Gledden Building
The Gledden Building is not only a landmark in Perth’s city centre, it is the only large commercial building in Western Australia in of its type. It was also the first building in Perth to feature a first-floor shopping arcade. Named after the donor of the land, Robert Gledden, it was built by the University of Western Australia as a way of raising funds for scholarships in engineering, surveying and mining.
One of the most interesting features are three friezes designed by the winners of a competition launched by UWA. The ground floor explores WA’s nature and history, the basement represents Aboriginal history, while the meeting room on the seventh floor has more nature along with wildflowers.
Only a year after the Gledden Building was completed, World War II prevented any more major developments in Perth’s CBD, and another high-rise office building was not constructed until 1954. As a result, the Gledden Building was the only large commercial building in the Art Deco style ever built in Western Australia.
Today the Gledden Building continues to be used for retail and offices, and its prominent location ensures it will continue to be admired as one of Perth’s most distinctive high-rise buildings.
Robert John Gledden was born in England in 1856 and came to Australia in 1890. After working as a surveyor in Queensland, he came to Perth in 1892 and obtained a position with the State Government. He had arrived at exactly the right time, and became the first Mining Registrar in Coolgardie, laying out it the new town. He also undertook the preliminary survey of Kalgoorlie and the site where Paddy Hannan first discovered gold in 1893 was named Mt Gledden in his honour.
Gledden amassed his wealth by shrewd property investments, and could retire in 1900, at the age of just 44. Bequeathing much of his fortune to the University of Western Australia, he became one of the institution’s largest benefactors. As well as money, he left UWA a property on the corner of Hay and William Streets. Gledden’s will dictated that UWA use any income from the property for encouraging engineering, surveying and mining. Specifically, there were to be two scholarships, the Maude Gledden and Robert Gledden scholarships.
In 1935, town planner Harold Boas persuaded UWA to erect a new building on the corner of Hay and William Streets. He suggested a high-rise building, which would be one of the tallest in Perth. It would have a shopping basement and a restaurant on the top floor, with an observation tower. The proposed scheme was very modern and would rival many of the buildings in the Eastern States.
The following year, UWA requested architects Oldham Boas Ednie-Brown to draw up plans, and these were accepted. However, tenders for the construction of the building were far more than the university could afford, so they were rejected and the plans redrawn. In January 1937, A. T. Brine & Sons had its tender of £36,845 pounds accepted, since it was within the budget.
The finished Gledden Building had eight storeys and a basement, rising to a height of 46m above the pavement. At the time its design was called a “modernistic vertical type of gothic architectureâ€, although we would now say it is Art Deco. The white cement finish gave the exterior a striking appearance in Perth’s CBD. Above the flat roof was a two-storey tower, topped by a bronze aerial beacon. From this tower there was a magnificent view of the city and its surroundings.
On the ground floor was an L-shaped arcade leading from Hay Street to William Street, with access to the basement and the first floor. In this arcade was a memorial plaque, painted in oils by George Benson to look like a mosaic. Mining, surveying and engineering scenes were incorporated in memory of Robert Gledden. In addition, a frieze in the arcade was executed in watercolours by Benson to represent Western Australia’s nature and history. The art works were the outcome of a competition launched by UWA and all nineteen entrants were Western Australia. George Benson won the competition, with Clem Kennedy winning second prize, and architect William G. Bennett taking third place.
A building with a first-floor arcade was a new feature in Western Australia, although there were examples in the Eastern States. The basement was used as an air-conditioned restaurant, and had a sand-blasted illuminated glass frieze around the public area. This was designed by W. G. Bennett, and depicted the “flora, fauna and aboriginal life of Western Australiaâ€.
The upper floors were designed for use as commercial offices, except for the seventh floor which was the headquarters of the W.A. Institute of Engineers and the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, and a special room for the use UWA’s Senate. This room contained decorative work in the form of a frieze by Clem Kennedy in coloured plaster depicting the animal, bird and fish life of the State as well as some of its wildflowers.
Only a year after the Gledden Building was completed, World War II prevented any more major developments in Perth’s CBD, and another high-rise office building was not constructed until 1954. As a result, the Gledden Building was the only large commercial building in the Art Deco style ever built in Western Australia.
The building underwent alterations and refurbishment in the 1980s and again in the 1990s, but none of these works substantially changed the original design. Today the Gledden Building remains one of Perth’s landmarks, and the ground-floor frieze continues to attract attention from shoppers and tourists.
State Heritage Office assessment, Gledden Building
‘Frieze for Gledden Building,’ West Australian, 1 November 1937
‘New Gledden Building Adds Beauty to City,’ Sunday Times, 1 May 1938