THE MARK FOY'S BUILDING

LIVERPOOL STREET1• SYDNEY

CONSERVATION STUDY

PUBL IC \'/ORKS DEPARTMENT OF N. S. W.

W.K. PILZ - DIRECTORJ.W. THOMSON ... GOVERNMENT ARCHITECT

REEQRT PREe8RED IN SEECI8l PRQJECTS SECTIQN

A. ANDERSONS, PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT

HISIQRIC BUILDINGS GRQUE

GEOFFREY GRIFFITHS; GROUP LEADER

REPQRT PREPARED ex

JEAN RICE, ARCHITECT

INTRODUCTION

Th I5 report was camp 1I ed, fol IoVlI ng the announcement of an inter Im conserva1' Ion oider overthe Mark Fay's BuIlding, to assess the building's cultural significance and form a basisfor making decisions regarding the utilization of the building_ ,-,' is proposed to use f'.1arkFay's for accommodation for the Department of Attorney General and Jusi-l<:;:e and i'here arecurrently proposals for the conversIon of the ground floor and part of the lower groundfloor. This report has been complIed by Jean Rice of the Historic Buildings Group, SpecialProjects Section.

METHODQLQGY

The bUilding has been assessed using the criteria for establ Isl11ng cultutal significanceextiacted from the "Conservation Plan" - a guide to the preparation of ConservatIon Plansfor Places of European Cultural Significance, pUblished by the National Trust of Austral la.

There are four basic questions wh Icn have been ccmsldered; as follows:-

1. Does the place have a hIgh degree of i'echnlcal and/or crea-rlve excellence?

a) 15 It a partIcUlarly fine early/seminal/climatic example of its type?

b) Was l-r an important pro'ro-"ype wh feh Inf Iuenced I€Iter development?

c) Is It a rare survival or the only known, or reasonably intact example In thearea?

d) Is it one of a group, the total ity 91 which is Important to the a~ea?

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2. Does It demonstrate a way of life; custom, process or function of particularInterest?

3. Has the place a s-rrong assoclerl"lon with an Important figure or figures, developmentor cultural phase and Is there evidence of such assocIation In i"he fabric?

4. Has -rhe place landscape, townscape or environmental value or Is It a site ofpotential archaeological Importance?

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CQNTEt~IS

Introduction1

Methodology1

Background4

Description40

Significance55

GuidelInes63

BACKGROUt-:lQ

The first stage of the Mark Foy's building on Liverpool Street between Elizabeth andCastlereagh Streets was bullt In 1908 by Francls Foy and named after his father Mark Foy.Mark Foy arr i ved In Au stra I Ia 1859 and when his wife Mary f4acken and ch II dren arr ivedsoon after, he established a drapery store In Bendlgo. The shop serviced the goldfieldsand Francis l the eldest son, worked In the shop as a child. The business prospered andmoved to Col Itngwood In 1868 before the gold fields petered out. In 1872, after adisagreement with his father, Francls went to Dubl In and worked In a drapery business. Onhis return to Austral la In 1875 Francis went back Into the family business. Mary died In1880 and when Mark remarried In 1882 he handed the business over to Franols and went toAmerica where he died soon after. Francls also cared for his three younger sisters and twoyounger brothers on Mark Foy's death.

Francls Foy then went into partnership with Wil I lam Glbson but this broke up in 1884 andFrancls left to establ Ish himself In Sydney. He leased premises In Oxford Street In 1885and opened with a fair as Mark Foy's Drapery Palace. The business prospered and a Londonbuying office was opened in 1890. Francls married Mary Flanagan soon after arriving InSydney and they went on to have eight children.

As the expiry of his twenty year lease on the Oxford Street shops approached) Foy lookedfor a site on Which he could build new premises. He decided on the block bounded byliverpool, Castlereagh, Goulburn and El izabeth SiTeets and started buying up the fifteenseparate titles under different names until he had dIrectly bought the whole site.

He engaged McCredie and Anderson as architects fOIM the new bUilding aod with Mr. Andersontravelled England, Europe and America looking at the latest ideas. The final design vIasfor a two-storey bUilding whIch was influenced by the Bon Marche In Paris) though in anart Icl e In the tlC>tlagnet ll (Foy' s magaz Ine) In 1909 H. W. Littl e states that "the PI azza" wasnot a copy of other bUildings but that its main tr'eatment vias original with certain details

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taken from other buildings. Prior to cons'ITuc1'ion Foy consulted ~Jith the'~llnrster forVlorks and the bu I I cl log \'{as des I gned to aI 10\'1 for subway access to the proposed undergroundrailway.

ConstruC'l'lon commenced In December 1907 and the foundation store, which remaIns, was laidby Mrs. J.J. Smith, Formerly Sophle Fay, in 1908. The building was constructed by DouzansBrothers and completed at a cost at 150,000 pounds. The store opened on the new site InSeptember 1909 and aroused much public comment. The following article describing thebUilding appeared in the Sydney t;Jorrdng Herald on 151'h September, 1909:-

MARI< EOY' S NEW eBI;M I SES

AN EXIEtJS I YE EMet:m..l.UM

Messrs. Mark fay's exl'enslve new premises, with frontages to Elizabeth,Castlereagh, and Liverpool Streets, are Oi::JW completed. The mainbUilding, standing on 149 feet frontage, faces LIverpool Street, andruns back to a depth of 402 feet aloog Elizabeth and Castl ereaghStreets. The front is approached by a broad piazza, level withElizabeth SiTee'f corner, and extend i ng r i gilt across the frontage.Advantage has been taken of the fal' of Liverpool Street to work in animpos i ng f I I ght of si'eps, so that i'he ma In entrance can be reached vdthequal ease from eIther of i'he three streets. This piazza is laid withhandsome tiles, and has a row of pavement lights giving light to 'I'hebasement below, which is practically level with Castlereagh Street.Ovet the piazza Is suspended a striking awning constructed of glass andsteel. Externally the bUilding presents on three sides fine showwindows, with mahogany and brass frameworl-<. Those on the piazza andElizabeth Street fronts are arrange in diamond form, gIVing Cl ful I viewof their contents, and In the latter s'rreet there are two ranges of 180feet In length unbroken by any intervening pIers.

