Electricity Substation No. 349 | |
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![]() Electricity Substation No. 349 | |
Location | 2S Frances Street, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia |
Coordinates | 33°54′37″S151°14′12″E / 33.9102°S 151.2368°E |
Built | 1930 |
Architect |
|
Architectural style(s) | Interwar Mediterranean |
Owner | Ausgrid |
Official name | Electricity Substation No. 349; #349 Princes Street substation |
Type | state heritage (built) |
Designated | 2 May 2008 |
Reference no. | 1792 |
Type | Electricity Transformer/Substation |
Category | Utilities - Electricity |
Builders | J Rutherford |
The Electricity Substation No. 349 is a heritage-listed electrical substation at 2S Frances Street, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Walter Frederick White, City Architect's Department and Municipal Council of Sydney and built during 1930 by J Rutherford. It is also known as #349 Princes Street substation. The property is owned by Ausgrid. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 May 2008.
Electricity substation No. 349 is a purpose designed and built structure dating from c. 1930, constructed by the Municipal Council of Sydney to supply power to consumers in the Randwick area. From the late 1920s there was enormous expansion in electricity provision within the Sydney region, driven by the suburban growth of the 1920s and 1930s. Under this impetus, dozens of electricity substations were built annually to service demand. [1]
In 1904, the year in which the first power station in Sydney commenced operations, the Municipal Council of Sydney (MCS) was formed to produce and distribute electric light and power to central Sydney. From 1904 until 1935 the MCS, as both an electricity generation and distribution authority, constructed hundreds of small distribution substations throughout Sydney, many of which are still in service. The MCS supplied electricity to retail customers around the inner city, inner west and lower north shore and provided bulk power to outer western and northern suburbs such as Penrith, Hornsby and Manly.
The MCS initially competed against a number of private electricity supply companies. These were mostly small-scale operations which the MCS had acquired by 1914. The exception was the Electric Light and Power Supply Corporation (ELPSC), established in 1909, which was the one major private player in the Sydney electricity market until 1955 when it was nationalised by the Electricity Commission of NSW.
In 1935 the functions of the MCS Electricity Department were taken over by the Sydney County Council (SCC) with broad responsibility for electricity supply across the Sydney region. There was rapid expansion in the electricity distribution network with 40-50 substations constructed annually. The scale of SCC's operations consistently made it the largest local authority in Australia throughout the second half of the 20th century.
In 1991 the SCC was reconstituted as Sydney Electricity (a statutory authority). In 1996 Sydney Electricity merged with the Hunter regional electricity authority Orion (formerly Shortland Electricity) and was corporatised as EnergyAustralia. [1]
Electricity distribution substations were generally built as modest 1 or 2 storey buildings, with Zone Substations considerably larger in scale. The style and nature of substation construction became progressively more standardised as the electricity network expanded. While the earliest substations tended to be large, well-ornamented public buildings, as they became more commonplace, substations became smaller and simpler. This reflected the need for cost-effective construction methods, the reduction in size of electrical equipment and the speed with which substations needed to be constructed to keep pace with demand. While early substations were often purpose-designed and built for a specific location, by the late 1920s the trend was for standardised designs built to a similar size and generally designed to fit on a standard suburban subdivision block, typically 100–200 square metres (1,100–2,200 sq ft).
Designs did keep pace with architectural trends and it is possible to identify a number of different and distinct architectural styles of substations. One-off designed substations did continue to be built well into the mid-20th century thought these tended to be restricted to what the SCC referred to as "high class" suburbs in Sydney's east.
The number of substations constructed in the Sydney region exploded from the late 1920s, with dozens of substations being constructed in any one year to cope with expanding demand. While in the early years of network construction many substations had unique characteristics and were sited in response to a particular need, from the late 1920s standardised designs were generally used and expansion was based on a need to establish and expand the electricity grid rather than in response to localised or site-specific issues. By the 1950s the trend towards architecturally designed and detailed substations was exhausted. From that point on, the freestanding metal kiosk-style substation was progressively introduced, while buildings, where they were constructed, tended towards strictly functional unadorned brick enclosures. Substation design was also influenced by the general changes in Australian building construction in the mid-20th century. The trend towards larger steel and concrete buildings saw "chamber"" style substations incorporated directly within new buildings. In such circumstances the electricity provider had little or no input into the architectural style of the substation chamber, merely supplying technical requirements which influenced the location and size of the substation within the new building. This trend also saw smaller older-style substations demolished in some areas and replaced with new chamber substations incorporated into a new development. This style of construction is commonplace today, particularly in high density urban areas.
