Henty House - Where Architecture meets Art

Henty House in Launceston is one of my favourite Modernist buildings in Tasmania. I enjoy its style and the photographic opportunities that it provides are countless. I find it such a photogenic building, its more akin to a piece of sculptural artwork. The textures, shapes and patterns from the concrete wood grain textures and how the light contrasts against shadow areas are a real joy and inspiration to capture on my camera. Over my 7 week road trip around Tasmania recently I focused on capturing new photos of Henty House. These are just some of the many details I captured of the sculptural beauty that is Henty House. Check out the new gallery on the website here for the entire ongoing project.

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Tasmanian Modernism - New website photos & 1000 followers

With the situation we all face with lock-down comes time to work on my photography and updating my website. I have spent a good deal of time working on the Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism project. The Tasmanian Modernism Facebook group has been growing with participation from members sharing photos and thoughts. View the website and new photographs here

I’ve updated the Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism project with a new layout and the addition of new photographs

The Instagram page has just hit 1000 followers! Thank you so much for all of your support. It means a lot and helps me know people are interested in this important part of our heritage. I’ve provided a new layout for the project and added additional galleries such as the Brutalist Henty House Government offices and The former Woolsheds and Silos Launceston. I’ve added new photographs to the galleries too. I want to be able to share the “hero” photographs in the galleries, whilst at the same time not overpopulating each gallery to the point where things become a visual mess.

Henty House Government Offices - Launceston

I'm in a positive dilemma as I have over 10 years of photographs, literally thousands of photos in my archive. Working out what to share and leave out is a real challenge. For many photos that don’t feature in the galleries I will be sharing them on the blog. It’s been fulfilling process editing and remastering my photographs, especially in these strange times we find ourselves in. Spending 7 weeks at the start of 2020 making photos for this project is all the more special now considering the circumstances we are in now - it means I have plenty of photo editing to keep me busy. Check out the “new” and improved website here and let me know what you think and any suggestions you may have.

Follow the project on Facebook and Instagram

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Launceston Library & Civic Square

I continue to work on editing my photographs for the Tasmanian Modernism project, and now that we are in lock-down it’s been a very productive time in which to dedicate time to it. I notice my last post was back in February - I want to create more posts about Tasmania’s wonderful architecture from the Modernist period, I’ve been trying to find the balance between writing posts that provide not just great photographs but tell some stories behind the history of the subject and perhaps some about my process of making the photographs too. Finding a balance between research and posting blogs is something I need to find a middle ground for otherwise there would only end up a few posts a year!

Launceston Library and Civic Square in their original condition prior to redevelopment

So to make mends to a lack of posts for 3 months here is an edit of the Launceston Library. Designed in the late 1960s it replaced the older Victorian Mechanics Institute. The library has many wonderful period details, the most apparent on the facade being the red bricks which curve. I captured many photographs over the years of the library and the Civic Square precinct in which the library stands. Since this photograph both the library and Civic Square have been altered and redeveloped. I documented these spaces throughout so that there is record for posterity. I also photographed the interior spaces of the library, whilst many of the lower floors had been altered in later years, many of the upper floors retained original period details of which I captured before redevelopment. I love looking back on my photographs and seeing places in a period of time. If you were to stand here today this scene looks quite different. The power and joy of photography for me is to be able to reflect of a given point in time, its there forever - in the form of the photograph In future posts I want to share with you the spaces and buildings that make up Civic Square - a wonderful precinct for Modernism.

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Abandoned Devonport Maternity Hospital

It has been a real joy working through my archives and remastering old photographs for the Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism project This photograph is just about 10 years old to the day! Being able to edit the photographs with the skills I've learnt is a wonderful experience. The first image I have never edited before, this is the first time its seen the light of day since capturing it all those years ago. The process of remastering, finding gems amongst my archives and capturing new photographs is a long process, but I find it such a rewarding one.

Devonport Maternity Hospital - I have never edited this photograph before, its a real joy working through my archives.

