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City Baths, Melbourne

The City Baths, located at 420 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, opened in 1904 as public baths, with swimming pools and bathing facilities. Extensively renovated in the early 1980s, it is now considered one of Melbourne's most architecturally and historically significant buildings.

City Baths
General information
Architectural styleEdwardian Baroque[1]
Town or cityMelbourne
CountryAustralia
Coordinates37°48′25″S 144°57′46″E / 37.807038°S 144.962872°E / -37.807038; 144.962872
Construction started1903
Completed1904
Design and construction
Architect(s)J. J. Clark & E. J. Clark.
Melbourne City Baths interior

History Edit

 
City Baths ca.1914

The triangular site between Swanston, Victoria and Franklin streets was reserved for a public bath facility in 1850.[1]

Melbourne City Council opened the first City Baths on 9 January 1860,[2] which housed public baths (three years after the opening of the London Baths). The objective was to encourage people from bathing in the Yarra River, which by the 1850s had become quite polluted and the cause of an epidemic of typhoid fever, which hit the city resulting in many deaths.[3] However, people continued to swim and drink the water. The baths were leased to a private operator, but lack of maintenance resulted in such deterioration of the building that the Baths were closed in 1899.

After a design competition was won by the prolific architect, John James Clark, working in partnership with his son, Edward James Clark,[4][5] construction of this new building started in 1903,[1] and the bath was opened on 23 March 1904.

Strict separation of men and women was maintained, with separate pools (the larger 30 m [100 ft] pool was for men, with sixteen slipper baths, six spray baths and a gymnasium), and separate street entrances. Two classes of facilities were provided, with second class cubicles containing slipper baths (where one end is raised and sloped creating a more comfortable lounging position) on ground level, and "first class baths" on the main floor and a mikvah and turkish baths.[6] The popularity of the swimming pool increased with the introduction of mixed bathing in 1947, and it became the venue for swimming competitions.[3]

After a period of decline and demolition threats in the 1970s, the building was saved by a Builders Labourers Federation green ban.[7] Later being extensively renovated and restored in 1981–83, designed by Kevin Greenhatch with Gunn Williams & Fender.[8] The rear furnace and caretakers cottage were replaced with squash courts and gym space in a matching red brick, the pools were restored though most of the numerous changing booths were removed, most of the bath cubicles replaced with other facilities, and a single entrance stair created. The first class ladies baths with the "mikvah bath" on the first floor were retained as the spa area.[9]

The baths now house two swimming pools, spa, sauna, squash courts and a gymnasium. The mikveh bath was renovated in 2013.[10] To cater for all types of swimmers, the swimming pool is divided into four lanes: an aqua play lane, a medium lane, a fast lane and a slow lane (or aquatic education, when swimming lessons are given).

The City Baths is the largest swimming pool in the Melbourne central business district.[11]

Architecture Edit

The City Baths is one of the most significant examples of Edwardian civic architecture in Melbourne, combining Edwardian red-brick with rich cream painted Edwardian Baroque elements, in a bold "blood and bandages" palette. The highly articulated facade wraps around the corners of the site, and the roofline is enlivened by multiple cupola-roofed belvederes, the tall pedimented gables of the pool roofs, and roof ridges and vents in red-painted corrugated iron. The three storey central entrance bay incorporates arched openings emphasised by banded voussoirs, and an open pediment on paired pilasters forming the entry, flanked by long two storey wings either side.[8]

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c Victorian Heritage Database: "City Baths"
  2. ^ Melbourne City, Past and Present
  3. ^ a b "Our history". City of Melbourne. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  4. ^ Melbourne City Baths by J.J. and E.J. Clark, The University of Melbourne - Archives and Special Collections.
  5. ^ "Architectural Competition". The Telegraph. Brisbane, Queensland. 6 May 1902.
  6. ^ "The City Baths". The Arena-Sun. Melbourne, Victoria. 25 February 1904.
  7. ^ "Green sites saved by a red union". CBD News. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  8. ^ a b Goad, Phillip (1999). Melbourne Architecture. Sydney Australia: Watermark Press.
  9. ^ "mcb-conservation-plan5" (PDF). City of Melbourne Documents. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  10. ^ "The Mikvah at the Melbourne City Baths". MIKVAH blogspot. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  11. ^ "Melbourne City Baths – City of Melbourne". www.melbourne.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 25 September 2018.

