Canterbury Road Commercial Precinct

84-114A Canterbury Road CANTERBURY, BOROONDARA CITY

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Boroondara City

CANTERBURY ROAD COMMERCIAL PRECINCT map

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • Physical Description 1

    Canterbury Road Commercial Precinct - Physical Description 1

    This precinct comprises a row of shops on the south side of Canterbury Road between Chaucer Crescent and Myrtle Road. As noted in the history, the first row of shops was built in the Edwardian period, and the remainder in the interwar period. The earlier shops at Nos. 92-98 were also updated during the interwar era, when new shopfronts were installed (probably in the 1920s).

    All of the shops are built to the front and side boundaries, forming a continuous street wall, and their roofs are hidden behind parapets, as was typical prior to World War II. The west end of the row, Nos. 84-102, has a consistent single-storey height, while the Spanish Mission shops (Nos. 104-114) are double-storey. The single residential property in the precinct, No. 114A, comprises the rear section of the shop at No. 114 and faces Chaucer Crescent.

    The shops built in 1909 at Nos. 84-98 are single-storey, with flat parapets framed with red brick piers. The parapets are of flat render with a run moulding along the top. There were cast-cement acorns at the top of each pier, which survive at Nos 84-90. The shops at Nos. 88 and 90 appear to retain their 1909 shopfronts, with heavy timber window frames, tiled stallboard, highlight windows divided into panels, and lining boards to ingo soffits. Nos. 86 and 90 may retain original or early tiles on their stallboards. No. 88 (as well as 96 and 98) retains a simple timber posted verandah, which is a relatively rare survivor in Boroondara.

    The shops in this group at Nos. 92-98 were remodelled c1920s, with new shopfronts installed. They have metal framed windows (some overpainted), tiled ingos, tiled stallboards to most with rectangular green tiles to number 96. The ingo at number 92 is rectangular rather than splayed like the others, but this appears to be original as it retains tiles and a marble threshold.

    A side view of the buildings from Myrtle Crescent reveals the survival of corbelled red brick chimneys to most of the shops, as well as rear timber wings to Nos. 88-90.

    At the end of this row of shops is the single-storey shop built in 1923 (No. 100) and a single-storey shop of 1937 (No. 102). No. 100 has segmentally arched pediment set between oversailing piers, in a configuration typical of the late 1910s and early 1920s. No. 102 has an even simpler parapet with a flat central section and short piers. Both parapets are entirely finished in render. Neither shop retains its original shopfront.

    The eastern part of the precinct is a large, two-storey Spanish Mission commercial building, constructed in two stages (1932 and 1937). The two stages share the same materials and massing, but the detailing of the two later shops (Nos. 104-106) is simpler and less sophisticated. The residence around the corner at No. 114A is also a full-blown version of a Spanish Mission home, fashionable in Camberwell at the time.

    The Spanish Mission building shows variation in its massing to create an interesting street rhythm, while addressing its corner site. The entire upper floor (including parapets) is finished in textured stucco, typical of the style. There are two shops (at Nos. 114 and 108) with high Baroque shaped parapets, set between lower pairs of shops (Nos. 110-112 and 104-106) with a lower, flat parapet. The corner shop at No. 114 has a splayed corner which the Baroque parapet wraps around, providing an effective entrance to the precinct from the east. Below the Baroque parapets are lines of vigas (projecting rafter ends, typical of the Spanish Mission style). The flat parapets are topped with lines of Cordoba clay tiles set above a corbel table (which is only suggested to the later shops at Nos. 104-106).

    The 1932 section has very elaborate windows, as well as geometric pierced screens in the walls that evoke the Moorish influence in Spanish architecture. Windows are double-hung sashes with margin glazing to the top panes. Windows to Nos. 108-112 are in a Serlian configuration, with a blind arch filled with tiles above the centre window. There are twisted engaged columns between the windows and concrete planter boxes for the sills. The window of No. 114 is a single windows with the tiled tympanum, twisted columns and planter box. The windows of the two later shops are smaller banks of three double-hung windows with very standard leadlights in the top sash, and no decorative surround.

    All of the Spanish Mission shops retain their cantilevered verandah, as well as the pressed metal soffit to Nos. 108-114. All shops also retain their original shopfronts, with a consistent use of mottled brown tiles to the stallboards and between shopfronts (tiles overpainted at Nos. 110-114). The shopfronts are metal framed with geometric highlights (slightly simpler to Nos. 104-106), and recesses ingos, many of which retain their original floor tiles. The shop windows at No. 104 have been replaced with post office boxes, and the highlights at Nos. 110-114 have been covered over.

    A residence and garage are attached to the rear of 114 (No. 114A), accessed from Chaucer Crescent. The site angles sharply towards Chaucer Crescent and the building follows the line of the site. The single-storey front porch of residence has the same Baroque parapet and vigas as seen on the shops. Below it is a triple arched arcade with twisted columns, characteristic of Spanish Mission houses. The clinker brick paving, front steps and dwarf front fence appear to be original. Glazing to windows and doors has been altered. A small garage projects forward of the house, on the south side of the site. It has a simpler parapet and a decorative pergola with heavy rafter ends and twisted columns on brick piers framing the garage door (door replaced). The residence and garage are finished with the same textured stucco as the shops.

    Heritage Study and Grading

    Heritage Study and Grading

    Boroondara - Municipal-Wide Heritage Gap Study: Vol. 1 Canterbury

    Author: Context
    Year: 2018
    Grading: Local

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