Manchester Unity Building
The Manchester Unity Building is a Neo-Gothic skyscraper in Melbourne, Australia, constructed in 1932.
The site, on the north-west corner of the intersection of Collins Street and Swanston Street, was purchased by the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows in 1928, reportedly for the sum of £250,000. Architect Marcus Barlow designed the building, which was built by W E Cooper Pty Ltd, contracted for the price of £215,000. Construction commenced at midnight on 1 January 1932 with the demolition of the prior buildings on the site, and proceeded around the clock in eight-hour shifts.
The building is of concrete-encased steel construction, with the exterior cladding consisting of two hundred and fifty tons of terracotta faience tiles. Australian marbles are used extensively on interior walls throughout the building. Two escalators, the first in Melbourne, were installed to provide access to the basement arcade and first floor from the ground floor arcade (though only one now survives). Three high-speed elevators were installed, capable of speeds of 600 feet per second (180 m/s). The building’s roof reaches 132 feet (40 m), which was the height limit for buildings in Melbourne at the time of its construction, but the ornamental tower and spire extends a further 78 feet (24 m), as was permitted for non-habitable portions of buildings.
Other Information
- Location : Melbourne, Australia
- Coordinates : 37.8154°S 144.9664°E
- Status : Complete
- Constructed : 1932
- Opening : 1932-12-13
- Height Antenna/Spire : 64 m
- Roof : 40.2 m
- Top floor : 12
- Floor count : 12
- Elevator count : 3
- Architect : Marcus Barlow
- Contractor : W E Cooper Pty Ltd
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