A view of the large rose window on the eastern wall of Winthrop Hall at The University of Western Australia. Inside the hall, the rose window is a focal point above the dais. Rose windows were popular decorative features of Romanesque and especially Gothic architecture in England and Europe by the thirteenth century.
About Winthrop Hall:
Winthrop Hall was designed by Melbourne architect Rodney Alsop. It was built in a Romanesque style, typified by its rounded arches, columns, arcading, sturdy walls (they are 9ft thick) and large square tower. The architect described the style as being of Italian ancestry, but notably “anglicised and adapted to the local conditions” (See Western Mail, 21 April 1932, pp.14: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38891565). Winthrop Hall, Hackett Hall to its east, and the Great Gate and the Arts and Administration Building to its west were designed and built together as a group of University Buildings. They were funded by a bequest from The University of Western Australia’s first Chancellor, Sir John Winthrop Hackett (1848-1916), and were officially opened at a ceremony on 13 April 1932. Based on photographs taken by Rodney Alsop, Winthrop Hall’s architect, in Italy in 1925, the design for the rose window is likely to be based on one at the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi. (See R. J. Ferguson, Crawley Campus: The Planning and Architecture of the University of Western Australia, University of Western Australia Press, Perth, 1993, p.41).The Basilica of San Francesco was built between 1228 and 1253. For an image of its rose window, visit: http://www.therosewindow.com/index-rose2.htm]]>A view of the large rose window on the eastern wall of Winthrop Hall at The University of Western Australia. Inside the hall, the rose window is a focal point above the dais. Rose windows were popular decorative features of Romanesque and especially Gothic architecture in England and Europe by the thirteenth century.
About Winthrop Hall:
Winthrop Hall was designed by Melbourne architect Rodney Alsop. It was built in a Romanesque style, typified by its rounded arches, columns, arcading, sturdy walls (they are 9ft thick) and large square tower. The architect described the style as being of Italian ancestry, but notably “anglicised and adapted to the local conditions” (See Western Mail, 21 April 1932, pp.14: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38891565). Winthrop Hall, Hackett Hall to its east, and the Great Gate and the Arts and Administration Building to its west were designed and built together as a group of University Buildings. They were funded by a bequest from The University of Western Australia’s first Chancellor, Sir John Winthrop Hackett (1848-1916), and were officially opened at a ceremony on 13 April 1932. Based on photographs taken by Rodney Alsop, Winthrop Hall’s architect, in Italy in 1925, the design for the rose window is likely to be based on one at the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi. (See R. J. Ferguson, Crawley Campus: The Planning and Architecture of the University of Western Australia, University of Western Australia Press, Perth, 1993, p.41).The Basilica of San Francesco was built between 1228 and 1253. For an image of its rose window, visit: http://www.therosewindow.com/index-rose2.htmConstruction of the buildings began soon after, and Winthrop Hall was officially opened in April 1932. Alsop and Sayce began the project together, although Alsop was the senior architect and assumed responsibility for all correspondence about the project, but fell out in the process and Sayce left before the buildings were completed. One of their disagreements centred on Alsop’s replacement of the original clock tower with an Italian style campanile. For more information, see R. J. Ferguson, Crawley Campus: The Planning and Architecture of The University of Western Australia, (University of Western Australia Press, Perth, 1993), pp. 24-33.
]]>In 1926, an architectural competition invited new designs for Winthrop Hall and the Hackett Memorial Buildings at The University of Western Australia. A bequest by the University’s first Chancellor, Sir John Winthrop Hackett, had provided £150,000 for this purpose. This article from the West Australian informs readers of the competition’s outcome. It identifies Melbourne architects Rodney Alsop and Conrad Sayce as the winners, Donald H. McMorran from Harrow-on-the-Hill as the first runner-up and Gummer and Ford from Auckland as the second runner-up. The article reports that 51 designs had been considered by the panel, which was comprised of Professor Leslie Wilkinson, Professor of Architecture, Mr A. R. L. Wright, President of the Royal Institute of Architects of Western Australia and Dr Athelson Saw, the Chancellor of the University, and that they had particularly commended the general layout and the design for the great hall, the loggia and the tower in the winning design. The conditions of the competition had stipulated that the winner would be employed as the architect for the project unless the adjudicators in consultation with the Senators objected. During this discussion, Professor Ross asked what style the winning design represented. Professor Wilkinson is reported to have answered “it is in the style which our grandsons will call ‘Early Western Australian Renaissance’.”
Construction of the buildings began soon after, and Winthrop Hall was officially opened in April 1932. Alsop and Sayce began the project together, although Alsop was the senior architect and assumed responsibility for all correspondence about the project, but fell out in the process and Sayce left before the buildings were completed. One of their disagreements centred on Alsop’s replacement of the original clock tower with an Italian style campanile. For more information, see R. J. Ferguson, Crawley Campus: The Planning and Architecture of The University of Western Australia, (University of Western Australia Press, Perth, 1993), pp. 24-33.
Newspaper Article:
About Winthrop Hall:
Winthrop Hall was designed by Melbourne architect Rodney Alsop. It was built in a Romanesque style, typified by its rounded arches, columns, arcading, sturdy walls (they are 9ft thick) and large square tower. The architect described the style as being of Italian ancestry, but notably “anglicised and adapted to the local conditions” (See Western Mail, 21 April 1932, pp.14: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38891565). Winthrop Hall, Hackett Hall to its east, and the Great Gate and the Arts and Administration Building to its west were designed and built together as a group of University Buildings. They were funded by a bequest from The University of Western Australia’s first Chancellor, Sir John Winthrop Hackett (1848-1916), and were officially opened at a ceremony on 13 April 1932. Based on photographs taken by Rodney Alsop, Winthrop Hall’s architect, in Italy in 1925, the design for the rose window is likely to be based on one at the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi. (See R. J. Ferguson, Crawley Campus: The Planning and Architecture of the University of Western Australia, University of Western Australia Press, Perth, 1993, p.41).The Basilica of San Francesco was built between 1228 and 1253. For an image of its rose window, visit: http://www.therosewindow.com/index-rose2.htm]]>A view of the large rose window on the eastern wall of Winthrop Hall at The University of Western Australia. Inside the hall, the rose window is a focal point above the dais. Rose windows were popular decorative features of Romanesque and especially Gothic architecture in England and Europe by the thirteenth century.
About Winthrop Hall:
Winthrop Hall was designed by Melbourne architect Rodney Alsop. It was built in a Romanesque style, typified by its rounded arches, columns, arcading, sturdy walls (they are 9ft thick) and large square tower. The architect described the style as being of Italian ancestry, but notably “anglicised and adapted to the local conditions” (See Western Mail, 21 April 1932, pp.14: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38891565). Winthrop Hall, Hackett Hall to its east, and the Great Gate and the Arts and Administration Building to its west were designed and built together as a group of University Buildings. They were funded by a bequest from The University of Western Australia’s first Chancellor, Sir John Winthrop Hackett (1848-1916), and were officially opened at a ceremony on 13 April 1932. Based on photographs taken by Rodney Alsop, Winthrop Hall’s architect, in Italy in 1925, the design for the rose window is likely to be based on one at the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi. (See R. J. Ferguson, Crawley Campus: The Planning and Architecture of the University of Western Australia, University of Western Australia Press, Perth, 1993, p.41).The Basilica of San Francesco was built between 1228 and 1253. For an image of its rose window, visit: http://www.therosewindow.com/index-rose2.htm