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The upper part of the building Is carried out in white glazed bricks,with yellcM faience mouldings, decorative panels, etc. The name panelson the two siTae-l- fronts are In gl ass mosa le of gol d and bIua, and thewhole is surmounted by a slate roof. Ai" the corners are towers withflagpoles. The show windows on both sides are protected by streetawnings, forming colonnades, the under sides of which are carrIed out instamped stee I•

The main entrance, through handsome mahogany doors, leads into the dressand manchester departments, which occupy the north-western portion ofthe main floor. From thIs entrance an uninterrupted view of the wholelength of the building can be obtained; the effect, looking down acolonnade of handsomely decorated columns Is most striking. Theremainder of the northern half of the ground floor Is taken up by thedepartments which cater for men and boys. This portion has Its s~parate

entrance from El tzabeth Street, as well as two Iarge archways, open Ing,one Into the dress and manchester departmenTs, and the other into thecentral staircase hall. The main staircase hall Is octagonal In form,with splendid cedar stairways, wrought Iron balustrades, capped with agreat dome of glass and steel and fitted with Internal skylights. Onthe left Is the central entrance from Elizabeth Street, with four widesw Ing doors, wh il e on -I-he right Is the passenger lift wn Ich wil I br Ingthe public from the central entrance on the Castlereagh Street side tothe elevator, or take them on ;"0 the upper floor. Close to thiselevator Is the 'Escalier Hoquart t , a travelling staircase upon which

'one may step" and without any further exer'tion be Ianded on the upperfloor. Other departments extend right acr'oss the bu I IdIng. The ma Infloor has been fitted with oak, with the exception of the showroom, Inwhich cedar has been used. The lighting of the main floor affords one

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of the finest results In the whole bUilding. Eight large wel I-holeswith glass roofs over, six of them having internal glass ceilings offigured rol led glass In addition to the wIndows, secure an ample supplyof clear, soft light without glare.

The upper floor has a pub! ic dining-room at the southern end, with veryfine painted glass screens round the well-hole Into the show-room.There are also a dining-room for employees, and the book department.Walking towards Liverpool Stree-r, the visitor has on his right a ladles'reading and writing-room, also surrounded with beautifully 'palni-ed'glassscreens. Next to this is the chemist's department, and close handy 1sthe post pillar. On the leH hand is the basketware and trunksdepartment, which opens out upon the main staircase, with Its fineoctagonal gai lery. The artificial I ighting Is by electricity and the'ifts, etc., are electrically-driven. To facll itate the handling ofparcel s throughoui- the bu II cl Ing, another feature, new to Austra I Ia, hasbeen Introduced; viz, a spiral chute, which extends from the top floorto the bottom, and oceufJ 1es -'-he south east corner of the sta 1reaSehall. Th Is chute delivers the parcel on to a travelling conveyor, wh 1chcarrIes them Into the sortIng department, where they are checked and puton to another conveyor, which In turn takes them to the despatch-room inthe adjoIning building at the rear. In This adjoining bUildIng,separated from i-he main edifice, are the receiving and openIng-up roomat the Castlereagh Street end, whence the goods wit I be dlstributect tothe varIous departments, and at the Elizabeth Street end is i-he despatchroom, Into whIch the travel I fng conveyor previously mentioned brings ftscontinuous stream of goods. On the next floor, level \'/ith the mainfloor of the prIncipal bUilding are the mil liners', dressmakers' andother work rooms.

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Then comes the kItchen, level '.'11th the dIning-room. The offices andmore work rooms occupy the remaInder of thIs buIlding, which has its owngoodsllft, staircases, strongrooms, etc. The arch itects were tvfessrsMeCredle and Anderson, who desIgned and supervised the entireconstruction of the premises. The Contractors for the buildIng wereMessrs Dousans Brothers.

A pho'rograph of the bu II d1n9 appeared In "Bu i Id 1n9" magaz I ne in November 1909 but nocomment was made. A further long art I cl e dascr I b I n9 th is remarl.;ab Ie bu II dIng appeared inHArt and Arch l'l'ecture", Vol ume 6, Number 5, 1909 III ustrated by McCredleand Andersonf srendering of the buIlding. This article Is very similar to thai' which appeared In theHerald. There are dIscrepancies In the dimensions gIven and more detaIl Is gIven on someelements. The article describes the ceramic pla.z.za 'rlles and 'I'he collapsIble gates whichprotected aI I entrances to i'he bull d log. The esca fator Is descr Ibed as be Ing the first ofIts kInd rn Austra I I a, end pass rbI Y I n the Sou'l'hern Hem I sphere and had hsndra II s covered Incrimson plush. There Is further description of varIous departmenl's In 'l'he store and i'heI ni'er lor r5 deser 1bedin deta 11. The ce r1I ngs were stamped stee I fin I shed 01 d Ivory andcolumns were fInished in keens cement. There were specl<'llly designed brass \'la I I bracketsfor el ect·rr c II ghts wah powerfUl arc 11 gMs where necessary. The corner towers aredescr I bed as hay log z f ne corners and hIps (f n the photograph the rema I nder appears to be ofslate). The adjoIning receiving and despatch bUilding had windol'ls on i'hree sides andhalfway round the fourth and was carried out in rE~d brlcl<s with coloured cement dressings.Wunderllch Ltd. dId the ceilings and the parcels chute, Crisp Brothers, the decorativework, Standard Waygood the el evators and mov I ng stal rease. Pal nted gl ass was by Lyon,CattIer and Company, Crane and Sons did the I'll Ing, J.P. Johnstone the electric lightingwith t,:1r. A.C.F. Webb the electrical engineer, Mr. I<lfndt and Castle and Company 'rhewrough'l' I ran work and Mr. Ees'I' had charge of the f Itt [ ngs.

McCredle and Andersonfs rend~r/ng also appeared In the October, 1909, artlc/e in theMagnet. This article is much more generous in Its praIse of the buildIng and conveys asense of the bUII~lngls magnificence. It mentions that the whIle glazed bricks wereImported from Shaw's Rlgg Company In Glasgow and that' the yellow faience brlck\'lork came

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from Bennotoff 1n Yorksh i re. The aWl! i fig to the piazza was descri bed as be i og perfect Ion inthe architectural sense with armoured plate glass and held In position by gilded steelcables. 'The visible pOI~tlon of the roof vias slate but -'-he major part was glass providingwonderful I I ght to the Inter lor. 1ns I de i'here were endless rows of graceful compositepillars, richly gilt and rei leved with cool, soft colours and there were hundreds of hugemlrrors In windows and through the bulldlng arranged so I'rs reflection was conveyed toanother portlon of the building.