EnergyAustralia's older substations range from very finely detailed to very plain and functional.
The early government-run electrical authorities were aware of the need to make substations in residential areas attractive and in keeping with the surroundings, and an architect joined the substation design area of Sydney County Council in 1936. By contrast, the modern trend is to make substations essentially invisible, through incorporating them into larger buildings, placing them wholly underground or within anonymous small steel boxes which tend to be ignored in urban environments. The exception to this continues to be the zone substations and high voltage switchyards, which continue to require large buildings or areas of land to house equipment.
Historically, better quality buildings tended to be reserved for what the MCS referred to as "high class" suburbs (particularly Woollahra and Mosman) while middle- and working-class suburbs generally received much simpler, functional buildings. Designs tended to be reused, sometimes with only minimal variation. There are also marked stylistic differences between substations constructed by government as opposed to those constructed by the Electric Light and Power Supply Corporation (ELPSC) throughout the first half of the 20th century. The ELPSC substations tend to be functionalist brick boxes with only the slightest degree of architectural detailing or ornamentation, whereas the substations constructed by municipalities, while often reusing the same underlying design with minor variation, tend to be more finely detailed and in many instances are designed to match the architecture of the surrounding area. This may reflect the different nature of the competing priorities of a private as opposed to a government enterprise. A number of former ELPSC structures exist within the EnergyAustralia network. [1]
Electricity Substation No. 349 is an Interwar Mediterranean style building with an element of Spanish Mission style. It is a single gable roofed building with a symmetrical gable wall which has a single large arched doorway surmounted by an elaborate plaster ornament. One side wall has a personnel door and a raised gable roofed ventilation turret with simulated windows, balcony and ornamental ironwork, and decorative arch motifs forming the supporting brackets. The ventilation panels are formed by curved concrete or ceramic blocks set into what are window spaces for metal louvres in other similar designs. The substation is constructed in load-bearing brick and finished with a smooth layer of stucco. The roof is curved ceramic tile. Curved ceramic or concrete blocks form ventilation panels in the side walls. [1]
As at 18 October 2007, the condition of the building was generally good. Downpipes discharge to ground. [1] The exterior is architecturally intact. Internal equipment has been completely altered. [1]
Gutters and downpipes replaced. Modern chain wire fences. [1]
As at 25 October 2007, Electricity Substation No 349, Randwick, is significant at state level as an aesthetically distinctive, finely detailed, unusually large, and highly intact example of an Interwar Mediterranean style substation with elements of Spanish Mission style. [1]
The substation was designed by the City Architect's Office of the Municipal Council of Sydney and built c. 1930 to distribute power to consumers in response to the strong residential growth in the surrounding suburbs in the 1920s and 1930s. [1]
It is a fine example of the high standard of work of the City Architect's Office of the Sydney Municipal Council, which was conscious of the need to erect substations suitable to the urban environment of the time. It demonstrates the Council's express policy of constructing finely designed buildings in areas it considered to be "high class" suburbs and is testament to the past creative endeavour of electricity providers in applying architectural values to utilitarian structures. [1]
It is the largest and most intact of this style of distribution substation and remains in service for its original purpose. [1]
Electricity Substation No. 349 was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 May 2008 having satisfied the following criteria. [1]
The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales.
Electricity Substation No. 349, Randwick, is significant at the local level both for its association with a significant historical phase, in the major expansion of electricity provision to Sydney's rapidly developing eastern suburbs in the 1920s and 1930s, and in demonstrating the continuity of historical activity in the provision of electricity. Substation No. 349, Randwick is historically important as a component of the electricity distribution network which delivered electrical power to consumers in Sydney's rapidly developing eastern suburbs. As at 2007, the substation continued to serve its original function within Sydney's electricity network. [1]
The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history.
