# Gledden Building > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gledden_Building > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gledden_Building.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gledden_Building > Source revision: 1343635343 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Heritage listed building in Perth, Western Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox building | name = Gledden Building | native_name = | former_names = | alternate_names = | image = Gledden 001.JPG | image_alt = | image_caption = Gledden Building – cnr Hay and William Streets | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_alt = | map_caption = | altitude = | building_type = | architectural_style = [Art deco](/source/Art_deco) | structural_system = [Reinforced concrete](/source/Reinforced_concrete) | cost = £36,845 | ren_cost = $363,000 (1990) | location = [Perth](/source/Perth), Western Australia | address = 731–737 [Hay Street](/source/Hay_Street%2C_Perth) | client = | owner = Primewest Management | current_tenants = | landlord = | coordinates ={{Coord|31.954827|S|115.860351|E|type:landmark_region:AU}} | construction_start_date = 25 March 1937 | completion_date = | inauguration_date = 13 May 1938 | renovation_date = 1984
1990 | demolished_date = | destruction_date = | height = | diameter = | other_dimensions = | floor_count = 7 | floor_area = | main_contractor = A.T. Brine and Company | architect = [Harold Boas](/source/Harold_Boas)
John Oldham
[William Bennett](/source/William_G._Bennett_(architect)) | architecture_firm = Oldham, Boas and Ednie-Brown | structural_engineer = | services_engineer = | civil_engineer = | other_designers = | quantity_surveyor = | awards = | ren_architect = | ren_firm = | ren_str_engineer = | ren_serv_engineer = | ren_civ_engineer = | ren_oth_designers = | ren_qty_surveyor = | ren_awards = | references = | embedded = {{Infobox designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = State Register of Heritage Places | designation1_offname = | designation1_type = State Registered Place | designation1_criteria = | designation1_date = 1 December 1995 | delisted1_date = | designation1_partof = | designation1_number = {{SRHP|2002}} }} }} The '''Gledden Building''' is an [Art Deco](/source/Art_Deco) office building in [Perth](/source/Perth), Western Australia. The building was constructed on land that had been bequeathed to the [University of Western Australia](/source/University_of_Western_Australia) by surveyor [Robert Gledden](/source/Robert_Gledden).{{cite web | url=http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/G%20Reg/Gledden%20Bldg%20(P).PDF | title=Permanent Entry – Gledden Building | publisher=Heritage Council of Western Australia | work=Register of Heritage Places | accessdate=26 October 2009 | archive-date=16 September 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916021432/http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/G%20Reg/Gledden%20Bldg%20%28P%29.PDF | url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=https://heritageperth.com.au/make-history/perth-heritage-gallery|title=Perth Heritage Gallery|publisher=Heritage Perth|accessdate=26 October 2009}}{{cite web | url=http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/G%20-%20A-D/Gledden%20Bldg%20(P-AD).PDF | title=Assessment Documentation – Gledden Building | publisher=Heritage Council of Western Australia | work=Register of Heritage Places – | accessdate=26 October 2009}} ==Site and brief== The building is located on the corner of [William Street](/source/William_Street%2C_Perth) and [Hay Street](/source/Hay_Street%2C_Perth) in the [Perth Central Business District](/source/Perth_(suburb)). It is one of three heritage buildings on the corner – the other two being the [Walsh's Building](/source/Walsh's_Building) and the [Wesley Church](/source/Wesley_Church%2C_Perth). It is located between two shorter heritage-listed art deco buildings – Devon House and the [P&O Building](/source/P%26O_Building_(Perth)) (also known as the Orient Line building and the Malaysia Airlines building).{{cite web | url=http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Public/Content/PdfLoader.aspx?id=8e764ba2-b006-4211-9792-f248dbce9dfb&type=assessment | title=Assessment Documentation – Devon House | publisher=Heritage Council of Western Australia | work=Register of Heritage Places | accessdate=14 July 2011}} The land on which the building now sits was once part of a lot that extended along [William Street](/source/William_Street%2C_Perth) between [Hay Street](/source/Hay_Street%2C_Perth) and [St Georges Terrace](/source/St_Georges_Terrace%2C_Perth). The lot was originally acquired by [William Leeder](/source/William_Henry_Leeder) in 1833 but changed hands a number of times and eventually was subdivided. The plot acquired by Robert Gledden became property of the University of Western Australia in 