FORMER CHAPEL OF ST JOSEPH

27-29 STRABANE AVENUE MONT ALBERT NORTH, WHITEHORSE CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register

f Chapel of St Joseph 3 Aug 2015.JPG

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    FORMER CHAPEL OF ST JOSEPH - History

    CONTEXTUAL HISTORY

    Edmond & Corrigan

    [This section is based on various descriptions of Edmond & Corrigan's work , including works by Hamann, Anderson & Callister and Rifkind & Haddad, (see reference list)]

    The architectural firm Edmond & Corrigan (Maggie Edmond and Peter Corrigan) opened office in 1975. Acknowledged and recognised both nationally and internationally, Hamann, Anderson & Callister state that their work is 'credited with bringing the existing life, character, and idea of ordinary suburbs to a newly central position in Australia's architectural culture'.

    Peter Corrigan studied architecture at the University of Melbourne from 1961. Corrigan's 1964 thesis was concerned with designing a church, and later a parish centre and kindergarten, which served as a precursor to later work at the Church of the Resurrection in Keysborough. Corrigan's second thesis in 1965 was for a religious centre at Monash University. The design for the religious centre attracted the interest of Mockridge, Stahle, and Mitchell, who designed the final religious centre for Monash in a simpler circular pattern. Corrigan, in a lecture given in late 1964, urged for an architecture of social representation and promoted the ties between church buildings and everyday life. This concern with the common and the everyday continued to carry through to later designs.

    Maggie Edmond studied at the University of Melbourne Architecture School from 1964-1969, and excelled academically during this time. Both Edmond and Corrigan were involved with designs relating to theatre work, although in different circles. Edmond was also a part of community heritage conservation activities. She was a member of the defence committee for Brookes Crescent in Fitzroy which succeeded in stopping a high rise proposal and resulted in increasing conservation awareness.

    The first joint project for Edmond and Corrigan was the McCarthy House in Lilydale in the 1960s, where Edmond provided a rendering for a perspective of the house while still a student. Corrigan had left Australia in 1967, studying a Masters in Environmental Design at Yale, and the ideals and works of Robert Venturi were to become a longstanding influence for him architecturally. Edmond and Corrigan opened an office in 1975, and many of their earlier works involved designs for community and religious spaces, such as St Colman's in Mortlake. Corrigan in the 1960s said that 'we should build churches out of the reality which we experience and verify each day'. The Church of the Resurrection in Keysborough and the Former Chapel of St Joseph in Box Hill both allowed Edmond & Corrigan to develop and exhibit their ideas and designs. According to Philip Goad, these two key works 'were locally and nationally, the most confronting works of this late 1970s shift' in 'aesthetic ideals'. Conrad Hamann believes that 'their work, more than any other Australian architect's, is credited with bringing the existing life, character, and idea of ordinary suburbs to a newly central position in Australia's architectural culture'. Other architects associated with the change in ideals, and also reflecting the suburban vernacular in the 1970s, include Norman Day, academic Conrad Hamann, and younger architects such as Richard Munday, Ian McDougall and Howard Raggatt.

    In 2014 Rifkind and Haddad wrote that both the Former Chapel of St Joseph and the Church of the Resurrection 'constituted key moments in Australian architecture, where the certainties of orthodox modernism were completely swept away'. Their embrace of the ordinary and the 'ugly' was looked upon with suspicion. Norman Day suggested that the Former Chapel of St Joseph 'restated and celebrated the suburban iconography with a series of theatrical gestures.in a building that I noted at the time was one of the most elegant built during that period'. Jennifer Taylor in 1981 wrote about the vulnerability of the building, and the use of commonplace design and materials in allowing the Former Chapel of St Joseph to feel comfortable for its users, a contradiction with the traditional grand and exciting designs and scale of churches.

    As construction of the Former Chapel of St Joseph reached completion, the first journal of architectural criticism in Australia, Transition, began publication (founded in 1979). Transition was started by Ian McDougall and Richard Munday, however the impetus and motivation for its creation has also been in part accredited to Corrigan calling for an independent architectural journal. Corrigan is also closely associated with RMIT University, receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Architecture, and in 1993 the title of Adjunct Professor of Architectural Design.

    The Former Chapel of St Joseph has been acknowledged with architectural awards, including the 1983 merit award of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) (Victorian Chapter) for Outstanding Architecture in the New Buildings Category. The Former Chapel of St Joseph also won the 2003 RAIA (Victorian Chapter) 25 Year Architectural Award, the same year Peter Corrigan was awarded the RAIA National Gold Medal.

    Postmodern Architecture

    The Postmodern movement began in America in the 1960s, as a break away from Modernism. It involves using a diverse range of architectural styles, often used in conjunction, which overall serve to communicate ideas to the public and to convey the close relationship of a place with its purpose, context and its community. Robert Venturi played a pivotal role in the Postmodern movement, and supports the view that it is important for a building to communicate meaning. Venturi's books Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (published in 1966), as well as the second book Learning from Las Vegas (1972), both illustrate the development of his ideas. Corrigan had travelled to America to study prior to the establishment of Edmond & Corrigan, and his architectural views were further shaped and developed under the tutorage of Robert Venturi at Yale. The diverse nature of Postmodern architecture allows flexibility with regards to design for different types of buildings, their context, as well as varying client requirements.

