16 November 2024

Photos I took of the old Dental Hospital in 2009 just before it was demolished for the cancer centre; I thought it was quite nice, or at least the back was, with angled bits, cream brick, an early modern sort of look, but all rather retro for 1963 when it was completed. Just discovered it was first designed in 1953, by my fave architect Percy Everett, the year he retired from Public Works – but what was built only follows the general lines, and it’s much less traditional, notably with curtain walls instead of rectangular windows. The main front on Grattan Street was actually quite boring, but the lecture theatre stack on the west end was very nice, with its oval form. Everett’s design was to be executed by Frank Heath, who may have redesigned the whole thing, but he was also on a government panel of architects so maybe it was a committee thing. 1953 design image rear from Building Magazine, front State Library, then as built, State Library.

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