Council House
Location: St George’s Terrace, Perth WA
Date of commission: 1962
Date of completion: 1964
Design: Hewlett & Bailey Architects
Construction: Fraser Consultants (engineer)
Council House – the outcome of a national architectural competition – was designed to contain the new city administration, town hall and council chambers of the city of Perth. Set back from principal city streets and corners, Council House composes a discrete modernist object within a civic square of gardens and reflective water-ponds. Via the granite podium, the building is entered through a Miesian-like open and transparent foyer, elevated by a series of white marble T-shaped pilotis. The facades are clothed in a unique T-section, tiled brise-soleil which appears to float proud of the sheer glazed surface.
Council House is considered an exemplary, yet inflected translation of the International Style to Australia. The building survives (after much campaigning) as an important modernist landmark building within the civic street-scape of the city of Perth. It has been recognized and awarded nationally and internationally as reflecting the vision, prosperity and progress of Australia, post World War II.
