The Architectural Value and History of The Royal Exhibition Building

The Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton, Melbourne is an iconic building that was first constructed for the international exhibition held in 1880. Designed by Architect Joseph Reed of Reed and Barnes, the hall was originally surrounded by an array of annexes, with one of the annexes housing Melbourne’s first aquarium. His grand design was influenced by Rundbogenstil, a round-arched architectural style that combines elements from Byzantine, Romanesque, Lombardic and Italian Renaissance buildings and the design for the dome was influenced by Brunelleschi’s 15th-century cathedral in Florence.Decorative mouldings and architectural features abound. This magnificent building has served the city of Melbourne in many guises.

Original building with annexes.

In 1901, the western annexe was converted to accommodate the Parliament of Victoria. In 1912 the Great Hall was the venue for the first Victorian Motor Exhibition, featuring parts, oils and the latest in imported vehicles. Seven years later the Great Hall was commandeered to be a hospital during the Spanish Influenza pandemic. Home Shows, first held in 1936, were popular with Melburnians, keen to see the latest trends in home and garden design. The Melbourne International Garden Show is still held at the Exhibition building and surrounding gardens annually.

Floral exhibits in the Great Hall.

The first exhibitions of the Australian War Memorial were held in one of the annexes and trainee technicians from the Royal Australian Air Force were actually housed in the Great Hall during the Second World War.

Following decades in which the building was used as a venue for charity dances, state receptions, musical pageants, evangelist missions and balls it became dilapidated and neglected with little consideration given to its historical value. In 1985 restoration work commenced and in the 1990s the building came under the care of Museum Victoria. It became World Heritage listed on 1 July 2004, after a rigorous international assessment process by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. As the only 19^th century Great Hall to survive largely intact, still being in its original landscape setting, and used as an exhibition and event venue to this day, it is of enormous architectural value to the people of Melbourne.

 

 

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Pier Caps Create A Grand Style On The Streestcape

The Finishing Touch manufactures and prepares pier caps for both builders and landscapers in a range of styles:

Edwardian

Victorian

Georgian

French

French Small

French Modern

Plain

A builder in Brighton is being supplied with French Modern pier caps and wall capping in the same style for a new home being built on a block where the old home has been demolished. 18 Plain pier caps are also being supplied to a builder in Shepparton. The Finishing Touch can also supply rectangular pier caps or custom make them to suit your individual piers. Pier cap decorative mouldings give a complete finish to your building’s fencing, creating a grand style on the streetscape and a good impression upon entry to the property.

A post-modern, double storey home of fifty squares in Mt. Waverley is currently under development. The build requires 9.6 metres of parapet, model # P8430, sized 430mmx 335mm, 64.8 metres of parapet, model # P8300, sized 300mm x 235mm, 264 metres of architraves, model # W1100, sized 100mm x 45mm, 48 metres of parapet, model # P8250, sized 250mm x 195mm and 40.8 metres of flatband, model # M27, 250mm x 30mm.

Whatever style of home your next build is the Finishing Touch can supply lightweight, decorative mouldings to complement and enhance the design of the house.  Quality is guaranteed and fixing is easy and effective with the addition of the DAP system supplied by the Finishing Touch.  Including exterior architectural mouldings to residential builds is an easy way to add value and distinction.

 

Finishing Touch Decorative Mouldings And DAP Adhesive System

Finishing Touch Decorative Mouldings.

Apart from supplying lightweight decorative mouldings for new builds the Finishing Touch are sometimes asked to replace decorative mouldings that have been supplied by other suppliers but have failed.  For example, they were once asked to manufacture and install architectural mouldings for a new home because the exterior mouldings that had been installed were not level and didn’t follow the construction lines of the house, with joins visible and the mouldings not meeting. Corners were broken and the previous repairs were poor and patchy. This unfortunate experience for the owners illustrates why builders should take care in selecting their decorative moulding supplier. This was not an isolated incident, the Finishing Touch have been called upon regularly to replace faulty decorative mouldings on homes.

On another project the Finishing Touch were asked to supply decorative mouldings to match and blend with architectural mouldings already installed during the original build. The Finishing Touch were able to match the mouldings and manufacture decorative mouldings that would blend in and complement those already on the house.

To ensure all builders can have confidence in the adherence of lightweight decorative mouldings on their builds the Finishing Touch are now supplying the DAP Touch’n’Seal system.

It’s the fastest moulding install method available with a drying and full grab time of only 3-5 mins (depending on humidity levels). Compared to most other polyurethane foam based products, which take 10 mins or more to dry, this is a faster system  and has been proven to be reliable, strong and long lasting. The DAP Touch’n’Seal system has proven popular with builders since the Finishing Touch began supplying it directly late last year.. It’s fire rated and can also be used for polystyrene foam cladding walls and as a gap filler around cables and pipes on building sites.

Australia Wide Finishing Touch Decorative Mouldings

The word has got out!  Finishing Touch decorative mouldings are easy to install, high quality and last a long time. Orders are flowing in from all around Australia.

A two storey, post-modern luxury home of 120 Squares situated on a cliff top with stunning views is being built by an owner/builder at 1690 Boneo Rd, Flinders, Victoria. He is using high quality decorative mouldings – 125 metres of flatband, model # M130, sized 120mm x 30mm and 123 metres of parapet moulding, model P8300, sized 300mm x 235mm to enhance the façade.  Whilst 70 metres of a custom made internal cornice moulding with integrated  lighting will be a feature inside.

Janke Constructions are busy building a two storey, post-modern 60 square house at 12 St. Ives Road, Toowoomba, Queensland. 39 metres of stringer, model # S1R4, sized 90mm x 70mm have been ordered from the Finishing Touch and 3.6 metres of a custom made decorative moulding for the facia of the Romeo & Juliette curved balcony is being manufactured .

Another Queensland construction at Hope Island, a suburb of the Gold Coast, is handsomely finished with architectural decorative mouldings. The 55 squares, post-modern design will feature 79 metres of eave parapet, model # M344, sized 345mm x 300mm, 77 metres of quoining, model # Q300, sized at 320mm x 30mm, 53 metres of parapet moulding, model # M258B, sized at 258mm x 190mm.

All 34 windows will be decoratively finished with 241 metres of window architraves, model # W1100, sized at 100mm x 45mm and 66 metres of window sills, model # WSR1, sized at 140mm x 210mm.

A single storey homestead at Ross Creek, had a simple order for 91.2 metres of quoining, to be cut into 2 separate lengths –  320mm high x 180mm length and 340 mm length, for a stepped effect on the corners of the homestead.