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Atlas Building, Perth

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Atlas Building
Atlas Building front and side, 2017
TypeIndividual Building or Group
Location8-10 The Esplanade, Perth, Western Australia
Built1930 - 1931
ArchitectMargaret Pitt Morison
Architectural style(s)Inter-War Free Classical
Governing bodyCity of Perth
Official namePhoenix Building
Designated9 February 1996
Reference no.01975

The Atlas Building (also known as the Phoenix Building) is a five-storey building located at the corner of Sherwood Court and The Esplanade in Perth, Western Australia. 95 percent of the material used in the building is Australian, and 80 percent Western Australian.[1] During World War II, it was sturdy enough to be considered a reasonably safe shelter in the event of an air raid.[2]

History

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Plans for construction began on 9 July 1929 as an office for the British insurance company and the building's namesake, The Atlas Assurance Company, which in turned was named after the Greek god Atlas. Opened on 28 April 1931 by Governor William Campion, The West Australian at the time deemed it "a handsome addition to the architecture of Perth".[1] A statue of Atlas supporting the world once crowned the top of the building as the company's logo. The statue was eventually removed in 1969 due to ongoing maintenance issues. The statue still exists on the ground floor however, and there are plans to build a replica of the statue which will soon be placed on top of the building.[3] It was listed as a WA heritage site on 9 February 1996 as a rare example of a building created during the 1930s made up of mostly Western Australian materials.

Notable Occupants

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Atlas Assurance Company, 1931 - 1949[4]
Perth Road Board, 1932 - 1939[4]
A.B. Webb School of Art, 1937 - 1944[4]
Women's Australian Nation Service (WANS), 1941 - 1946[4]
Museum of Perth, 2015 - current

See Also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "The Atlas Building. A Handsome Facade". The West Australian. 2 May 1931. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  2. ^ "Where To Go". The Daily News. 18 February 1942. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Coming Soon: Atlas Statue". Museum of Perth. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d "A History of the Atlas Building". Museum of Perth. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
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Perth Category:History of Perth, Western Australia