Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2021C01223:front:0:p15
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2021C01223
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 39926–42908

Design Intent
The Reserve Bank Head Office was constructed in Sydney to provide appropriate accommodation for a number of departments of the Bank and to house its functions as the principal Central Banking agency.  The first Governor of the Bank, Dr HC Coombs had specific ideas for both the operations of the new agency and its corporate image.  These ideals were implemented in a series of buildings across the nation and reached their highest expression in the Sydney head office building.

       A contemporary design was requested because it felt that a Central Bank should develop with growing knowledge and a changing institutional structure and adapt its policies and techniques to the changing needs of the community within which it works.

       The design of the building was influenced by the national and civic significance of the building as well as normal aesthetic considerations. In its construction, materials and equipment of Australian origin have been used wherever possible.[8]

The design report accompanying the early sketch designs set out the architectural design intention and general aesthetic considerations underpinning the design in the following terms:

       From initial directions issued by the Commonwealth Bank, the intention was to produce a solution that was functionally acceptable and which included aspects of design that might enhance the civic dignity of Martin Place and the axial development of site areas to the east of Macquarie Street.

       The form of the proposed building has been progressively determined by the detail area requirements at respective floor levels.

       The surface texture of the tower mass is basically the expression of structure and functional mullions. Both structural columns and mullions are of similar proportions being 2 feet deep by 13 inches[9] repeating all external facades as a uniform vertical motif. The spandrel areas between mullions and the heads and sills of windows are comparatively flush in surface with the facings on the columns, while deep set windows provide adequate solar protection and give emphasis to the voids. The resultant texture is static in form and emphasises neither horizontal nor vertical movement. Due to thermal problems and the need to provide closely sub-divided office areas on the western perimeter, windows of reduced area are proposed on this facade, protected by horizontal cantilevered sun hoods. The skyline has been designed as a regular termination of the tower block by accommodating miscellaneous tank rooms, cooling towers, etc. at broken levels within the facade envelope.[10]

The construction method and external appearance of the RBA building was a departure from other bank buildings lining Martin Place.  Those dating from before 1945 were traditionally load bearing masonry construction, implicitly expressing stability and solidity, whereas the Reserve Bank was designed in the International Modernism architectural style with an emphasis