- Nauru House
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Nauru House 
General information Type office Location Melbourne, Australia Coordinates 37°48′48″S 144°58′15″E / 37.81333°S 144.97083°ECoordinates: 37°48′48″S 144°58′15″E / 37.81333°S 144.97083°E Completed 1977 Height Antenna spire 190 m (620 ft) Roof 183 m (600 ft) Technical details Floor count 52 Floor area 50,500 m2 (544,000 sq ft) Design and construction Architect Perrott Lyon Timlock & Kesa Nauru House (also called 80 Collins Street[1]) is a landmark 52-story building located in the Melbourne CBD. The building was designed by architectural firm Perrott Lyon Timlock & Kesa
Contents
History
The land the building sits on was bought in 1972 at a price of A$19 million by the government of the Republic of Nauru as an international investment.[2] Nauru, which had become incredibly wealthy thanks to the selling of phosphate, began the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust (NPRT) to re-invest profits in international real-estate.[3]
Controversy was stirred when construction began in 1972, as the government of Nauru decided to raze two buildings with "high heritage value" in order to have the building face the desirable Collins Street, and thus, a Collins Street address. Even amid public outcry, the historic buildings were torn down to make way for construction.
Following decades of mismanagement, corruption, and spiralling loans to General Electric, estimated to amount to approximately A$227 million, the NPRT was forced to sell off its international assets to pay loans.[4][5] Nauru House is now owned by QIC after purchasing the building for $A140 million in December 2004.[6]
Facade
Between 1994 and 1996, the Nauru House went under a facelift to replace the former pebble-concrete facade of the building with new, matte-gray aluminium siding. 12,000 feet of aluminium was used.
Records
Following the building's completion, it was the tallest building in Melbourne until 1980.
Facts
- Built: 1972 - 1977
- Address: 80 Collins Street
- Height to roof: 183 m
- Height to pinnacle: 190 m
- Number of floors : 52[7]
- Total floor space: 50,500 m2
See also
References
- ^ "Nauru House". Emporis.com. http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=108427. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
- ^ Shepherd, Dick (4 February 1972). "Hotel men expected to press for Govt. aid". The Age. http://news.google.com.au/newspapers?id=2eFUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0JADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6710,571748&hl=en. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- ^ McKenzie, Greg (11 March 1976). "Giddy limit in tall storeys". The Age: p. 16. http://news.google.com.au/newspapers?id=hvxUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=V5IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7147,2568278&hl=en. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- ^ Clausen, Lisa (18 May 2004). "Can Nauru Stay Afloat?". Time Magazine. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,639604,00.html. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- ^ Westerman, Helen (24 August 2004). "Nauru House expected to fade away". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/08/23/1093246442266.html. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- ^ Westerman, Helen (8 April 2005). "Nauru moves out of Melbourne with $9.9m sale". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/news/Business/Nauru-moves-out-of-Melbourne-with-99m-sale/2005/04/07/1112815667534.html. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- ^ Day, Norman (20 April 1977). "Nauru's new ill-mannered house". The Age: p. 2. http://news.google.com.au/newspapers?id=5vFUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ipIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6953,4942177&hl=en. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
External links
List of tallest buildings in Australia Next Shortest AMP Centre
188mNext Tallest Suncorp Place
193mHeights are to highest architectural element. List of tallest buildings in Melbourne Next Shortest Collins Place
185mNext Tallest Freshwater Place
205mHeights are to highest architectural element. Categories:- Skyscrapers in Melbourne
- Buildings and structures completed in 1977
- Skyscrapers between 150 and 199 meters
- History of Nauru
- Office buildings in Melbourne
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