Capitol House: 109-117 Swanston Street,

Building Profile

Location

Construction Details

Built in the Interwar period in the Chicagoesque style

Notable features

The concept of constructing a building combining offices, shops and entertainment venue, while not unique was still an advanced concept in terms of a business venture, perceptions of urban life and architectural design. In the Capitol building it was developed on a major scale with a vast auditorium and dance hall being combined with shops and a ten level office tower. While a precursor of this concept exists in the Auditorium building in Collins Street (Nahum Barnett, 1912-13) the Capitol is an advancement of the same concept, more substantial in scale and complexity and substantially more intact both physically and functionally. Although somewhat altered by the removal of the ground level foyers and stalls sufficient of the theatre and upper foyers remain to provide an understanding of the workings of the space and to provide an experience not dissimilar from the original intent

History

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