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Summary

Description

John Cooper, City Engineer, 1899. Rectangular-plan former coal-fired power generating station with Italian Renaissance basilica elevation to McDonald Road; two-storey southern section of offices pavilion and former printing works adjoining towering brick stack. Variegated brick with cream stugged ashlar elevation (painted and badly spalling); bull-blocks to southeast angle of elevation.

Southwest (Mcdonald Road) Elevation: four symmetrical bays to outer right of range. Moulded base course; cornice over ground floor; cill course; bracketted cornice; coped parapet. four segmental-arched and keystoned blind openings to plinth. four round-arched openings at principal storey with slim pilasters flanking and pediments above (round-headed in outer bays); giant pilasters dividing bays; two centre bays breaking eaves in pediment; blind oculi set in round-headed panels.

Southeast Elevation: exposed steel frame with brick infill forming ten bays. Single storey addition to left. Blind round-arched opening and cornice to outer left. Vehicle access with modern steel roller doors at centre. Five large ventilation openings with timber shutters; nine metal fins at eaves.

Northeast (Rear) Elevation: Three-bay gabled. Brick pilasters. Blind oculus set in gablehead. Grey slate roof (original roof lights removed).

Interior: glazed brick walls; open steel lattice roof; short section of original cast-iron gallery; gantry on rails; modern breeze block additions; no original machinery.

Printing Works and Offices: The outer right section of the two-storey former offices pavilion survives and features a pedimented doorway with flanking pilasters (gable removed or not built). Large round-arched windows in gabled bays are present in the surviving rear portion of the building (northeast) elevation.

Stack: square base rising through printing works; polygonal red brick chimney stalk, ribbed angles with three varying stages of decorative blind arcading towards top; cornice and coping.

Statement of Special Interest

Originally designed as an electric lighting station, used as a tramway power station and now in use as a switching station.

A two-storey printing works and offices range to McDonald Road was designed as a symmetrical palace block with advanced central and terminal pavilions, it featured predominantly 18-pane glazing windows and a louvred cupola behind the central range. The northwest section of the office range fronting McDonald Road was demolished around 2001 and only the right (south-eastern) section survives today. The rear portion of the print works building was retained and refurbished into offices. A modern office building was built on the site of the former northwest range at 95 McDonald Road in the early 21st century, this is a separate structure which does not form part of this listing.

References

Bibliography

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