Devonport Maternity Hospital

Past, Present and Future - Tasmanian Modernism Project

Part of my process of documenting Tasmanian architecture from the 1930s to 1980s has been remastering my vast collection of photography I've made over the past decade+ pursuit. It's been a wonderfully enjoyable process going through my archives and remastering images with the skills and knowledge I have now. In 2020 I want to edit more photographs and have them up on the new Tasmanian Modernism website. In moving to my new website I've decided to remaster every single one of my photographs for the project. This take time but believe it's well worth the effort and something I thoroughly enjoy. I've just spent the past 7 weeks travelling all over Tasmania documenting places for the project. Check out the new Tasmanian Modernism website here www.tryanphotos.com/tasmanian-modernism

Former Devonport Police Headquarters

I wasn’t sure about what demolished/altered building to write about for a series of articles that focus on lost Tasmanian Modernism. In my recent blog post Documenting for Posterity - Today is Tomorrows History I discuss how much has changed since I’ve been documenting over the past decade or so - As I said in that post, change is constant, and it motivates me to carry on documenting our built environment.

Former Devonport Police Headquarters - a year prior to its demolition

This was the former Devonport Police Headquarters. Located in Oldaker Street, Devonport, the station was a wonderful example of Mid 20th Century design with the prominent feature being its glass curtain wall, a popular feature of architecture from the 1950s and 1960s. The facade had wonderful aluminium windows that created a pleasing pattern mixed with the light blue panelling. The main entry cantilever is typical of this period too, many Tasmanian designs have this feature in one form or another.

I remember driving to Devonport to capture it for posterity as I had read it was to be demolished. There is always a sense of urgency when I find out a building is to be demolished in order to capture it before its demolished. I made this image on a beautiful autumn day in 2012 and in 2013 the Devonport Police Station was demolished. A farmers market, Providore Place, was built on the site with the newly designed Police Station located in Wenvoe Steet.

As I continue to document and edit my archive photographs I will be adding them to the Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism website gallery for demolished and altered buildings - the gallery can be viewed here

Mid Century Hobart Landmark - Former Offices of Bush Parkes Shugg & Moon

This was the former offices Bush Parkes Shugg & Moon, designed by the firm in 1956. It was then used by the Government as the the Department of Education. The building (now called Construction House) is home to various businesses. The design is a wonderful early example of Modernism in Hobart, with elaborate use of Mondrian inspired tiles created by Artist Max Angus on the entire facade, as well as a beautiful staircase with a rubber plant tree that spirals up the entire flight of stairs! Another example of dramatic use of moasaic tiling can be seen on the facade of the Myer building in Launceston Interestingly the original design (as seen in the archive photo below) had 3 levels, sometime after an additional 2 levels were added. This was quite common practice of the period, that buildings were designed in a way that they could be extended. Bush Parkes Shugg & Moon architects were responsible for many exampalrly Modernist designs in Hobart, and this design is testimony to that and also reflects the involvement of artists in creating and being part of the overall design.

Artist Max Angus was prolific in his works throughout his career, as can be seen here in his Mondrian inspired mosaic details that adorn the entire facade

What I love about archive photographs is the new history they help reveal. Until I saw this photo I hadn't realised that it was originally designed for 3 levels, and later on an additional 2 levels were added. Photographic source: Tasmania Archive and Heritage Office

Documenting for Posterity - Today is Tomorrow’s History

*The term ‘Modernism’ throughout the article refers to the period of design occurring approximately between 1930-1980 in Tasmania. This period will be referred to as Modernism in the article.

Over the past decade the built landscape that is Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism has changed. Designs from this period have been altered beyond original recognition or demolished completely. Of course, there are many examples that remain and some that have been sympathetically renovated too. Going through my archives and of late being out in the field documenting Tasmanian Modernism I have witnessed dramatic changes to the built landscape, with only photographs as a visual reminder of what once was. Change is constant, and it motivates me to carry on documenting our built environment.