Electricity substation No. 349, Randwick is significant at state level for its association with the work of Walter Frederick White (ARIA), City Architect's Office, Municipal Council of Sydney and its successor organisation, Sydney County Council, where White worked between c. 1924 and c. 1947. It is the best known example to date (2007) of White's design for electrical substations. White is known to have been responsible for the substantial and sympathetic 1929 extensions to the Interwar Art Nouveau/Art Deco styled Auburn Zone Substation No. 167 and for the design of the Waverley Zone Substation No. 269, Bondi (1928) which is also in the Interwar Mediterranean/Spanish Mission styles and is the largest substation (and only zone substation) to be designed in this style. Further research should reveal additional surviving substations built by the Municipal Council of Sydney and Sydney County Council that can be attributed to W. F. White. [1]
The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.
Electricity substation No. 349, Randwick, is significant at state level as an aesthetically distinctive, unusually large, unusually well detailed and rare example of a purpose-designed and built Interwar Mediterranean/Spanish Mission style substation. The substation is a fine example of the high standard of work of the City Architect's Office of the Sydney Municipal Council, which was conscious of the need to erect substations suitable to the urban environment of the time. It demonstrates the Council's express policy of constructing finely designed buildings in areas it considered to be "high class" suburbs and is testament to the past creative endeavour of electricity providers in applying architectural values to utilitarian structures. It is similar in design to the larger, less detailed Waverley Zone Substation No. 269, Bondi. Both substations were designed by the WF White, City Architect's Office, Municipal Council of Sydney in the Mediterranean/Spanish Mission style. Electricity Substation No. 349, Randwick, is the most intact of the Spanish Mission styled substations in Sydney. [1]
The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
The site does not meet this criterion. [1]
The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.
The site does not meet this criterion. Internal equipment has been completely altered over the life of the building. [1]
The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.
Electricity Substation No. 349, Randwick, is significant at state level as the only distribution substation built in the Interwar Mediterranean/Spanish Mission styles with such a fine level of detail that also remains intact, in original condition, and retains all of its architectural detail (which is often missing on substations from this period). Electricity Substation No. 349, Randwick, shares stylistic similarities with the following four distribution substations (all in Sydney's eastern suburbs) that were built by the Municipal Council of Sydney (MCS) or Sydney County Council (SCC) between 1929 and 1939:
These four substations are assessed on EnergyAustralia's section 170 Heritage and Conservation Register 2007 as being significant at the local level. They are all smaller, less detailed and less intact structures than Electricity Substation No. 349, Randwick. [1]
The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural or natural places/environments in New South Wales.
Electricity Substation No. 349, Randwick, is significant at state level as typical, in terms of function, within the electricity network. It is, however, unusually large and well detailed for a distribution substation. [1]
Randwick is a suburb in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Randwick is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Randwick. The postcode is 2031.
The City of Randwick is a local government area in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia located south-east of the CBD. Established in 1859, Randwick is the second-oldest local government area in New South Wales, after the City of Sydney. It comprises an area of 36 square kilometres (14 sq mi) and as at the 2016 census had a population of 140,660.
The Sydney County Council (SCC) was formed in 1935 to produce electricity and operate the electricity network in a number of municipalities in metropolitan Sydney. Unlike other New South Wales county councils, which were voluntary associations of local councils to undertake local government activities permitted or required of them by the Local Governnment Act 1919, Sydney County Council was established under a separate piece of legislation by the state government to perform the electricity distribution and streetlighting operations of the local government areas concerned. On its establishment it assumed control of the Electricity Department of the Sydney City Council, which was already supplying electricity to other municipalities. In 1952, the SCC lost most its electricity generation functions to the Electricity Commission of New South Wales and retained only its distribution functions. The SCC was merged with other municipal county councils in 1990 to form Sydney Electricity.
