Saturday, May 8, 2010

Duncan House - Launceston

Duncan House in Launceston is considered to be Launceston's first commercial Art Deco building.  Designed by well known Architect Colin Philp in 1934, the building has a wonderful mix of Gothic and Art Deco details.  The detailing continues on through the main hallway entrance. 

Colin Philp designed many commercial and residential homes throughout Launceston and in Tasmania, including his own home in Launceston which is quite different to his client based deco/modern buildings. Philp went onto design many buildings in Hobart, and his early works in Launceston visually demonstrate an Architect who designed buildings that were more English Arts & Crafts in style to later designing Art Deco and Streamline Moderne in Launceston and later in Hobart.

2 comments:

  1. What an extraordinary design - Deco and Gothic, seemlessly mixed. Even Arts and crafts, when called upon :)

    Now I have the solution to Tasmania's issue with undervalued and underprotected architecture. This weekend Ballarat had its annual Heritage Weekend where volunteer guides took squillions of visitors through their treasures. The two days were a huge success!

    I am exhausted but spouse and I toured the Art Gallery, Her Majesty's Theatre, The Old Colonists Club, Ballarat Synagogue of 1861, two Victorian churches, the railway complex and a Chinese centre.

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  2. Thanks for your comments Helen. The building is certainly a very interesting building. The Tasmanian Heritage Festival is running throughout this month and there have been several walks planned around Tasmania that explore the states modernist and often underrepresented gems.

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About the project

Join me (Thomas Ryan Photography) on a photographic project documenting Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism from the 1930's to the 1980's. The entire project gallery of 1000+ images and counting can be viewed on my website www.tryanphotos.com under art projects. I have been undertaking this project for over a decade.

My portfolio of commercial and art projects can be seen on my website www.tryanphotos.com and I can be contacted here as well. All photographs are copyright of Thomas Ryan Photography. Unauthorised use is prohibited. Contact me for all enquires

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