10 Murray Street Government Offices, Hobart. The offices opened in 1969 and were demolished in 2017/2018. In my period of time documenting Tasmanian Modernism a lot has changed. I spent over a decade photographing 10 Murray Street, documenting the entire process of its life. View the project gallery of 10 Murray Street here

The period of Modernism in Tasmania (especially the Post War years) witnessed a dramatic scale of building activity that has left Tasmania with a rich diversity of architecture from the Modernist period. This period cemented the very foundations of a confident and forward looking Island State, with the result that every corner of the island was affected in some way by Modernism. This era, and the late 1800s Victorian boom period, represent some of the greatest rates of change that's happened in Tasmania, and not witnessed on those scales since. During the Victorian period cities such as Launceston that were predominantly Georgian streetscapes were dramatically altered by demolition of many of these buildings for ostentatious Victorian architecture. Similarly some 50 years later these buildings were demolished for new Modernist designs, as well as alterations to existing buildings. This was a popular method of redevelopment whereby the older facades of buildings were demolished and newer designs attached. Especially during the interwar and post-war period, remodelling a building would have provided a cheaper way of modernising than demolishing and starting again. I find this kind of remodelling fascinating as it offers the chance to look at the layers of history, to see how a building has changed over the years, a kind of architectural archaeology.

Housing Department Estate, Risdon Vale Hobart - circa late 1950s/early 1960s. The period of Modernism in Tasmania witnessed a dramatic scale of building activity (especially State Government housing) leaving Tasmania with a rich diversity of architecture from the Modernist period. Photographic source: Tasmania Archive and Heritage Office

Fast forward to 2019 and Modernism isn't so young anymore. Art Deco architecture is now the elderly, edging ever closer to 100, whilst buildings from the 1970s are in their middle age - not having been around long enough to be looked back upon with nostalgia whilst not new enough to be considered relevant to today's needs. I guess it takes time for styles to gain an appreciation, or become fashionable and desirable. In the 1990s Art Deco wasn't admired as much as it is today, grand buildings were altered or demolished without a second thought. A decade ago, wood panelling and use of timber veneers were not popular, but the use of these materials is now a common sight and in vogue again today.

I enjoy the journey of documenting Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism through photography and research, but also enjoy the process of documenting contemporary architecture, the here and now as well as how cities, towns and the rural landscape of Tasmania is constantly changing. Photographs provide a portal into how a place and space looked at a particular point in time and, in doing so, represent trends/fashions/social norms of a time.

I like to think of myself as a documentary photographer for the built environment, preserving the past through photographs that hopefully convey a sense of feeling and emotion, more than just a snapshot. Transforming the seemingly everyday mundane into a powerful visual story. I also love capturing Modernism beyond the dramatic shots and exploring those more abstract photographic moments - such as how light and shadow interplay and interfuse with a subject, or how the use of materials evoke a sense of a bygone era.

Existing archive photographs photographs and the photographers who made it their life’s work to document the world around them provide visual reminders of the past, and how things have changed or been altered over time. I hope that I'll be able to look back on my photographs I've made knowing I've in some way contributed to preserving the built environment.

Suburbs in Tasmania developed rapidly after the War. With this housing boom came with it commercial businesses the sprung up. Corner stores, as pictured above, were a central part of the suburbs. The corner store is an example of how dramatically things have changed since the 1960s, with many having since been abandoned, redeveloped or demolished. Photographic source: Tasmania Archive and Heritage Office

I can’t bring a building back that's been demolished, but through photography I can freeze a point in time so that there is a record forever. Being out and about making photographs for the Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism Project offers great satisfaction and reinforces the realisation that we are but specs in time. The important thing for me as a photographer is to document this change so that there is a record of the past for posterity.

In future Tasmanian 20th Century blog posts I’ll be sharing photos and stories of the designs from this period that have been altered, or demolished.

Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism project website and social media:

Website www.tryanphotos.com/tasmanian-modernism

Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/tasmanianmodernism/

Instagram www.instagram.com/tasmanianmodernism

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2500km documenting Tasmanian Modernism

Over the last few weeks I've travelled over 2500km throughout Tasmania capturing photographs for the Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism project. It's been wonderful to capture new photos of old favourites as well as find new designs. Doing these trips reminds me of when I first started out documenting Tasmanian Modernism and the joy that finding these designs brings to me. I look forward to sharing these photographs in time.