The only other photographs I<nown of the building, prior to l'rs extension, are thephotograph used on the back page of the 1I1<J!agnetll In 1910 and a photograph wh I ch appeared InMark Fay's golden Jubilee publlcatlon of 1935, "The Romance of the House of Foyl'. Thlsphotograph dates from 1914 and is from a different angle to i'hat of the other "/"wo. Thephotos show the glass awnlng over the piazza though by 1914 canvas blinds have been added.The structure appears to be the saOle as i'he presen'l' day awning. Other detail s shown arethe diamond shaped shopfronts, the towers (which differ in detall from the later i'owers)and the cast iron detall Ing to the parapet (a panel of which survlves today at the southernend of the buIlding). The pho'l-ographs show the semi clrcular windo\'/s, i-o Elizabeth andCas;-I ereagh Streets, wh I ch were I ater removed except in the southernmost bay and al so showthe adJolnlng brlcf< bufldlng v/hlch Is currently being demo! lshed.

The photographs show the i"o\'lers at the southern end of the bUilding and the 1914 photographshows large Foy' s flags be I ng f I 0\'1 n from 'the piazza store towers as well as from other·Foy's buildings to the south. Another photograph from an advertisement in the ItMagnetflshows a shop window wIth Its timber and brass surrounds (many of which rE/malo) as well aspressed metal ceilings to the awning, light wel Is, what appears to be an arc lamp and aportion of the capital on one of the awning's posts.

The firm became a company In 1909 and the first meeting of the board o'f directors \'/as heldan 16th November, 1909. The minutes of.the board meetings mention the company's architectMr. Anderson on several occasions In resped' of various oi-her properties. In Septemberand October 1914 mention Is made of renovatrng the outside of the store and of the supplyand lnstel lation of pneumatIc cash hlbes. Francls Foy retired In 1916 and "'-he firm \'/es

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managed by H.V. FOYJ his brother. The minutes of 1916 also mention the Intention toenlarge the building by adding two storeys and record that Spain, Cosh and Dods, prominentarchltects of the day, recommended that the staircase In the additions be steel. In late1917, the 11ft was removed and the escalator relocated and Stuart Brothers' tender, throughSpain, Cosh and Dods, for changes to the door and steps to Castlereagh street wasaccepted. A report on the stabIlity of the bUilding was also received from Spain andStuart In 1917. There 15 i'hen a gap In the minutes untIl 1923 when they record theretreading of the main stairs with brass nosIng and the taking out of existIng windowsabove The Castlereagh Street awning to Install larger windows to drawIngs by Spain andCosh. Concrete ConstructIons carried out the work. In 1924 the windows to the piazzafrontage were realigned and parquetry laId In them.

On the 8th July 1924 Ross and Rowe's plans for what was variously called thereconstruction, remodelling or altera'rlon of the building were accepted. The architecturalfirms Spain and Cosh and Espl In and Mould were notified of this and Spain and Cosh werepaid 1,050 pounds In fees for drawings for alteratIons and additions. Various works seemedto happen In stages:- alterations to the windows above the awning, presumably In Ellzabei'hS'rreet, to the cen+ra doorway and the receIVing room and for ;·he filling In of well holes(presumably light wells In the awning) In this area In 1925, repairs to the pavement lIghtsIn 1925, excavation of a sub-basement In early 1926 and later further excavation for theinstallation of an electrical plant to supply the building. The mInutes discuss the fIrst"segmentll of the works and also record that the signing of the contract was delayed for theinsertion of a clause concerning the ownership of second-hand materials. In 1927 therewere dIscussions about various aspects of the work with references to the completion ofvarious portions, for example, In mid 1927 the board hoped soon to be In occupation of thethIrd stage of the building which would enable the sale of the hardware buIlding to helpfInance these works. This buildIng is opposfi'e Mark Foy's on Elizabeth Street and Is nowused as a car park.

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The Sydney CIty CouncIl holds Cl copy of Ross and Rowefs drawings of the buIldIng submittedto It for approval. The plans are dated December 1926 with Council's approval dated 25thMarch 1927 and they also refer to staged construction. This scheme stripped out theInterior of the buildIng and, wIth a new structure, added four storeys and a roof terracebut maintained the character and detailing of the buIldIng. It repeated the detaIls of thefirst bUildIng but wl1'/) the old portion formIng a base course, Introducing columns runningthree storeys and a higher decorative cornice. This was appl led over an InnovatIveconcrete stlucture desi gned by the well-known structural engi neer, A. r>1. ,McDonal d. Towerswere erected at the hIgher level but were new towers wIth different detailing and a roomunder each at roof level. The building was originally intended to occupy the whole blockrunnIng, through to Goulburn Street but was never completed. Ross and Rowels plans shovlanother four bays and two more towers at the southern end. One bay of the originalstructure remaIns, at ,the south end of the present buildIng where work was halted. Theformer receiving and despatch building, now partly demolished, was constructed at the sametime as the first store and Its timber S1Tucture and white pressed metal decorai"lon whereprobably the same as those In the,orlginal store.

It is i"hought that the building was not completed because of financial difficulties andproblems over the ownership of land ai" the southern end. These matters were discussed inthe board of directors mInutes which mention in 1930 and agaIn In 1933 that they wereexperiencing difficulty In selling the hardv/are bull ding. By this time it was the midsi" ofthe depression ,and finance would have been difficult. Mention Is also made of buying landat the back of the buildIng, frontlng Goulburn Street, of leasIng land at the, back of thepiazza store and of a petrol station on the Goulburn Street frontage but the detailsregarding these arrangements are not known.

A photograph of the bu I1 dIng appeared In "Bu I1 dIng" miagaz Ine' in Apr I I 193Q not Ing thatConcrete Constructions Were the builders and making bl-lef comments. The caption remarks onthe boom per lod In reta il construct Ion In Sydney and !~oes on to say that the yellow terracotta \'/ork Is tlmore startl i ng i"han appea I Ing 1n effeel-# but# no doubt usefu I foradvertising purposes. The mansard towers and plnnacl(~s make a distinctive skyline, butappear to be wating for a great central feature".

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In 1931 agreement was reached over the Museum Station entrance and In 1933 a newCastl ereagh Street entrance was construci"ed, i"he bu 1I der be ing SI degreaves Ltd. At th Istime the City Council required that the temporary end be bricked up and though this wasagreed it did not go ahead; perhaps the board stilf envisaged finishing the bUilding. Thebuilding's Interior features Included three Island display windows facing the piazza, thecentral well with chandelier, the Empress bal Iroom' on the top level and the buIlding's finerestaurant.