    The Second Vatican Council

    The Second Vatican Council (also known as Vatican II), held in Rome 1962-5, instigated a metaphorical shift in the expression of worship, from the heavenly to the pastoral. Vatican II encouraged changes to the layout of the church and promoted the church as a community building, as a 'site for the exchange of faith'. These changes encouraged a new focus on the congregation itself, and a closer proximity, facilitated by church design, between the congregation and the priest.

    In combination with the diversity and flexibility of the Postmodern architectural style used by Edmond & Corrigan, Vatican II changes enabled the design brief for the Former Chapel of St Joseph to produce a comfortable place in which the community could gather and a space to which they could relate. This was complemented by its complex design and architectural features which distinguish it from a suburban residence.

    HISTORY OF PLACE

    Father Michael Burke, priest of the Holy Redeemer Parish in Surrey Hills, had read about the Church of the Resurrection in Keysborough, and after being impressed by its sense of humanity and lack of expense sought to employ the services of Edmond & Corrigan to design a new chapel in Box Hill North. The chapel was to replace a wooden building on a suburban street, in an area built up predominantly after World War II, but also containing a small number of Federation and bungalow style dwellings. The final drawings and plans for the building were altered significantly through the design phase, resulting in a building much more closely associated with the suburban context. Some aspects, such as interior elevations and skylight placements, were finally decided on site.

    The suburban context in which the Former Chapel of St Joseph was to be situated was quite different to previous projects at Mortlake and Keysborough, and a home for the elderly next door would provide the main demographic of the patrons visiting the chapel. The red and cream coloured brick used for the Former Chapel of St Joseph pays homage to suburban residences in the area, and the position and angling of the building was synonymous with local houses being situated to enjoy mountain views. The parapets were used, as in the Church of the Resurrection, to mark out and distinguish the building as an institutional one. A plaque located on the exterior of the building records the blessing of the Former Chapel of St Joseph on the 23 April 1978.

    The Former Chapel of St Joseph is now used by the University of the Third Age. In 1991, a volunteer driven cohort proposed a Box Hill branch of the University of the Third Age to the then Box Hill Council. It then became imperative for the group to find an adequate site, and in 1992 the Committee of Management discovered that Council were looking for groups interested in using the Former Chapel of St Joseph building. Local Council was eager for community groups to utilise the space, and allowed the University of the Third Age and other organisations to use it rent free. The building is also used as a community hall (reflective of the current sign at the front of the building 'Strabane Avenue Hall'), and is available for hire in both a community and commercial capacity. An informal church service is also held on Sunday afternoons.

    Philip Goad has described the Former Chapel of St Joseph as 'one of the pivotal buildings of the 1970s, and also one of the most hotly debated for the bombshells this building aimed at conventional architectural taste'. According to Goad the materials and architecture are 'a celebration of the banal.and a rallying cry for the suburbs'.

    KEY REFERENCES USED TO PREPARE ASSESSMENT

    'RAIA Gold Medallist 2003 Peter Corrigan: Life through Architecture.' Architecture Australia, March 2003

    Coleman Architects Pty Ltd. 'Former Chapel of St Joseph', City of Whitehorse Heritage Review 2012, March 2014, pp 121-124

    Day, N. Melbourne Architecture 1970-86: An Introductory Essay by Norman Day. RMIT Guide to Contemporary Melbourne Architecture

    Goad, P (ed.). Judging Architecture: Issues Divisions Triumphs, Victorian Architecture Awards 1929-2003. Melbourne, RAIA , 2003

    Goad, P. Melbourne Architecture. Boorowa NSW, 2009

    Hamann, C., Anderson, M., & Callister, W. Cities of Hope: Australian Architecture and Design by Edmond and Corrigan 1962-92 (1993) in Cities of Hope Remembered/Rehearsed: Australian Architecture & Stage Design by Edmond & Corrigan 1962-2012. Port Melbourne 2012, pp vii-199

    Jackson, E. 'Cities of Passion in the Suburbs' Transition (No 49-50), 1996, pp 32-41

    Rifkind, D & Haddad, E. A Critical History of Contemporary Architecture 1960-2010. Surrey, England. March 2014

    Taylor, J. 'Suburban Passion'. Architecture Australia, November 1981, pp. 53-8

    Plaque Citation

    FORMER CHAPEL OF ST JOSEPH - Plaque Citation

    This award winning design by Maggie Edmond and Peter Corrigan was one of the first examples of Postmodern architecture in Victoria. Completed in 1978 its small scale, materials and style are reminiscent of local vernacular architecture.

    Assessment Against Criteria

    FORMER CHAPEL OF ST JOSEPH - Assessment Against Criteria

    Criterion

    The Former Chapel of St Joseph is of architectural significance to the State of Victoria. It satisfies the following criteria for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register:

    Criterion D

    Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places and objects.

