, constructed specifically to house Victoria’s fifth (Melbourne’s fourth) automatic telephone exchange – that is associated with technical achievement at the place for the time in which it was created. Although the Collingwood Telephone Exchange’s 1922 switching and other equipment is no longer used and has been removed from the site, the Exchange buildings themselves are substantially intact and do demonstrate a good degree of integrity. Criterion F is likely to be satisfied. STEP 2: A BASIC TEST FOR DETERMINING STATE LEVEL SIGNIFICANCE FOR CRITERION F The nature &/or scale of the achievement is OF A HIGH DEGREE or ‘beyond the ordinary’ for the period in which it was undertaken as evidenced by: critical acclaim of the place/object within the relevant creative or technological discipline as an outstanding example in Victoria; or wide acknowledgement of exceptional merit in Victoria in medium such as publications and print media; or recognition of the place/object as a breakthrough in terms of design, fabrication or construction techniques; or recognition of the place/object as a successful solution to a technical problem that extended the limits of existing technology; or recognition of the place/object as an outstanding example of the creative adaptation of available materials and technology of the period. Executive Director’s Response The nature and scale of the technical achievement at the Collingwood Telephone Exchange is not of a high degree or beyond the ordinary for the period in which it was undertaken. It is a common telephone exchange building, standard for 1922, and all of the 1922 equipment has been removed. Criterion F is not likely to be satisfied at the State level.
STEP 1: A BASIC TEST FOR SATISFYING CRITERION G Evidence exists of a DIRECT ASSOCIATION between the place/object and a PARTICULAR COMMUNITY OR CULTURAL GROUP. (For the purpose of these guidelines, ‘COMMUNITY or CULTURAL GROUP’ is defined as a sizable group of persons who share a common and long-standing interest or identity). Plus The association between the place/object and the community or cultural group is STRONG OR SPECIAL, as evidenced by the regular or long-term use of/engagement with the place/object or the enduring ceremonial, ritual, commemorative, spiritual or celebratory use of the place/object. Executive Director’s Response The Collingwood Telephone Exchange does not have a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group. Criterion G is not likely to be satisfied.
STEP 1: A BASIC TEST FOR SATISFYING CRITERION H The place/object has a DIRECT ASSOCIATION with a person or group of persons who have made a strong or influential CONTRIBUTION to the course of Victoria’s history.
The association of the place/object to the person(s) IS EVIDENT in the physical fabric of the place/object and/or in documentary resources and/or oral history. Plus The ASSOCIATION: directly relates to ACHIEVEMENTS of the person(s) at, or relating to, the place/object; or relates to an enduring and/or close INTERACTION between the person(s) and the place/object. Executive Director’s Response The 1922 red-brick Collingwood Telephone Exchange building was designed by an unknown architect within the Commonwealth Government Department of Works & Railways. It is possible that it was designed by John Smith Murdoch (1862-1945) but Heritage Victoria has not been able to find any evidence that confirms him as its designer. Murdoch was Australia’s first Commonwealth Architect (and later Chief Architect and Director-General of Works) and provided the design inspiration and leadership in this Department until 1929. By the end of his career Murdoch had been responsible for designing buildings of ‘very many hundreds of every kind, and in value from a quarter of a million pounds downwards’. If direct evidence of Murdoch’s association with the Collingwood Telephone Exchange was to be found, it is also extremely unlikely to show that his interaction with this place was enduring or close. Criterion H is not likely to be satisfied. Directory: data -> assets -> word doc word doc -> Northern territory of australia word doc -> Number: caveat in the [Will/Will and Codicil/Estate of] word doc -> List of accessible executive records word doc -> National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme word doc -> This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth word doc -> Commonwealth of Australia 2002 word doc -> Commonwealth of Australia 2000 word doc -> Priority Existing Chemical word doc -> Rail safety news issue 6 – October 2011 word doc -> Review of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Identifying Download 1.18 Mb. Share with your friends:
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