The business thrived on the site with people flocking to view the dIsplay windows, go tofunctions at the ballroom and to shop. The bUlldlnfl had a fine reputatIon for display andwIndow dressing and Illustrations show the building decorated and I it up at night forvarious festIve occasions over the years. At Christmas a children's fun fair was erectedon the roof complete with smal I boats and cars and model railways. In 1983 1n an articleIn the Sydney Morning Herald the playwright Peter Kenna described his work as a windowdresser at Foys and how the Imaginative window settings drew crowds to the store. Hedescribes two of the Island windows which had tanks and pumps and could be flooded to thelevel of where the glass began to create lakes, and how t9PS in the cell ing could simulaterain. One display featured a papler mache tree which appeared to have crashed through i-heglass onto the piazza; at Christmas there were mechanIsed dfsplays.

There were minor changes to the bUilding over the years Including the enclosure of stairsto form fIre escapes. The firm was prominent In the Retail Trader's AssocIation but as theretail market changed the firm opened suburban stores and the city store declined. Floorswere progressively let to other occupants as the store's sIze decreased. The City Counci Ihas plans by Edmund Dykes of· additions to the roof for offices for the State PlannIngAuthority In 1966. This work significantly altered the parapet of the bUilding re,placlngterra-cotta decoration wIth concrete beams.

At this tIme Foys altered the Piazza shopfront removing the Island showcases and adding thecorner entrance and modern doors and at the same t IrnEl v Iny I t i Ies were Iaid over thetravertine. The Housing Commission rented various floors of the buildIng and members ofstaff still remember the chandelier being lowered from their floor and repla~ed with a

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Christmas tree each year. Mark Foys was bought out by McDowells in 1968 and by Waltons tn1972 though the store continued under Its own management and name. It closed as MarkFoys when Grace Brothers took over In 1980 and cl oSled as a reta II store In 1983. The whol ebuf I dlng had been owned by the Atv,P Society for some years. At some stage tn the late1960's the Interior wel I was closed up to enable the fIrst floor to be separately leasedand the chandel ier was removed and reputedly hangs in a shoppfng complex in BrIsbane.

For some years the upper floors of i-he compl ex have been used for courts and In 1981 the"temporaryll south wall was finally bricked up in conJunctfon with the conversion of onefloor to courts. It rs now proposed that the bu II dI ng wIII become a court comp I ex with thefIrst stage be 1ng the conversIon of the ground f I 001- and par"rs of the lower ground floors.In early 1985 an interIm conservation order was placed over the bUilding by the MinIsterfor EnVironment and PlannIng.

EURTHER RESEARCH

The Information contained In this report was readily avaIlable from the Sydney CityCouncil, the Heritage Council, members of the Foy hlmlly and former staff and magazInes,newspapers and other reports. Repositories such as the Mltchell Library and the StateArchIves OffIce and photographic col lect~on5 such as the Tyrel I col fectlon have not beensearched thoroughly and are lIkely to contain furthlElr historical Informatton about the MarkFoy's buIlding. Other family members and former staff members are known to haveinformatron about the store, Its operation, and aboui" the Foy family.

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1. Mark Foys decorafor the Queens visitin 1954.

2. Crowds duringvisit of PrincessAlexandra in

3. The Empress Ballin the 1950's or1960's.

4. Fun fair on theroof. Date unknown.

Photographs from MarkFoys Limited.

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37

1.l. View 0 f th. e

w~ndows litnight up. Datebut bet unknown1955. - ween 1934

2. Mark Foy' .Th . .. s ~n Ie ~s1and d' .

cases ~d

. remain b.ecorative buton the em 1

been re ha.moved

Both phoMark Foy's' from

L~mi ted.

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Phocentral well in the1950's or 1960's.Note the ceilchandelier, balusand details.Photographs from MaFoy's Limited.

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The escalatorphotographed fromthe Elizabeth streelevel showing thespiral parcel chutethe left. Aof the central wellcan be seen to theright and its ceilis visible above theescalator. Photographfrom Mark Fay's Limited.

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DESCR IPT ION 'i"

The Mark Foy's bull'dlng I/~ow an eight storey structure plus basements. The originalbull dlng appears in fact/to have been a three stOrE~y structure - two storeys facing'El izab~th Street and thre$. to Castlereagh Street•..Parts of the original structure remain

.'.. incl.udlng the e?<fern·a·l/wi;lI.ls to the .Ievel of the Ic~wer corlli~e,. the piazza stair and.--'::.:.' balustrade,.the Pia~z .awnlng struct'ure and some 01' the·terra-cot.ta·decorative.wqrk appears

. _..... to have. been r:-eused .:n the 1927 parapet. The windows· over the Castlereagn and El izabeth....:: ,.Street·awnlngs are 'Itered and It Is. not clear whether shopfr6nts to·.. these.~str~ets were

.;·,:·:>:::··altered:l·n·.J~27'or ot·.- those to the"plazza level were certainly changed~..c;lt this time.'::'.:: '. :The 1927 p raniL show that· the ear I Ier stone piers were removec! .. anq steel:. st'1~funch ions:' '. Inst€(lled -and: encased. .' . .: '. '.'

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Internally' the c~lumns are rendered or plastered, with a decorative capita! In ~r~ssedmetal.' The beams are also clad .in pressed metal In geometric patternsw'lth.a cornice'~dJolnln~ the ceiling. The ceiling is of the same material with an. Art Nouveau pattern

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.........: one bay·.of the original .bul-idlng remains at the sollthern·end.6(the i)lli) "dlng.·: This. '. two/t,hr:-ee"storey. bay stilI.. has··.the.·original stone columns (IHncruding:~th~'f6urJdation stone),

....: .. ·:·:·:.three orlglrta.1 windows w}th.curved heads and'r..~rnnants of:: ..the ·or.lginal i;)arap~t:.w.ltn .Its cast........ :: Iron panels~.··.. The·brlglnal.detail:·..treatment returns arou'na the southern.: face' : ... . ~ .> ···for. o,l'e'··bi:lY. on 'eactl side~- .Unfo~tunqteIYOri the E'I fz:abeth $treet:.J~ontag~·,:fh.e;.sliopfront In. '. :':';". this·'bay has b~en removed and replaced. by"~ blar!k·wal.l of modern;' dark brlc·!<'s.· .Toethe south

~'~::' ":of.thls bay"l~th~ receiving and despatch bull~ing I inked to th~ store by-the infll led'. -drlve-t.hrough cart dock, all now being demoll.shed. ;.This four storey building Is a timber

.. ' •. P9st and beam. structure with load bearing' brick .perl!Tieter walls.' The I.nterestlng method ofsupporting the beams Is shown In photographs' taken when the building was pa~tly:

demolished. The brickwork facades are divided .lnt6 three bays .and the elevatio~'Js treatedto form a one storey base, two storey col'umns and then a corn iCe....and parapet wI·th:· r~ndereddressings. Windows are timber and some h'ave been'covered over on the north, and south sidesby additions. ".

