internal and External Conservation Works

Nicholas Hall is the final building on the Wesley Church site to be adapted to a new use as part of Charter Hall’s Wesley Place project and its completion is a major milestone for the complex. The building’s adaptation for contemporary office space was undertaken by Cox Architects and landscape design was by Oculus. Lovell Chen was responsible for advice and delivery of approvals under the Heritage Act and documented and oversaw internal and external conservation works.

The Nicholas family, of Nicholas Chemical Manufacturing Company fortune, funded the project and the new building, constructed in 1938, was designed by the prolific Harry Norris, architect to the Nicholas group of companies. Other well-known projects designed by Norris include Alfred Nicholas’ own residence Burnham Beeches at Sassafras, and city buildings such as the Nicholas Building, the Tattersalls Club (now Curtin House) and Mitchell House.

Originally used for church meetings and as an office, it adopts a Moderne style with a touch of Gothic Revival and accommodates a large hall interior with elaborate plaster ceiling and timber panelling.

Lovell Chen documented works to stabilise and conserve the south wall and worked with the contractor Minicon to respond to the as-found condition issues as the façade works were undertaken. This included detailed 3d photography of the existing tracery, and careful removal of the existing fabric to cast moulds for its replication in a material better suited for the external application (being pressed cement), all completed by Abode Restorations. Where possible the original brickwork, steel and render was retained in its original condition, with repairs localised to the weatherproofing of the building.

The landscape to Lonsdale Street incorporates a steel arbour designed by Cox Architecture sitting off the conserved south wall, the intent of its design is to interpret the form and footprint of the Conference Hall in a contemporary abstracted form.