The Ritz Cinema, also known as the Ritz Theatre, is a heritage-listed cinema located at 43 St Pauls Street, in the Sydney suburb of Randwick in the City of Randwick local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Aaron Bolot and built in 1937 by C. & B. J. Williams. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The architect, Aaron Bolot, is known for his classic art deco buildings throughout Sydney, such as his commissions for grand apartment buildings in Potts Point.
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St. David's Road Depot is a heritage-listed former electricity substation at 11 St Davids Road, Haberfield, Inner West Council, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1931. It is also known as the former ELPSC Substation; former Substation No.1518. and the Relay Test Centre. The property is owned by Ausgrid. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
Electricity Substation No. 167 is a heritage-listed electrical substation at 93 Parramatta Road, Auburn, Cumberland Council, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed and built from 1924 to 1929 by the Municipal Council of Sydney, with the City Architect being responsible for the design. It is also known as #167 'AUBURN' 33KV ZONE SUBSTATION. The property is owned by Ausgrid. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 May 2008.
The Balgowlah Substation is a heritage-listed former electrical substation and now child care centre located at 83 Griffiths Street, Balgowlah, Northern Beaches Council, New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1928. It is also known as #15003 Balgowlah 33KV Zone Substation. The property is owned by Ausgrid, a privately owned energy utility company. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Manly Substation is a heritage-listed electrical substation located at 34a-36 Whistler Street, Manly, Northern Beaches Council, New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1945. It is also known as #15009 Manly 33Kv Zone/Residential Unit. The property is owned by Ausgrid, a privately owned energy utility company. The substation was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
Sewage Pumping Station 38 is a heritage-listed sewerage pumping station located on General Holmes Drive, in the Sydney suburb of Mascot, in the Bayside Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed and built by the Metropolitan Water Sewerage and Drainage Board. It is also known as SPS 38, Mascot Sewage Pumping Station and SP0038. The pumping station is owned by Sydney Water, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 18 November 1999.
Electricity Substation No. 269 is a heritage-listed electrical substation located at 36 Anglesea Street, Bondi, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Walter Frederick White, City Architect's Office and Municipal Council of Sydney and built in 1928 by the Municipal Council of Sydney. The property is owned by Ausgrid. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 May 2008.
Paddington Substation is a heritage-listed electrical substation built in 1926 and located at 1 Young Street, Paddington in the Municipality of Woollahra local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It is also known as Substation #342 Paddington 33Kv Zone. The property is owned by Ausgrid, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Electricity Power House is a heritage-listed electrical substation located at 23 Albany Street, Crows Nest, North Sydney Council, New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1927. It is also known as Electricity Sub-Station No. 187. The property is owned by Ausgrid, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Cammeray Substation is a heritage-listed electrical substation at 143 Bellevue Street, Cammeray, North Sydney Council, New South Wales, Australia. It was built during 1915. It is also known as Substation - Bellevue, Cammeray and #77 Pine Street. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Electricity Substation No. 341 is a heritage-listed Electrical substation at 60 Bundock Lane, Randwick, City of Randwick, New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1929. It is also known as #341 Randwick 33Kv Zone and Canberra Street substation. The property is owned by Ausgrid, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The substation was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Randwick Presbyterian Church is a heritage-listed Presbyterian church building located at 162 Alison Road in the Sydney suburb of Randwick in the City of Randwick local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The church was designed by Sir John Sulman and built from 1889 to 1890 by George Gale. The property is owned by the Randwick Presbyterian Church and was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 8 May 2008.
The Randwick Post Office is a heritage-listed former post office located at 124 Alison Road in the Sydney suburb of Randwick in the City of Randwick local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The former post office was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon in his capacity as NSW Government Architect and was built from 1897 to 1898 by W. B. Chessell. It is also known as Randwick Post Office (former) and Jubilee Fountain. The property is owned by Australia Post (Federal Government). It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 23 June 2000.
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The Argyle Street Railway Substation is a heritage-listed railway electric substation located at Trinity Avenue, in the inner city Sydney suburb of Millers Point in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1932 by Dorman, Long and Co. It is also known as Sydney Harbour Bridge Substation. The property is owned by RailCorp, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
This Wikipedia article was originally based on Electricity Substation No. 349 , entry number 01792 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence , accessed on 2 June 2018.