Centenary Pool Complex and Surrounds - Spring Hill - QLD - Australia
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CADS11
S 27° 27.308 E 153° 01.542
56J E 502539 N 6963153
Centenary Pool in Spring Hill
Waymark Code: WMWMXN
Location: Queensland, Australia
Date Posted: 09/19/2017
Views: 0
The Centenary Pool is a representative example of 1950s civic design work (Criterion F.1). It demonstrates the typical details, materials and construction methods of the Post War International style, and in particular the curved shape of the restaurant is derived from the work of the modernist architects interested in organic architecture (Criterion D.2). It is associated with the public interest in competitive swimming which was generated by the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games (Criterion A.4). The pool complex was designed by the prominent Queensland architect James Birrell (Criterion H.1).
Description
The swimming pool complex consisting of three pools: diving, swimming and wading, stepped seating for 1,200 people, changing sheds and a restaurant with observation terrace above and a diving tower. The pools are constructed of reinforced in situ concrete. The dressing rooms are typically constructed as slab on ground, steel portal frames and non load bearing brickwork. A method of construction that began in the post war period for large industrial buildings. The roof is steel framed with a bituminous membrane and quartz coating. The restaurant is a steel frame structure clad with in situ concrete. Windows and doors are set on tracking devices between circular columns. The roof terrace is coated with bituminous felt membrane and balustrading is bent circular steel piping. This pool is similar to other public swimming pools built in the 1950s such as Canberra Olympic pool (1955), in the use of modern materials, the detailing and the facilities. The swimming pool demonstrates the typical design ideas of the Post War International style in the expression of the structure on the exterior and the emphasis on horizontal lines. The detailing with decorative diamond patterns applied to the concrete and curved steel balustrading is typical 1950s decoration. Flat roofs were also typical of this period and required bituminous felt membrane roofing with a protective gravel overlay. There was originally a Japanese style garden which has since been concreted over. Another interesting feature of the pool is the design of the restaurant. The organic shape of which shows the influence of other Modernist designers that had used such free curved shapes, particularly evident in the work of Le Corbusier. The raising of a building on columns is also typical of the work of the modern International style architects.
Condition and Integrity
The complex is in good condition. The complex is intact, although some superficial changes have been made to the restaurant. Original Japanese gardens have been concreted over. The roof of the change sheds has been replaced by a metal deck roof. A staircase has been inserted to connect restaurant level to pool level. (Assessed in 1988)
Location
About 2.5ha, 400 Gregory Terrace Spring Hill, being an area enclosed by a line commencing at the intersection of the southern carpark entrance and the western side of Gregory Terrace (approximate AMG point Orthophoto Map Sheet 9543-33342 Brisbane 42 23602845), then northerly via a line offset three metres fron the western edge of the carpark to its intersection with AMG northing 6963000mN (approximate AMG point 23853000), then via straight lines joining the following AMG points consecutively; 23853040, 24753040, 25603130, then due east to the intersection with the western side of Gregory Terrace, then southerly via the western side of Gregory Terrace to the point of commencement, and comprising diving, swimming and wading pools, diving tower, stepped seating, changing sheds, restaurant, landscaped entrance road, carpark and surrounding parkland, but excluding the substation and lightpoles.
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