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1. Receiving anddespatch buildingand the remainingbay of the originalstructure.

2. Foundation stone onoriginal stone pier.

3. Detail of southernfacade.

4. Mosaic tiled borderto terazzo paving.

Details of southernface of buildingrevealed by demolit.ionworks.

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The receiving anddespatch building duringdemolition showing

1. Timber post and beamstructure.

2. Pressed metaldecora tion.

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!,', "" '.: • • thLs,bulldJng.was fr'-lied In at some later date wIth a three s~Qrey structure.", . ~:' '.:" '~~: :'. . ... '. . .. ' .. I... "l~.·'.. ". ;.. ~.,.

, .. , .. '.. :....:: :. : Th~ ma'ln' part of..the. Mark Foy's buIldIng .Is the wE;il.'::-~nciwn,elght.:storey.yellow and whIte"",;.",," .:' .. :: ';..: buIlding. The exterIor treatment Is th$:dno$t .. unusug/",'an·(j' prominent aspect. of the·";: ,.... ):,: '.'.. :·::i.· ... ·structure...Jhe wall.s are ccinstructed.o(..b~ ..lCkwqrk··w}.th:.,?~h.i}e'''gra;zeO.flnlsh ~{hlch is laid

. .:,' ,' ::-:' "'::' . to form quol ns and' columns..and decor<;lt Ive' spandr$1 pan.el. s,;:. :.' Th~ ·,br··I.qk work I s. set 9f,t' by'.,," ..' ,:, ..' marvellous and unlque.fa.lence work In brllllant·yellow:,,~sEld.I~,co.iisol·e$·:an·d·.comlces,·'

I:'''';'' :::.'. ;'" . ::' ..' ",'. 'col umn bases' aM capltal's and extravagant rei lef panel s wlth.::'swags,....6f:.frult and· flowers." .' (. . ..... : Yellow faIence' work also adorl1s, the' pediment which, has g'6ble'd :w:a! f.:'sectlons,· with" :'(' .. , .'. " ;. decoraflve"~br.k t9 the .top.arid.ape~,·.,andc9Iumns·..wlth·<::u~ved~:'t9Ps,·~mph·a.slsr'ng }he'bays~

..<,':;' I't appear·s·.that the decorat,l.ve".lron work' was nevl;3r In.fact·lnstal..le·q·.~espl+e·the. space left(~ "" " ;: ; ..~_.. in" the br tckwork-.· . The corner', towers have· yel low' pr nnaci es' an'd' ·af'··the·:,~s6u·thern· end andI. '",~ .~:f .:' "..' -:' ,m I dway dow"n "th~ bu i I.d fn'g are '. r~r·g~r "gab I.ed. s~ct !ons· 'w I th·· ro6ms< beh i'~d ..~;h.f.~h:,'or:1 gl riall yI,,:..... ,",: : ':' . ':. :.;'; .',~~. :-.'.i·served. the' .ro<?f terrace•.. One 'gab 1\3' features" th~ date 1927,'.1 ri··the .fal ence--.wQ.r.k.· .Th Isr.::,::,,:.,. :: .. ,: :·:·'·'.'>:,~·.:pt:'ovlded.a Ilve'ly skyllns"slnce spoiled I.n a .Iarge.par:-t by the"'r'emovcil of eL~rrient·s..of the

r,:','; :';" ", ',:':, ~~r:::a::di:::: :or:::~::::t ~:yt:.~:::r;::e ~e:;. g:ree n:gI~,e~'~ Isti'~~ coIU~h~:~dg;een\,.i. [ .. panels between' the con'soles, a'nd just above the awnings by yellow and green/blue tiles1 , "'. "-: ••••••• panels advert'l?ing 'goods and servIces available In the store. The' tow.ers·'are formed by a1.-." structure,w·lth slopJ'.ng sIdes and topped by decorat.ive metal tappl)lg. TtieY.·feature ovalI····' ,: .' wlnd9ws .on each side .and lions 'heads at the top corners. The exterlor.warls are supportedt" , . ..'. at the base:cby steel cO'lumns encas~d In timber and behind the shopfron1-s•.To a largef//"",.~.. ~:,:~;·.,~~.,~:,.','," : extent: th(3. de~orat lye m'etal shopfrot)ts r-ema I n except for the' southern end of ·the~ -, .. . _,Castl er~agh Streei:, f,rontage.:where '~hey have b~en repl aced bY"br,f ck.wc;>rk. T~~" Lsl, and -di spl ayr>:';', ",',. . 9ases t~ the piazza ,wh I. ch .' are· shown on .1927 'p'l an and .·I.n .'photos h':lVe been removed but the~>:';'.:':'.:. . .~.. ··orlgrn·al .fr~nt,s r.emaln·,:w.l.th their decora~.Ive ..$urrounds, .fhq·ugh thEw.a ar:e:unfortunate.·modernI.:'" .' :: '.' .doors, In·.th~:"central .an~.·new corner entrances...... The only earl'y'entrah~e doors remaIning,l, .~ "'.. '.. .- t~ough they. d,rffer in: detar I -to those shown on' the dr,a~rngs" are those- to the.,two,ErlzabethI';' , Street' entrances;' to:the ..entrC:ln~e:·on Castlereagn Street. adJqcent, to the Museum' Stationr, - , ' ,., ':., ~ . -,' ' .:,,' ' . " ..Vr,;, ",· ".

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1. Elizabeth streetFacade.