1927. By September 1936, the UWA Senate had agreed to erect a new building on the site and put out a tender to build the structure. After an unsuccessful tender process in October 1936, the designs were redrawn and a new tender was called in January 1937. A.T. Brine and Company was the successful tenderer with a price of £36,845, under the forecast budget. ==Architecture== Architect and town planner [Harold Boas](/source/Harold_Boas) was one of the key proponents of building on the site. In late 1935 Boas presented a proposal to the UWA board for an office tower with a two-level retail arcade. Boas' design was inspired by the vertical emphasis employed in many American skyscrapers of the day especially in [New York City](/source/New_York_City) and [Chicago](/source/Chicago) – most notably the [Barclay-Vesey Building](/source/Barclay%E2%80%93Vesey_Building) and the [Chicago Tribune Tower](/source/Chicago_Tribune_Tower). ===Friezes=== In September 1937, while the building was still under construction, the university held a competition to design [frieze](/source/frieze)s for the ground level retail arcade. The competition called for friezes to include motifs representative of Western Australian flora and fauna. Western Australian artists George Benson, Clem Kennedy and [William G. Bennett](/source/William_G._Bennett_(architect)) were the three winners of the competition and their works were included in the final construction. The friezes remain in place. ==Construction== Construction began on the building in March 1937 and was completed by May 1938.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au/documentdb/1357|title=Modern Visions of the City of Perth|year=2009|publisher=City of Perth|accessdate=26 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112034901/http://www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au/documentdb/1357|archive-date=12 November 2009|url-status=dead}} ===Construction materials=== [Reinforced concrete](/source/Reinforced_concrete) was used in construction of the building. This was the largest scale building in Perth to use this technique to that date. ===Features=== At construction the building featured a two-level retail arcade, a basement restaurant, an observation tower as well as several levels of office space. The second level of the retail arcade, the basement restaurant and the observation tower are no longer open to public access.{{cite web | url=http://www.primewestmanagement.com.au/Core/Content/GleddenBuildingCornerHayWilliamStreetsPerth/Content774.aspx | title=Retail: Gledden Building, Perth | publisher=Primewest Management | accessdate=27 October 2009 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719140539/http://www.primewestmanagement.com.au/Core/Content/GleddenBuildingCornerHayWilliamStreetsPerth/Content774.aspx | archivedate=19 July 2008}} ==Current use== The ground level retail arcade is still in use and several office levels are still occupied. The basement is now used in part as retail space as well as for storage. ==In art== The Gledden Building inspired architect and artist John Oldham to paint a [watercolour](/source/watercolor_painting) depicting the building set in a New York-style cityscape. ==Heritage status== The Gledden Building is listed on a number of heritage lists due to its status as the only inter-war art deco high-rise office building remaining in Perth. The building was listed on the [Register of the National Estate](/source/Register_of_the_National_Estate) in 1998 and classified by the [National Trust of Australia](/source/National_Trust_of_Australia) in 1989.{{cite AHD|16664|Gledden Building, 731-737 Hay St, Perth, WA, Australia|accessdate=27 October 2009}}{{cite web | url=http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/comprehensivereport.html?place_seq=2002 | title=Comprehensive Report – Gledden Building | publisher=Heritage Council of Western Australia | work=Register of Heritage Places | accessdate=27 October 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227122017/http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/comprehensivereport.html?place_seq=2002 | archive-date=27 February 2012 | url-status=dead }} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{commons category-inline|Gledden Building}} Category:Office buildings in Perth, Western Australia Category:Landmarks in Perth, Western Australia Category:State Register of Heritage Places in the City of Perth Category:Art Deco skyscrapers Category:Art Deco architecture in Western Australia Category:Hay Street, Perth Category:William Street, Perth Category:Office buildings completed in 1938 Category:Harold Boas buildings --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gledden Building](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gledden_Building) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gledden_Building?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.