MLC Building, Adelaide
Prior to the construction of the MLC Building on Victoria Square Adelaide’s commercial building had changed little from masonry and reinforced concrete.
MLC undertook the development new offices throughout Australia after World War 2. Buildings were constructed in Newcastle, Canberra and Brisbane (1955), Adelaide (1956), Perth and Sydney (1957) and Wollongong and Geelong (1958).
The MLC Building in Adelaide was considered the most sophisticated of the new buildings and one of the first modern office towers built in Australia. It is 132 feet high and incorporates 12 floors.
The building was designed by Bates Smart and McCutcheon in 1954 and Fricker Brothers won the tender and started construction in 1955, completing it in 1956 and the building was officially opened in 1957.
The building incorporated several technological advances.
- Lightweight steel frame structure that was not encased
- Prefabrication of structure
- Incorporation of the structural system and services within steel floor plans
- Piled foundations – first time used for a building in Adelaide
- Use of new materials like ceramic glass spandrels, aluminium window frames, lightweight concrete and folded metal floor plans
- Curtain wall cladding
- Temperature control through heat absorbent glass, shade fins and venetian blinds
- Variable air-conditioning – most advanced in Australia at the time
- Lightweight fireproofing that required appeal under the Building Act
- State of the Art electrical services and fittings – insulated cables, circuit breakers, wiring access and fluorescent light fittings
- Design for open plan office layouts
A weather beacon was installed on the roof and was used until 1979. The beacon was linked to the Weather Bureau and used the arrangement of lights to advise of the day’s forecast.
A handbook published at the same time as the beacon was installed guided the interpretation of the beacon.
References:
Venus, R “Engineering a City – City Centre Circuit” Notes, November 2013
“Showcasing SA Heritage Places - Beacon House – former MLC (Mutual Life and Citizen’s Assurance Company Ltd” Building” SAHR 13596, 11 September 1986
Taylor, J. “Tall Buildings – Australian Business Going Up: 1945-1970”, Craftsman House, Sydney, 2001 page 166
“Building speed sets a record” The News, 18 March 1957
“Weather forecast in lights” The Advertiser, 19 September 1957.
Heritage of the City of Adelaide – Office (former MLC Building) 181-189 Victoria Square