2. SouthernmostElizabeth streetEntrance.

3. Main Elizabethstreet Entrance.

4. Exit from fire stairto Elizabeth Street.

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1 32 4

1. Detail of northernfacade.

2. Main entrance frompiazza.

3. Corner entrance fromthe piazza.

4. Museum Station tunnelunder the

I nterna.ll y tne, ·,major. I,tem' of I nterest I s .the struGtu're ·1+~1'l1 f' wh Ich, used' th·~"1.9testtechnology of;the'tlm~, In contrast .to the facade whlGh faithful Iy' matched·the.~arl !I'lr

:. "', bull dI ng•.. /rhe ·.structure compr I ses octago'na I'.: c6ncr:-ete· co'l u'mn s wrth ll]1I shro6m .,heads. In .9 gr I dat about 7.:4 x·a'metre centres with flat plate relnforced·concrete floo~~·.·:·,.. I.n:t:erestlnglythe shear heads over the col umns are, ra I sed on the floor above rather than the more commonpract Ice ·of.· us I ng~.dropped pane I wh Ich wou I d be vis I b I e· I n the ce I1 I ng. be low. .The"structural drawlngs"by .A~M. McDonald survive at the Sydney CltY"C~,uncil :and show

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tunnel and those opening onto the tunnel Itself. About half of the shop fronts facing thetu~nel. are Intact and the remainder have been bricked In. The early doors are simple

. timber-framed and gl azed with Art NoveclU door ·furnlture rnu~h 0.1 which .has be~n recently, .' . :" removed. Ston~ c I add I ng to each side: oL'one EI1'zabeth Street· .e.ntrance. has the· Mark Foy' s." .. embl.em· en'graved but other, entrances:..are emphasl sed by ar~hed' ~.wnl.ngs. . .

" .' .:-;"...... Th~'b'~ I i~ I ng h~~ aw'n I~gsori": t'~~ee "s I:~~~ ~ j'th p~:ssed ~et~·'·.· :'ciir ;', I n~s·· ~'n'b,.: su~pended by cab I es,:,.' '. " '. frol)1 ,Ion's,head anchor$ attached t<? the .. hu·lldlng'·s face .. ·ThE<twcj"-"long·.awQlngs date from" : .. , ':.: .'1.927.. and It·.appears that the front .aw'nlng'.nfaY.date from .the earl'l"er '$tructure though the

(":'-,." ';: ..';". :.. ' . meta'·:.rooflng an~ ceiling has beet"! adged. ·This aWhing:-.has had;deco~at.ive:;emblems reniO'ved:--.,. '.' .:< . ;' .'.'.:'..'~." but" Is, stll.l:,supp·orted by el aborate .m~ta I brackets .as .wel I. as the steel:, :cab I.:es:;, 'Th'(3re Is:..,:.," .· ..:: .•..:::·,.....'i..also decorative metal work where·.th~.::,awnlng· fQrms arches over entrances.,.' The' piazza. awning ..:. :..:'~"',' .,:..,:., ..~:.:'.:<.;.:~ .. now "', h'as .uns"ymj:>ath~tlc a I urn I nI urn ·.sun shades. 'suspendecF,f rom It. wh Ich 'rep'l aced',c;arwas b'Urids,

,.) ...... ·· ..·:':·.':.-..:,.·'6ne·otwhl~h·.r.ema:(fi5' •. ' The;se:blllids though more appropriate Were ~lIso.crudeIY attached,...... : ..',"'.;.' espec.fally at.th.e 'curved corner" The ceramic tiles to the plazzg ·haye·.beenreplaced with

.c'.: ....:.'::. ',C';' terrazzo but: tiles' In mosaic patterns remain In the! Ellzabeth··Str·eet.entrances •. The coffee:.... ', '}"'·,.··:·/.;..Sr:/::··',·::shop.that.. ~~.s>.beefi added to the,western'slde of ..thel·plazza~ui\~y~pbth·etlc·i:lf\leslgn and .:~:,':-:!.:<, ;'f:' ,':,: :'.'.:':,"-{':<. S~6u'r d be re~oved~" ,(Food was' ,form~r I y" served from' a restaurqnt; with I ri' the:.b!J.' I d.1 ng)

;:;'''.,.....:'.. "~t~~;··;~Co~p~tlble··~xternalchang~~ ..a~e the addition In ~ome a;~a~ ~f·~exte~~al·~unsh·adlng.::"!. "::.. dev.lces and' the Installation of neW.alumlnlum windoWs which do not m'!lntaln'the original'.':"::., .,: ~ .. ' fenes,trat lon p·atte'rn. These elements Interrupt thel ~on!? I stent exterhaI .treatment but are'".::i .'. superficial and could be altered at some time 'In thefutlire.· :'.

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1. Main Casstreet entrance.

2. Northern endCast1ereagh StreetFacade.

3. Door furniture tonorthernmostCast1 StreetEntrance.

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~elnforclng and other structural dei"ails. The structure was designed to be exposed andunlmpeded by beams giving a smooth ceiling and, It was claimed, allowing better penetrationof natura I I Ight. Th Is was one of the first (j f not the fIrst) structures of th Is kinderected In Austral la. The bUildIng was designed to be a fire,-proof structure and w,as fullysprlnklered from the start and I It by electricIty generated on the sIte by a formersubmarine engine. When the plant closed the fly wheel couldnot be 'removed and was laid onIts sIde and concreted over. '

Other than the structure only a few elements of the origInal interiors remaIn and therehave' been major Internal alteratIons. There are n~o banks of lIfts In the buIldIng, on theCastlereagh Street frontage, each wIth a major stalrwel I adjacent and there is a thirdmajor staIr on the Elizabeth Street frontage. These stairs were orIgInally open but havebeeh enclosed to form fIre escapes, though they do have wIndows and thus do not strlct!y

~ ;,'" comply with today's fIre regulatIons. They are, however ve,ry generous and each occupy a.. , ~ho'e structural bay. 'Each staIr has a wrought ~etal balustrade with a tImber handraIl and

"they have been altered to discharge directly to 'the street. On the 'pIazza level there are: ".,: two mlnor"stalrs gIvIng access to ElIzabeth Street, and then to the Castlereagh Street

Level though thIs access Is now closed off. These stairs are terrazzo wIth raIlings',slmllar'to the major staIrs. The grand central stair connectlng'wlth the first floor was

recently removed. The travertlne floor on the pIazza level remaIns In'part but Is In poorcondItIon. SpIral parcel chutes shown on the ,1927 plans and In early photos havepresumably been removed and In there pl.ace are air condItIonIng ducts.

The Castlereagh Street level has been converted as of"flces for the Housing Commission andthe space has been partItioned and a suspended ceilIng Instal led. The 'basement comprIsesfurther offjce space (recently vacated) and pI ant rooms. Pavement lights wh Ich are In, poorcondition lIght parts of these floors.

The first floor Is also occupied by the Houslng'Commlsslon offices and comprIses largelyopen plan offIces wIth some partitioning and a suspended ceiling throughout. In the .areaover the former central wel I the decorative plaster ceiling, visible In some of the early

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1. Bracketsawning over mainentrance from ~~~~~~

2. Canvas blind underpiazza awning.

3. Pressed metal ceilto piazza awning.

4. Addition on

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Inter lor photos, rema Ins Intact above the fa Ise ce III ng. The next two floors are a Iso nowused as government offices and the fourth and fifth floors have been adapted for use ascourts. Two court rooms on the fifth level occupy the former ballroom and some of the

. original detaIlIng remaIns.

