Albany Fire Station & Fire Officer's House

Statement of Significance

Albany Fire Station & Fire Officer’s House, comprising the single-storey Original Fire Station (1938) and Fire Officer’s House (1938) both constructed in the Inter-War Functionalist style with rendered brick walls and hipped Marseilles tiled roofs, and the 1971 & 2005-06 extensions to the Fire Station in the same style, has cultural significance for the following reasons:
The place is a well-designed and fine representative example of a pair of Inter-War Functionalist style utilitarian buildings, which demonstrate the principle characteristics of the style, including asymmetrical massing, parallel line motifs and rounded corners, applied in a simple domestic scale.
The place was built following the State’s recovery from the Depression, as part of an intense building campaign undertaken by the Western Australian Fire Brigade Board between 1934 and 1938.
The original Fire Station and Fire Officer’s House is an unusual variation of a standard fire station design, as it incorporates a double appliance bay, detached residence, and was distinctively executed in the Inter-War Functionalist style.
The original Fire Station and Fire Officer’s House was designed by architect K.C. Duncan, who, in 1932, developed a standardised plan for fire station building in Western Australia, and was responsible for the majority of fire stations built in the State from 1930 to 1960.
The Shed in the yard at the Fire Officer's House has little significance.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• Rendered external brick walls and hipped Marseilles tiled roofs
• Detached station building and residence
• Asymmetrical massing, parallel line motifs and rounded corners and including a curved parapetted entablature on the front verandah
• Internally there are timber floors and walls are plastered brick. Ceilings are high and are constructed of plaster, as are the cornices. Joinery is varnished jarrah, double hung timber sash windows. Some of the original brass door hardware has been retained.

Some modifications of this place include:
• Additions are mostly sympathetic

History

Albany's first fire brigade was established in 1909 and operated from a building next door to the Town Hall on York Street. The brigade continued to operate from this building until 1938 when a purpose-built fire station building, and officer's residence was constructed in Collie Street (formerly Council Street).

Albany Fire Station & Fire Officer’s House was built in the period following the State’s recovery from the Depression. It was part of an intense building campaign undertaken by the Western Australian Fire Brigade Board between 1934 and 1938, which resulted in 18 new fire stations being constructed across the State. It was designed by architect K.C. Duncan (who was also a volunteer fire fighter), who, in 1932, developed a standardised plan for fire station building in Western Australia, and was responsible for the design of the majority of fire stations built in the State between 1930 and 1960. However, due to the shape of the Albany site, the Fire Officer's House was designed as a detached residence fronting Vancouver Street while the Fire Station, with office and accommodation, fronted Collie Street. This was an unusual deviation from the standard, as normally the fire station and residence were not detached from one another. The two buildings were designed in the fashionable Inter-War Functionalist style.

The main fire station building was enlarged in 1971 and again in 2005-06.

The station was built on the site of the Albany Mechanic’s Institute which was demolished to make way for the new station. As an acknowledgement of the site’s former use, the institute’s TOC H lamp was installed on the front (east) facade of the Fire Station building with a plaque. This was removed c2018 when the Fire Station was listed for disposal by the Government after the building of the new fire station on North Road Yakamia.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity:

Condition

Fair

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.