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RADAR
FEATURES
COMMENT
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PHOTOGRAPHY PETER JOHNS
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The floating
dished roof of the 1950s
toilet block that nestled
among the trees of
Fitzroy Gardens.
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A Wolfgang Sievers
photograph of the
building soon after
completion in 1957.
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The toilets in 2005.
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Demolition.
The mid-century gem
will be replaced with
faux Victorian
self-cleaning structures
on the gardens’ edge.
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Small mid-century works of public architecture are under continual threat. Peter Johns charts the unexpected demolition of the strikingly elegant Fitzroy Gardens Toilets, a victim of council anxiety.
Melburnians strolling to work through the
Fitzroy Gardens on the morning of
20 February may have noticed orange
barricading around a 1950s toilet pavilion
notable for its dished concrete roof. The
roof hovered daringly above part-height
walls, and was supported only by a tapered
central column. These loos were designed
by the city architect’s office and were built
in 1957, a year after Melbourne’s Olympics.
The current office advises that it was
probably Alex Pederson at the end of the
pencil. Contractors at the building said that
it was to be bowled any minute, “for the
Commonwealth Games”.
A few emails later and a group gathered
with their lunches to watch pipes being
stopped and sealed, and to wonder how
this important little building fell through
the gaps – surely it was all a mistake. But
the City of Melbourne issued a press
release at 6.15 PM:
“For a number of years, the male toilets
in the Fitzroy Gardens have been the
subject of complaints about offensive and
intimidating behaviour from individuals
who chose to linger there ... [We] made the
decision to remove and replace the toilets
to improve safety in the gardens for the
many visitors and residents who use the
gardens ... Their removal is in line with the
City of Melbourne’s policy on the location
of toilets. Under this policy, toilets should
be located on an ‘activity frontage’, such as
near roads and entrances.” – Councillor
Fraser Brindley.
At 7.30 AM the following morning, up to
twenty people gathered to watch the
demolition, which had started a while
before. The contractors complained that it
was taking longer than expected – one look
at the amount of reinforcing in the roof
explained why. The ceremony/funeral
ended an hour later with speeches and
photos in front of the rubble, and then we
shuffled off to work.
The council has a policy of closing public
toilets in shady parts of town and replacing
them with faux Victorian self-cleaning loos.
It also has a policy of removing buildings
from gardens whenever possible. Heritage
Victoria had failed to see the building’s
worth, so it was deemed removable.
Community consultation was apparently
“normal”, but seems to have been limited to
asking for thoughts from the East Melbourne
Group (the local Save Our Suburbs), the
National Trust, and Heritage Victoria.
No-one else seemed to know about it.
Within a few days of the demolition the
site had been grassed – nothing remained
other than a couple of crazy-paved planters
and a flat area where the pavilion once
stood. Nearby is a new sign saying that the
toilets would be closing in a few days. Was
this the public consultation?
Life won’t become too sanitized in the
gardens now that the loos are gone. The beat
will move, hopefully prompting future
demolitions of nearby Cook’s Cottage
(1933), and those other bastions of twee,
The Faerie Tree and Model Village. But no,
they’re all registered. These listed
twentieth-century structures appear to have
ensured their longevity by looking a lot
older than their years.
Mid-century modernist toilets, changing
sheds, substations and bus shelters should
be considered endangered. Love them or
lose them – at least take a photo when you
see a good example, as it may be the only
record. New requirements for accessibility
and worker safety have made many of these
buildings obsolete. An anxious council’s
fear of “loiterers” has seen this loo off and
others will follow. City bureaucrats with a
preference for lacework over breezeblock
don’t help matters either.
“Whilst Council appreciates your views
on the value of the actual toilet building it
is considered that removal of the toilets and
installation of new facilities will be of
greater overall benefit to the Gardens and
the community.” – Ian Harris, Group
Manager Parks and Recreation.
PETER JOHNS IS A DIRECTOR OF ANTARCTICA AND
RUNS THE BUTTERPAPER WEBSITE.
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Copyright © 2010 Architecture Media Pty Ltd
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