A sIxth floor has been added on the former roof and thIs floor Is now occupIed as offIcesassocIated with the courts. The space has a sawtooth roof structure and Is set back fromthe edge formIng a walkway behInd the parapet. At. the nor}hern end.of the west sIde asectIon of the original slate roof remaIns behInd the parapet· forming some'smal I rooms. ItIS'not clear whether this type of roof was built around the whole perImeter of the formerroof .terrace•. It is shown on the '1927plans but Is not vIsible In early photo.s of the

.bulldlng.

The southern wall of the building has only recently bEien com'pleted haVing been a temporarywal I of co~rugated Iron for about forty years. The wal I has been finIshed wIth whitebrickwork whIch reflects the fenestratIon pattern 'In the main facade~~

The most important feature of Mark Foys, whIch gives the buildIng its. name, Is the piazza.. Ideally located on the north sIde, It Is sunny wIth vIews to Hyd~ Park and forms an IdealmeetIng and open aIr eatIng place. It has been one of the stores major attractions

'throughout its I ife. A large set of stairs across the'entlre w.ldth of the sIteaccommodates the change In level between El izabeth and Castlereagh Streets and In asweeping curve turns the corner from Liverpool Into Castlereagh Street; Though ofteninterpreted as a grand'publ le gesture on the part of Francls Foy the building was In factset back and the piazza formed to al low the tunn~1 to Museum Station to cross the store'sLiverpool Street frontage. An obvious advantage to the-emporium but also maklng.a majorcivic contribution •

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1 & 2. Details otstairs at theElizabeth streetEntrances.

3 Detail of astair well.

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CURRENT PROPOSALS

The N.S.W. Government has recently leased the remaining floors of Mark Foy's and proposesto adapt the ground floor as courts with associated facll itles on the Castlereagh Streetand basement levels. The AMP Society, owners of the bUlldlng,'are carrying out works atthe southern end of the bUilding In association with the requirements of the Government astennant of the buII,dlng.

It Is proposed to accommodate the Sydney District Courts for the Department ofAttorney-General and Justice. In Stage 1 the piazza level wll I house four courtrooms withassociated facilities for judges, juries and prisoners, a jury assembly room, offices for

'.. crown prosecutors and the solicitor for public proslscutlons, public defenqer-s chambers andpublic circulation and waiting spaces. The facility Is to be secure with one entry only,from,the piazza. The scheme has been altered to retain Sxlstlng display windows and toaccommodate a restayrant within the bUilding. In proposals for later stages this floorwll I house one more courtroom and the first floor, now occupied by the Housing Commlssr-on,wlll'also become cour'ts, accessible by escalator from the piazza level.

In the current proposal the lower ground floor wll I become pol Ice facil ities, prisonerscel Is and" various plant rooms. The drive through dock wll I be used for secure access forprisoners and pol fee and the northern portion of the floor wil I be used by the HousingCommission. It Is proposed that this ar-ea wll I become 2 or 3 high security courts at alater stage.

The basement 'I s proposed to. be a car park for jUdges with further pf ant rooms and pol rcefacf I Itles and a new access ramp from Castlereagh Si-reet.

It Is proposed that access between floors wll I be via a secure 11ft and three new stairs.At a later stage In Is proposed to add three more lifts and two more sets of stairs. Thestairs from Elizabeth Street to the piazza level and the lower ground level are to beremoved but the entrance doors wll I remain •

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The proposal has been approved by the Heritage Councl f and has been submitted to the SydneyCity CouncIl for development approval and Is also awaiting for approval of funds for thework.

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STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The Mark Foy's building exhibits a high degree of technical and creative excellence inseveral respects.

The original two storey building caused a sensation and the 1926 rebuilding Is an exampleof sympathetic additions which maintained the character of the earlier building. In thelight of current Interest In facade retention It Is Interesting to note that the 1927 worksto Mark Foy's are an early and successful example of the retention of a facade and theconstruction of a major new structure behind It. Some of the unique and Innovative' earlyfeatures such as the gl ass roof and dome, the Wundl3rllch ceilings and the pctagonal cedarstair, were lost but other Important elements were added Including the early mushroomcolumn structure.

The building embodies a high point In department store architecture as wel I as being aprototype which Influenced the development of that area of the city and department storesgenerally. The building Is unique In Austral la and remains largely Intact externallythough some Internal features have been lost. The remarkable faience work Is a raresurviving example particularly with the recent demolition of the only other example ofcomparable quality In Sydney, the University and School's Club. The escalator removed inthe 1960's was the first In Australia and notable I'nterlor features such as the central twostorey space or well and the Isi and show cases werE3 removed In about 1966.' The wel I' sceiling decoration remains. The reinforced concrete structure of 1926 Is an early andInnovative use of the mushroom column and flat plate floor slab system. Additionally thebuilding was of fire-proof construction, fully sprfnklered and served by lifts. The awningto the piazza appears to be the original 1909 structure though the glass has been replacedwith metal.

The building is important to the area particularly with regard to Its sunny piazza. Thenearby buildings are generally of similar height (with the exception of the CommonwealthBank building to the West) enhancing the bui Idlngs Impact and allowing sunl ight topenetrate to the piazza for much of the day.

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1. Gable over Elizabethstreet Entrance.

2. North-East cornertower.

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The building demonstrates the role the emporium played in people's I Ives and In thedevelopment of the city. It was one of the earliest buildings of this type to providelarge uninterrupted spaces for retailing. Many of the detailed elements demonstratingretailing techniques have been lost Including the maIn Internal staIr, spiral parcel chutesand conveyor distribution, pneumatic cash tubes and the escalator. Elements that remainare the large spaces (though there are. false ceilings on many floors) shop windows, someentrances.and the pIazza. The buildIng has an obvious associatIon with the Foy family andwith the development of retailIng In Sydney and In Australia generally. It Is alsoassociated with several Important architectural and engineering firms of the day. Thebuilding played an Important part In the cultural phase when the department storerevolutionised shopping and retaIling habits and played a large and socially Important partIn ~he I Ives of Australians.

The building's association with the Foys Is made evident by the several signs which arepart of the building fabric. Additionally the building Itself embodies Francis Foy'svision of a department store on the European model and realised his father's frustratedhopes of establ ishlng the famIly In Austral la.