    Criterion H

    Special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Victoria's history.

    Permit Exemptions

    FORMER CHAPEL OF ST JOSEPH - Permit Exemptions

    General Exemptions:

    General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

    Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

    Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

    Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

    Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

    Specific Exemptions:

    It should be noted that Permit Exemptions can be granted at the time of registration (under s.42(4) of the Heritage Act). Permit Exemptions can also be applied for and granted after registration (under s.66 of the Heritage Act)

    General Condition 1

    All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.

    General Condition 2

    Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible.

    General Condition 3

    All works should be informed by Conservation Management Plans prepared for the place. The Executive Director is not bound by any Conservation Management Plan, and permits still must be obtained for works suggested in any Conservation Management Plan.

    General Condition 4

    Nothing in this determination prevents the Heritage Council from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.

    General Condition 5

    Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the relevant responsible authority, where applicable.

    Specific Permit Exemptions

    Works and alterations to the following buildings and features are permit exempt:

    Exterior

    . Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.

    . Removal of non-original items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae and aerials and making good in a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.

    . Installation or removal of existing external fixtures and fittings such as hot water services and taps in a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.

    . Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or grouted pocket method in a manner which does not affect the cultural heritage significance of the place.

    . Resurfacing of existing driveway and carpark.

    Interior

    . Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of any original paint or other decorative scheme.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of non-original carpets and/or flexible floor coverings, provided that the raised section (sanctuary) in the main part of the building be retained.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of non-original curtain tracks, rods and blinds.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices.

    . Removal or installation of notice boards.

    . Removal or replacement of non-original door and window furniture including, hinges, locks, knobsets and sash lifts.

    . Refurbishment of existing bathrooms, toilets and kitchens including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and that the central plant is concealed, and is done in a manner not detrimental to the cultural heritage significance of the place.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed.

    . Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.

    . Installation of new fire hydrant services including sprinklers, fire doors and elements affixed to plaster surfaces.

    LANDSCAPE:

    . The process of gardening, including mowing, hedge clipping, bedding displays, removal of dead shrubs and replanting the same species or cultivar, disease and weed control, and maintenance to care for existing plants.

    . The removal or pruning of dead or dangerous trees to maintain safety. If the tree is identified as being of primary or contributory cultural heritage significance, the Executive Director must be notified of these works within 21 days of them being undertaken.

    . Replanting of removed or dead trees and vegetation with the same plant species to conserve the significant landscape character and values.

    . Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Pruning of Amenity Trees AS 4373-1996

    . Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Protection of Trees on Development Sites AS 4970-2009.

    . Subsurface works involving the installation, removal or replacement of watering and drainage systems or services outside the canopy edge of significant trees in accordance with AS4970 and on the condition that works do not impact on archaeological features or deposits

    . Removal of plants listed as noxious weeds in the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994

    . Vegetation protection and management of possums and vermin.

    Permit Exemption Policy

    FORMER CHAPEL OF ST JOSEPH - Permit Exemption Policy

    The purpose of the Permit Policy is to assist when considering or making decisions regarding works to a registered place. It is recommended that any proposed works be discussed with an officer of Heritage Victoria prior to making a permit application. Discussing proposed works will assist in answering questions the owner may have and aid any decisions regarding works to the place.

    The extent of registration of the Former Chapel of St Joseph in the Victorian Heritage Register affects the whole place shown on Diagram 2351 including the land, the building, roads, trees, landscape elements and other features. Under the Heritage Act 1995 a person must not remove or demolish, damage or despoil, develop or alter or excavate, relocate or disturb the position of any part of a registered place or object without approval. It is acknowledged, however, that alterations and other works may be required to keep places and objects in good repair and adapt them for use into the future.

    If a person wishes to undertake works or activities in relation to a registered place or registered object, they must apply to the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria for a permit. The purpose of a permit is to enable appropriate change to a place and to effectively manage adverse impacts on the cultural heritage significance of a place as a consequence of change. If an owner is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that Heritage Victoria be contacted.

    Permits are required for anything which alters the place or object, unless a permit exemption is granted. Permit exemptions usually cover routine maintenance and upkeep issues faced by owners as well as minor works or works to the elements of the place or object that are not significant. They may include appropriate works that are specified in a conservation management plan. Permit exemptions can be granted at the time of registration (under s.42 of the Heritage Act) or after registration (under s.66 of the Heritage Act).

    It should be noted that the addition of new buildings to the registered place, as well as alterations to the interior and exterior of existing buildings requires a permit, unless a specific permit exemption is granted.

    Conservation management plans

    It is recommended that a Conservation Management Plan is developed to manage the place in a manner which respects its cultural heritage significance.

    Cultural heritage significance

    Overview of significance

    The cultural heritage significance of the Former Chapel of St Joseph lies in its Postmodern design and materials, and its associations with noted architects Edmond & Corrigan.

    All of the place is of primary cultural heritage significance, and a permit is required for most works and alterations. See Permit Exemptions section for specific permit exempt activities.

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