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Nicholas: The Life of a Building
Nicholas Building is the home to an eclectic community of raffish
independent artists, designers and makers. Behind its massive imposing
neo-classical orders on Melbourne’s Swanston Street and Flinders
Lane corner, the building is a vertical village with a unique spirit.
There is an unlimited, ever-changing fluidity of creative people
that continually ignite life within the building and its surrounds.
For the past 80 years, the Nicholas Building has required minimal
maintenance yet remains a dynamic setting for contemporary life.
The integrity of the original Nicholas Building construction, design
and planning has triumphantly enabled endless uses over the years
with minimal alterations.
The National Trust of Australia highlighted in its Nicholas Building
citation three areas of significance. Of foremost importance to
the National Trust is the Cathedral Arcade on the ground floor,
connecting Swanston Street to Flinders Lane. “This is now
the only remaining example of lead-light roofed and fan-lighted
arcade in Melbourne and the importance of its restoration and retention
cannot be emphasized enough.”
The second area of significance is the Wunderlich terracotta cladding
on the building’s eastern and southern elevations. “The
Nicholas Building was at the time (1926) the largest terra-cotta
contract taken in Australia.”
The National Trust further attests the unique condition of the building,
“The Nicholas Building is a remarkably intact example of an
office building of this period. Very few major structural alterations
have been made to the interior fabric and the plan and features
of this structure remain substantially those drawn by architect
Harry A. Norris in the 1920s. Many of this type of building are
now being subjected to extensive refurbishment and these features
are usually either lost or ‘updated’ in the process.”
Whilst the architectural significance of the building has been recognised,
the cultural significance and artistic life within it is also worthy
of acknowledgment and continuation. The relationship between the
building and its inhabitants is inseparable. Longstanding tenant
Brendan Dwyer, a self-taught bespoke shoemaker suggests, “the
changeover of tenants is the renewal of the building - refurbishment
is what would destroy it”. Given the gentrification and redevelopment
of its surrounds, it is important to recognise the cultural significance
that this building imparts to its inhabitants and the city.
While the building’s tenants have remained remarkably diverse
since 1920’s, currently it is the “inward” setting
of the Nicholas Building that is appealing. At ground level the
building is integrated into the urban fabric of Swanston Street,
characterised by the spruiking of Arthur Daley’s Clearance
House (where “Everyday’s a Sale”) and fast food
chains and the public presentation of the building does not indicate
that the building is a hub for independent contemporary artists.
Furthermore, the building accommodates and is a suitable meeting
of Swanston Street with the gentrified and credibly chic Flinders
Lane that owes its rejuvenation to independent creative initiatives
and non-commercial Happenings.
Andrew Welden’s The Nicholas Building: some current tenants,
is acerbic and comically telling of its present character. The pungent
aroma from the Subway, Arthur Daley’s discounted goods supplying
artists with materials, and also noting the building’s recent
popularity, with a caricature of Mr. Eddie McGuire’s in his
new office rented to keep in touch with the Melbourne “scene”
suggesting that this is the heart of the hood.
Recent visitors who have left their mark on the building include,
“The world’s most well-known stencil artist” UK
based Banksy. Banksy’s
“thought-provoking” stencil in Cocker Alley, on the
west elevation of the building is well documented by local artist
James Dodd. (Image: Courtesy Jake Smallman)
The internal character of the building is a microcosm of its surrounds
with ‘streets in the sky’. The building’s internal
light court provides natural ventilation, mail that is individually
delivered to each rooms letter slot, doorways and generous corridors
that are personalised with artefacts, imagery and notes that are
telling of occupants and their interests - quirky items that are
unusually ruled out by regulatory body corporates.
Recent social commentary amusingly observed the buildings limited
lift access after hours. Graffiti on the walls of the stairway between
levels five and six cautions, “if you stop smoking, you could
be at level eight by now.” At this instance, inexorable panting
from becomes interrupted with laughter.
A vertical street like capacity is also apparent in the buildings
lifts. Collected postcards and notes from the buildings residents
embellish the lift carts and beloved pet paraphernalia has undoubtedly
inspired lift lady Debbie Mounsey’s prized hand-sewn bears.
The human intervention and circulation within the Nicholas Building’s
lifts are fitting with the philosophical principles of the Citta
Slow (Slow City) in Italy – the movement that pledge a transformation
from the high speed frenzy world and endorses the value of human
interventions, attempting to foster a neighbourly spirit and preserves
local interventions. These lifts ladies provide an informal communication
system that is integral and core to instigating encounters amongst
residents and the guests.
Interrelationships and immediacies are reflected in the body of
works exhibited. Button Mania’s Kate Boulton bought her canvas
from Arthur Daley’s Clearance House in the building’s
basement. Collaboration of Maximilian (Frock Fairies) garment photographed
by Travis Beard. Mathew Thompson produced nine bags to represent
the number of levels within the building while Melanie Liertz printed
‘NB’ signifying the Nicholas Building’s logo that
is embossed in the Cathedral Arcade. Nadiele Kolb utilises the building’s
environment to design and make garments that retail at Alice Euphemia
in the building’s Cathedral Arcade - last season the building’s
goods lift and stairway were the sets for her modelling photo shoots.
The Nicholas Building’s design and use is evocative of a miniaturised
city, an exemplar sustainable, creative and diverse community. Ironically,
the building’s limited services and lack of modern conveniences
are life facilitating and encourage creativity.
Trying vehicle access prompts recycling of items within the building.
Maximilian likens the goods lift vestibule to the “Magic Pudding”
as the continual assortment of unexpected found objects it is reminiscent
of Norman Lindsay’s celebrated tale. Garry Shepherd’s
installation, A Fan of the Nicholas Building was found in the goods
lift vestibule a few years back – rumour has it that this
fan belonged to former resident and celebrity milliner, Peter Jago.
The broader community knowingly come to the Nicholas Building to
get garments made to order and milliner’s Mandy Murphy and
Serena Lindeman continue the rich history of their trade in Flinders
Lane. Similarly, jewellers Katzinka Tschierschky, Fiona Griffiths
and Jasmine O’Hara create pieces that retail in local galleries
such as E.G.Etal.The Nicholas Building is a stimulating environment
where conversations and chance encounters can account to worthy
and enriching outcomes and collaborations. Christine Morrow’s
painted, stitched and quilted Oven Gloves reference domestic rituals
and thrifty games “make your own fun – do it yourself,”
spirit that is charmed within the building. The Oven Gloves further
represent a Kangaroo and the Rabbit, Australia’s two extremes
feral wildlife problems – the introduced and native. This
reflection of Australia’s cultural heritage and identity is
mirrored in Tim Fleming’s hand crafted Australian Coat of
Arms figurines.
The building fosters an eclectic community of artists, designers
and makers who have come together to capture a moment in the Life
of the Nicholas Building. The works presented in the exhibition
are indicative of the building’s life – the curatorial
was inclusive of every item submitted. As submissions for this exhibition
arrived day and night – the installation began to embrace
found objects within the building and integrated furniture from
Blindside’s studio space, positioned in a way that may instigate
people within the artist-run-space to physically sit the show and
become a part of its setting.
The overwhelming response from the building’s community to
contribute to this exhibition gives a true representation of the
building in the now and reflects the spontaneous enthusiasm and
pride of the eclectic Nicholas community occupants. As artist Tai
Snaith installation of succulents planted in token trophies suggests
- lets make a wish that this uniquely prized building can continue
to “Grow in Peace”.
Christie Petsinis
2006
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John Laurie
"Untitled"
2005
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