External links Edit

  • Official website
  • Working drawings of the renovation held by the City of Melbourne.

city, baths, melbourne, city, baths, located, swanston, street, melbourne, victoria, australia, opened, 1904, public, baths, with, swimming, pools, bathing, facilities, extensively, renovated, early, 1980s, considered, melbourne, most, architecturally, histori. The City Baths located at 420 Swanston Street Melbourne Victoria Australia opened in 1904 as public baths with swimming pools and bathing facilities Extensively renovated in the early 1980s it is now considered one of Melbourne s most architecturally and historically significant buildings City BathsGeneral informationArchitectural styleEdwardian Baroque 1 Town or cityMelbourneCountryAustraliaCoordinates37 48 25 S 144 57 46 E 37 807038 S 144 962872 E 37 807038 144 962872Construction started1903Completed1904Design and constructionArchitect s J J Clark amp E J Clark Melbourne City Baths interior Contents 1 History 2 Architecture 3 References 4 External linksHistory Edit nbsp City Baths ca 1914The triangular site between Swanston Victoria and Franklin streets was reserved for a public bath facility in 1850 1 Melbourne City Council opened the first City Baths on 9 January 1860 2 which housed public baths three years after the opening of the London Baths The objective was to encourage people from bathing in the Yarra River which by the 1850s had become quite polluted and the cause of an epidemic of typhoid fever which hit the city resulting in many deaths 3 However people continued to swim and drink the water The baths were leased to a private operator but lack of maintenance resulted in such deterioration of the building that the Baths were closed in 1899 After a design competition was won by the prolific architect John James Clark working in partnership with his son Edward James Clark 4 5 construction of this new building started in 1903 1 and the bath was opened on 23 March 1904 Strict separation of men and women was maintained with separate pools the larger 30 m 100 ft pool was for men with sixteen slipper baths six spray baths and a gymnasium and separate street entrances Two classes of facilities were provided with second class cubicles containing slipper baths where one end is raised and sloped creating a more comfortable lounging position on ground level and first class baths on the main floor and a mikvah and turkish baths 6 The popularity of the swimming pool increased with the introduction of mixed bathing in 1947 and it became the venue for swimming competitions 3 After a period of decline and demolition threats in the 1970s the building was saved by a Builders Labourers Federation green ban 7 Later being extensively renovated and restored in 1981 83 designed by Kevin Greenhatch with Gunn Williams amp Fender 8 The rear furnace and caretakers cottage were replaced with squash courts and gym space in a matching red brick the pools were restored though most of the numerous changing booths were removed most of the bath cubicles replaced with other facilities and a single entrance stair created The first class ladies baths with the mikvah bath on the first floor were retained as the spa area 9 The baths now house two swimming pools spa sauna squash courts and a gymnasium The mikveh bath was renovated in 2013 10 To cater for all types of swimmers the swimming pool is divided into four lanes an aqua play lane a medium lane a fast lane and a slow lane or aquatic education when swimming lessons are given The City Baths is the largest swimming pool in the Melbourne central business district 11 Architecture EditThe City Baths is one of the most significant examples of Edwardian civic architecture in Melbourne combining Edwardian red brick with rich cream painted Edwardian Baroque elements in a bold blood and bandages palette The highly articulated facade wraps around the corners of the site and the roofline is enlivened by multiple cupola roofed belvederes the tall pedimented gables of the pool roofs and roof ridges and vents in red painted corrugated iron The three storey central entrance bay incorporates arched openings emphasised by banded voussoirs and an open pediment on paired pilasters forming the entry flanked by long two storey wings either side 8 References Edit a b c Victorian Heritage Database City Baths Melbourne City Past and Present a b Our history City of Melbourne Retrieved 18 February 2020 Melbourne City Baths by J J and E J Clark The University of Melbourne Archives and Special Collections Architectural Competition The Telegraph Brisbane Queensland 6 May 1902 The City Baths The Arena Sun Melbourne Victoria 25 February 1904 Green sites saved by a red union CBD News 29 October 2018 Retrieved 30 September 2019 a b Goad Phillip 1999 Melbourne Architecture Sydney Australia Watermark Press mcb conservation plan5 PDF City of Melbourne Documents Retrieved 12 July 2019 The Mikvah at the Melbourne City Baths MIKVAH blogspot Retrieved 12 July 2019 Melbourne City Baths City of Melbourne www melbourne vic gov au Retrieved 25 September 2018 External links EditOfficial website Working drawings of the renovation held by the City of Melbourne Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title City Baths Melbourne amp oldid 1171121404, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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