Join the Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism Facebook Community Page

I’ve just setup Facebook group for Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism. I like to think of the group as a place that I can not only share my stories and photographs of Tasmanian Modernism, but you can contribute your photographs and stories too. You can join the group here

Myer Launceston - Launceston 20th Century Landmark

The Myer building in Launceston cannot be missed; it stands as one of the cities tallest buildings rising 6 levels above ground. With its imposing design, largely built of red brick, Myer sweeps around the corners of Brisbane and St John Streets. Its sheer makes it stand out in the streetscape and as such it visually anchors the CBD - meeting in front of the Myer building you’ve arrived in the heart of retail Launceston!

When it opened in the early 1960s it was the tallest commercial building in Tasmania, marking its place in history as one of the first high rise buildings in the State. Launceston would soon see more tall buildings from the Modernist period. Hobart, too, would see a swathe of tower blocks in this mid century period, both for commercial and residential uses.

The mid-20th Century was an an amazing time of prosperity, providing Tasmania with a rich variety of architecture supporting a post war population boom. Taking a look at the infrastructure in and around Launceston that was constructed at this time, we see many large scale projects that have shaped the city we know today. The Trevallyn Dam and it’s connecting hydro power station in the same suburb name (1955) are dominant Modernist landmarks in Launceston. The dam and power station stand as visual reminders to Launcestonians of how the city’s power is still predominantly obtained from hydroelectricity. Along the Tamar River is the striking design of the Batman cable-stayed Bridge, which commenced construction in 1966. You can walk along it, and the views from underneath and various vantage points along the Tamar river are spectacular.

The Batman Bridge spanning the River Tamar designed in the 1960s was one of the many examples of Modernist design being built in the mid 20th Century boom years.

The period between the 1960s to early 1980s also provided Launceston with many striking examples of 20th century commercial and civic architecture, much of which remains to this day. Some prominent examples include the Telstra Exchange (1960s), Launceston Library (1970s), Magistrates Court (1960s), Launceston Police Headquarters (1970s) , ANZ Bank (1970s), Coles Building Mowbray (1970s, demolished), Newnham Police Station (1970s), Henty House (early 1980s) and, of course, the Myer building.

The Myer building was originally built as a department store for the firm Cox Brothers. A Victorian period building had stood on the site and was demolished in 1959. Cox Brothers operated out of its new purpose built building for only a few years until Myer moved in and occupied the entire building. Myer has been located within this building for nearly 60 years and has remained there ever since.

‘‘The Myer building in Launceston cannot be missed; it stands as one of the cities tallest buildings rising 6 levels above ground. With its imposing design, largely built of red brick, Myer sweeps around the corners of Brisbane and St John Streets. Its sheer makes it stand out in the streetscape and as such it visually anchors the CBD - meeting in front of the Myer building you’ve arrived in the heart of retail Launceston!’’

One of the most fascinating attributes of the building is its size relative to the population of Launceston, especially when you consider it would have been far less in the 1960s than it is today. It’s one of the few examples of high rise design department store in regional cities and towns in Australia. Sure, capital cities such as Melbourne have multi-storey stores within the the CBD, but Launceston has a population of around 100,000, whereas Melbourne has four million! Most Myer stores in regional areas are in low rise and/or integrated into an outlying satellite shopping mall. The very size of the Myer building is a monument to the confidence of this period in Tasmanian history.

The famous Santa on the main facade of the Cox Brothers (then Myer) building. Note the main entry was on the corner and the glass windows all at pedestrian level and on the facade allowing natural light. Source: Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office: From the NS2267 series

Myer is a fascinating example of Mid Century department store design. Like many other period designs around Australia, the building highlights and reflects on a history of retail experience in the mid-20th century in Australia represented by purpose built shopping malls or multi storey towers. Launceston differed from many other towns at the time as it didn’t have a large scale dedicated shopping mall with large anchor stores as key attractors. While small scale malls exist today in Kings Meadows and Mowbray (with anchor stores being the two major supermarket chains), the traditional CBD shopping strip with a range of chain and independent stores was, and continues to be, the major retail shopping experience in Launceston.

