Basic Site Details

Name: Australia House
Town, district or village: Aldwych
City or county: London
Country: England
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: Assessors in competition: Bertram Mackennal (sculptor), John Longstaff, George Lambert, Fred Leist and Arthur Streeton.



Contractor Dove Brothers. (Portland stone, base course Australian trachyte)
Sculptors: Harold Parker, figure groups at entrance, Bertram Mackennal, bronze group of Phoebus
Ironwork: Bromsgrove Guild, entrance gates; W Starkie Gardner, balustrades of stair.
Woodwork: Wylie & Lochhead, Glasgow
Marble work: H T Jenkins & Son, Torquay
Stucco work: W Turner & Co

Information from leaflet on Australia House (per David Walker)

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 1Commonwealth BuildingYes 

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1House  

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 1The StrandYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 81912 Plans prepared, construction not yet begunSite acquired
Item 2 of 819131917  
Item 3 of 81913 Build/constructionWork begun
Item 4 of 81914 Design exhibited 
Item 5 of 81916  Building partially occupied.
Item 6 of 81918 Design exhibited 
Item 7 of 83 August 1918 OpenedOpened by George V
Item 8 of 81919 Design exhibited 

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 6A Marshall Mackenzie & Son A19131917 
Item 2 of 6Alexander George Robertson Mackenzie A19131917 
Item 3 of 6Alexander Marshall Mackenzie A19131917 
Item 4 of 6Gilbert Marshall Mackenzie A19131914As assistant to A Marshall Mackenzie & Son
Item 5 of 6Herbert William Cruickshank (or Herbert William Cruikshank) A19131915As assistant to A Marshall Mackenzie & Son
Item 6 of 6John Smith Murdoch B19131917Was associated with the project - intially as an assessor and later adviser.

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 1Federal Government of Australia 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Academy Architecture1913Academy ArchitecturePart 2 pp104-105
Item 2 of 3Academy Architecture1914 Part 1 pp6-7
Item 3 of 3Royal Academy exhibitors    1914, no 796; 19188, nos 1371, 1372; 1919, nos 1333, 1432, 1437

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder5 October 1917CXIII  
Item 2 of 2Builder12 July 1918CXV  

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers Herbert William Cruikshank: F no2890 (box 13)