Canning City Council Administration Centre

Child Places

• 00431 Canning Town Hall

Statement of Significance

The Canning City Council Administration Centre, a two storey building, which contains both civic and administration functions has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the place is valued by the local community as the seat of local government responsible for administration of local affairs since 1971;
the buildings and the site are an example of Twenty-first Century planning and architecture in Perth and the integration between the buildings and the landscape design of high quality; and
the evolution of the site since its original acquisition illustrate the development of key civic facilities as the population grows and the needs of the community change.

The buildings and the site are significant as an example of 1970s modem planning
and architecture in Perth and the integration between the buildings and the landscape design of the site is of particular significance. Together the buildings and site provide a significant example of the influence of the Modern Movement on architecture in Western Australia.

Physical Description

The subject place forms part of a Civic Centre precinct containing the historic former Town Hall, lakes and parklands surrounding the Administration building. North of the building the landscape interprets the former Wilson and John Nursery, which was once located on the site, in the rows of plantings. To the rear of the building the landscape is less formal with child play areas, barbecue facilities and an amphitheatre bowl to stage civic concerts and events.
The main entrance for the building is from the north, however the foyer is double fronted to address the ponds and landscaped areas to the south. The building is largely horizontal in nature with the Administration located within the single storey component and the Civic areas in a two-storey component. However, the administration area has a double height entrance foyer. This foyer is protected by a large over-sailing canopy to the north.
The windows at the upper floor level are screened by a combination of perforated screens and verandah roofs.

History

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
During the 1950s and 60s expansion of the Canning district led to the need for increased accommodation for the administration of the Shire, which had been contained within the Town Hall, located at 1309 Albany Highway, Cannington.
In 1963 the Council purchased 17.75 acres of land adjoining the Town Hall for the purpose of constructing a new Administration Centre. The land formed part of the Wilson and John's nursery and contained an old homestead known as 'Kaliamba'.
The design of the proposed Administration Centre was the subject of an architectural competition based on construction of the centre in two stages with the council chamber, committee rooms and administration offices forming stage one, followed by the construction of a town hall, lesser hall, welfare centre and clinic in stage two. The winning design was submitted by architects Hobbs, Winning and Leighton and the assessment report on the design noted the appropriateness of the planning of the buildings to meet the needs of both Council and the administrative staff and the potential for attractive landscaping of the site despite its lack of natural features. The landscaping of the site included the creation of several artificial lakes, designed by Jean Verschuer who was prominent in the field of landscape design in Perth at the period.
The Administration Centre was opened on 2nd May 1971 by the Hon. R.H.C. Stubbs M.L.C Minister for Local Government. The second stage of the complex was never completed however an entry foyer was added in 1987.

The design of the Council buildings consisted of a series of tiled pavilions grouped together with internal courtyards and set in an open landscaped area. Administrative departments were grouped together around a public foyer and Council rooms were grouped around a reception hall. Both the planning of the complex and the design of the buildings were typical examples of architecture of the 1960s and 70s and showed influence of the Modern Movement in the horizontal emphasis of the buildings expressed in the columns and facias which dominated the facades of the administrative buildings and the public entrance.

At the turn of the Twenty-first Century it became apparent that the City had outgrown the 1971 Hobbs, Winning and Leighton building and sought to construct a larger, energy efficient building with capacity to expand. The new facility is located just north of the earlier building (now demolished) and forms part of a Civic Centre precinct containing the historic former Town Hall and lakes and parklands surrounding the new building
Opened in 2006, and designed by Jones Coulter Young (JCY) Architects who also did the masterplanning, contract documentation, contract administration and interior design. The new building cost $12.3 million dollars and won the RAIA Award for Public Architecture (WA) in 2007 and a Mondo Luce Lighting Award in the same year. JCY describe the building as ‘contemporary, elegant and is embued with a Civic presence that is neither extravagant nor ostentatious.’
A significant number of workstations, partitions and chairs from the original building were recycled into the new building..

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good: well maintained

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.