In Victoria, it was a different story. Myer created Australian retail history in 1960 when it opened Chadstone Mall in the suburb of Malvern East. When the mall opened it was the largest in Australia and remains so today, with 211,929 m2 of retail floor-space, 20 million visitors annually and a turnover of around $1.4 billion a year. Recently the complex underwent massive renovations (there were also renovations in the 1980s, which produced a glass ceiling of a Post Modern style that in parts still exists today) and it's worth visiting just to admire the the massive curving wave of the glass ceiling - a magnificent feat of engineering and beautiful to behold.

View of the Cox Brothers (then Myer) department store under construction. Source: Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office: From the PH30 series

Meanwhile in Hobart, Tasmania's first suburban shopping mall, Eastlands, opened in 1965, three years before in 1962 the Cat and Fiddle arcade opened in Hobart’s CBD. While Eastlands catered for the newly expanding suburbs on the eastern shore, the Cat and Fiddle Arcade provided modern shopping amenities and anchor stores right in the heart of the CBD. What Chadstone Myer had started in Melbourne became a model emulated across Australia. These mid century retail designs of providing multiple retail experiences under a single roof changed the retail experience in Australia forever.

Outdoor pedestrian malls in the later part of the 20th Century witnessed main roads removed in favour of walking and sitting areas with retail experiences on either side. Tasmania and, in particular Launceston, holds a special place in pedestrian mall history. The Launceston Brisbane Street Mall was the first in Australia, opening in the early 1970s. It remains to this day and, although altered several times (it underwent redevelopment last year), the concept of the open air pedestrian mall has not changed. Hobart too has an open air mall within a pedestrianised section of Elizabeth Street.

The advent of retail malls under one roof and open air malls set the scene for a retail boom in the mid 20th-Century. Access to and from these new retail experiences was still relatively close to the suburbs in Tasmania, in comparison to the sprawl of some mainland cities. This proximity, perhaps, aided in the viable continuation of traditional CBD shopping in Launceston and Hobart. There is also no doubt that Myer itself was a huge draw-card for shoppers in the CBD. It’s not only a retail attractor but the building itself is visually stunning, with many beautiful and interesting design attributes. The original exterior facade remains intact. A striking design feature is on this facade, which wraps and curves, enveloped in thousands of mosaic tiles in a variety of colours typical of hues seen in mid-20th Century design. This feature, so large in its scale, is the largest known use of mosaic tiles in Tasmania to me. The irony is though that not many people are aware of its existence. People ask me what the tile details of my photographs are from and they’re surprised when I tell them where it is. When you take the time to look up and admire how enormous the mosaic really is and how many tiles have been used, you can’t help but be impressed. The fact that it has been retained demonstrates its importance as an example of 1960s design aesthetic.

‘‘People ask me what the tile details of my photographs are from and they’re surprised when I tell them where it is. When you take the time to look up and admire how enormous the mosaic really is and how many tiles have been used, you can’t help but be impressed’’

If you’re interested in seeing more mosaic tile design from the same period in Tasmania, check out the wonderful Railway Roundabout water fountain in Hobart: the roundabout itself, the water fountain and underground connecting footpaths, with the elaborate use of mosaic tiles in the tunnels. The Railway Roundabout is another exquisite example of Tasmanian Modernist artistic design and a walk through there is a great way to witness the use of mosaic tiles similar to those on the Myer building.) The original entry used to be on the corner, under the wall of tiles, and it really looked a grand entry as you entered beneath those tiles. I love the way the mosaic wall curves at the front corner, breaking up the straight walls of the rest of the building. The straight exterior facades are adorned with more tiles - panels of blue with alternating red bricks. The sheer amount of bricks used to build this building must have kept the factory making them very busy!