The Fay's pioneered the development of the department store culminating In the Mark Foy'semporium desIgned by McCredie and Anderson and extended by Ross and Rowe (Ross is reputedto be related to the Foy's via Francls Foy's mother,. Mary Macken). The engIneer, A.M.McDonal d, Is well known for his Introductlon of modl3rn structural technology to Austral Ia.

Department stores, such as this, pioneered the sel ling of dIfferent types of goods in onestore and were Important In introducing ready to wear clothes, establishing localfactorIes to m~ke goods and In mark~tlng via catalogue.to country and suburban areas. Theglamorous store also made shopping Into a social occasion prOViding restaurant, reading

Tooms· and library etc. The store'sdecllne, the decentral isation of shopping faci IItlesand its conversion to office space also reflects changes In the retall Industry. Thestore's development on this site Is associated with the shIft of Sydney's commercial centreduring the early 20th Century.

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The building has significant townscape value occupying nearly a whole city block and withfine facades to three sides. The Inclusion of an outdoor public space on Liverpool Street

. In the form of .the Piazza made an important contribution to the city particularly in Itslocation near Hyde Park and Its sunny aspect. The Piazza itself became a well-known Sydneymeeting place particularly with the early Introduction of outdoor eating facl I Itles. Thebuilding's Intricate detailed design envllvens the surrounding streets with its exoticforms and brll I lant colours.

The building in its original concept was never completed but the bui Idlng is stil I ofsufficient size to have a major Impact on i-he townscape with Its details prOViding Interestat the human scale. The towers In particular have major townscape value.

CONCLUS ION .

The Mark Foy's bUilding Is of major cultural significance and Is of Importance In al I theareas considered. The Importance of the buildIng Is recognised In Its Inclusion on theRegister of the National Estate, Its classification by the National Trust and Its listingas a Twentieth century building of significance by the Royal Australian Institute ofArchitects. An Interim conservation order under the Heritage Act has recently been madeover the bUilding and a proposal for a permanent conservation order has been advertised.

The building's value lies to a large extent In Its exterior and in some int~rior elementssuch as the structural system and the large spaces. Some remaining detail includingstairs, doors and the surViving ceiling decoration In the area of the former wel I are ofinterest. There Is some loss of cultural significance Inherent In the buildings closure asa department store and It would be desirable for a new use to maintain aspects of Itsformer function such as publ ic access and open air eating on the piazza.

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,. ,i

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The central wel in1955 showing thechandelier, the ceiland balcony railing.Photograph from Woman'~

Day.

As a major herltag~ Item it Is Important that Its signIficance Is conserved. Restorationof the exter lor' shou Id be a pr ior Ity. Adapt Ion of the inter 10r appears to be the on Iyoption for the conservation of the place however In view of the building's value suchadaptation must not detract from its cultural sl~lnlflcance and shoul'd In face enhance it.Changes to culturally significant fabric should be avoided and any unavoidable changesshould be reversible or have a minimal Impact.

In summary Items of major, moderate and minor significance are listed below as are itemsdetracting from the building's significance.

MAJOR SIGNIFICANCE

'Exterior of the building, especially - overal I design, its form and roof I Ine

- Intricate detail such as brickwork and faience work

piazza, its urban space and the steps

relationship to street with shop windows and awnings

Structure - mushroom columns and flat plate slab.

Remaining bay of 1909 structure.

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MODERATE SIGNIFICANCE

Fofmer despatch and recelving bUilding.

Roof treatment at north end of west side.

Ceiling decoration over former wel I.

Early entrancesincluding'doors and tiles floors.

Three major stair wel Is.

Former ballroom.

Large uninterrupted spaces.

MINOR SIGNIFICANCE

Side stairs off Elizabeth Street

Pavement fights

Decorative treatment to 11ft openings on some floors.

6'1

ITEMS DETRACT ING FROM BU fLD fNG' S SIGN IF f CANCE

Modern entrance doors.

Exterior sunshades and modern windows.

Bricked up shopfronts.

Fal se ceilIngs.

Concrete beam to parapet.

Piazza snack bar.

PartItioning.

B2

CONSERVATION GUIDELINES

The Mark Foy's buIldIng Is presently privately owned and the whole'buildlng Is leased tothe State Government. Over the years alterations have detracted from the bUilding'ssignifIcance ancl In the haphazard executIon of internal works on dIfferent floors no-onehas taken responslbl I Ity for the maIntenance of tlw exterior or In ensurIng thatalterations or addItions to the facades dId not detract from Its orIginal appearance. TheexterIor Is generally in good condItIon but the ,-emoval of excrescences and attention tothe windows and awnings Is urgently required as 'part of the restoration process.

The face that the bUilding has been leased to a variety of users has exacerbated theproblem; the government's works to the bUilding have, to date, been restricted to theInteriors. In any future works attention should be given to the control of, andresponsIbIlity for, al J exterior works.

In broad terms the restoratIon of ,the exterior Is most Important~Whatever ~se Is ~ade of the b~l/dlng Its significance would be enhanced by the preservatIon,'of the display windows and their use. The feaslbJl Ity of such use requIres InvestIgation.Similarly the use of the plaz,za 'for open air eatIng has been a feature of the place sinceIts construction, 'servIced from within the buildIng. The existing kiosk however IsIncompatible In design with the buIlding It should be demol ished and these faci I ItlesIncorporated InsIde the building. These socIal values are particularly important In thecase of this bUildIng In vIew of Its previous history of public accessibilIty.

In detail the treatment of entrances and dIsplay windows has been changed several timesduring the building's history though theIr functIon has contInued throughout. WIndowswhich have been bricked in and present a blank face to the street have detracted from thebuIlding. In the case of the piazza wIndow, the original windows with diamond ,shapedsegments were real igned in 1924 and then In 1926 the famous island windows wereInstal led. These were removed in 1966 and though replacements are generally sympatheticthe modern doors are Inappropriate.

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64

Mark Fay I s 1

As regards the interior of the bUilding It is desirable to retain and enhance features ofsignificance. In particular the installation of false celf Ing on some floors means thatthe columns and large uninterrupted spaces cannot be appreciated. On the ground floorespecially, the bUilding would be enhanced if these features could be displayed In somelarge spaces and if the reinstatement of the central well was considered. Generally it ismore appropriate to expose the original structure and use exposed air conditioning ductworkthan to conceal ducts and the structure with a fa Ise ce III ng. However, In general anyworks should minimise the Impact on original fabric and should be reversible. Elementssuch as stairs are of lesser significance and should be retained If possible. If removalor alteration Is unavoidable such elements should be recorded.

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