There are emergency stairs at the end corner of St John Street, and rather than be a functional hidden exit, the staircase has panes of glass and aluminium windows allowing for natural light to flood the stairwell. While the interior has been altered several times, original features remain and the sense of scale is apparent with the tall ceilings throughout. The escalators are original, with their narrowness apparent in comparison to escalators today. A wonderful original design of the escalators are the numbers as you enter denoting the level you’re on, perhaps made from Bakelite, they are, a typeface lovers delight!

One of the amazing experiences of Myer was the rooftop cafe. Many locals still speak of their memories of it, as it only closed down in the early to mid-1990s. The only visual reminders of it now are the verandas when you look up outside. The verandas are framed within a concrete “tv box” framing. If you stand a little further back and gaze up, you can also see a small wall or curved brick work with alternating gaps on the rooftop, which looks to be a decorative element hiding perhaps plant machinery equipment. This design and use of bricks is typical of this period of design. What a place to window gaze over a coffee and lunch it would have been! With the boom in cafe culture today, it would be a local and tourist draw-card for the city if it were to ever open again.

The top floor and veranda was once a cafe and the views afforded of Launceston were amazing

The concrete veranda ‘‘tv box’’, the railing and brickwork details are all original period designs of 1960s architecture

It's been nearly 60 years of Myer operating out of the current building. It will be interesting to see what happens into the future with constant change within the retail environment. If Myer ever vacates the building it’s difficult to envisage how such a large floor space would be reused and if the building could be adaptively reused. For now, it's a fascinating and intact example of mid-20th Century department store design and reflects the larger picture of how retail design in the mid-20th Century shaped and changed Launceston and Tasmania and the way we go about shopping and using our leisure time.

I have just uploaded a new gallery dedicated to my photographs of the Myer building in Launceston. As I edit my collection I will continue to add these to the gallery. Click here to view the project gallery

ABC Radio Interview - Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism Project

On Wednesday 8th May I was on the ABC radio program ‘‘Drive’’ talking with Helen Shield about my Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism project and why I think its a special part of Tasmanian history. You can hear the interview here, its 38 minutes and 40 seconds in.

Documenting Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism - Change, Death and Celebration

I’ve been on a photographic journey over the past few weeks travelling around Tasmania capturing quality photographs for my Tasmanian Modernism website and blog. I really loved writing my last blog about the history of the Launceston General Hospital, if you haven’t seen that post you can check it out here. It brought home what’s important to me - storytelling through my own experiences, photography and archives about Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism.. The relaunch of the Tasmanian 20th Century website and blog has motivated me in so many ways. Most recently I’ve been out and about travelling around Tasmania capturing old favourites with the benefits of what I’ve learnt since picking up my SLR all those years ago. It’s been a wonderful experience, waking up and working for days on end from dawn to dusk capturing quality moments to share.

One of the things I thought about when waking up in the dark and staying out until dawn is how much has changed over the past 15 or so years of documenting for the project. I’ve not only changed and grown as a photographer, but many buildings and places have changed. Sadly, many have been, since I originally captured them, altered beyond original recognition. Tragically many have been demolished too. Most recently a beautiful Art Deco residence was demolished for flats, I only became aware of this when I drove past to document them. Thankfully I captured photographs of it whilst it was still standing, and I look forward to sharing this and many other lost buildings with in future posts. So much change happens within the world of architecture, design and out cities and towns, yet there are so many wonderful examples of Modernism with us in Tasmania still. Documenting these wonderful buildings and creating awareness of the importance of this period in Tasmanian history is what continues to drive me and my passion. Looking back on all my achievements it makes me grateful that I’ve captured so much and continue to do so to this day. We are but specs in time and change is constant. The need to document these places becomes all the more powerful to me knowing that nothing is certain, only change. This process drives me to constantly document, so there is a quality record for posterity.

The Wonderful Art Deco design that is Duncan House in Launceston. This is a photograph taken from my phone of the back of my camera preview screen - live on the shoot. Being out on the road and travelling Tasmania has provided a wonderful opportunity to capture old favourites, new buildings I’ve not captured before and reflect on those buildings, since starting the project have been demolished.

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