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Heritage Livingnational TRust of South AustraliaAdvocacy: 325 Wakefield StreetMore Heritage At RiskD.A. Beaumont325 WAKEFIELD STREET ADELAIDE.It was just seven months ago on a clear sunnyday that Pulteney Grammar School demolished ina matter of a few hours, a significant 1873 twostoreybluestone grand residential mansion facingthe parklands on South Terrace. The result wasthat, yet again another classic Adelaide buildingwas erased for all time, from our collectivememory. For those that watched it coming down,the tragedy of another building marker beingdisengaged from us was most regrettable andespecially so for anyone who cares about theinexorably diminishing stock of such houses. Ithappened despite a vigorous and determinedpublic campaign from the National Trust andmany other concerned and well informedparties, including irate members of the Pulteneycommunity. It happened despite the previouslydocumented heritage, streetscape and amenityvalues of the building being raised.Now a similar situation is arising with a propertyat 321-325 Wakefield Street.The 1882 two-storey bluestone building isoccupied by Bernard Booth, and is used by him ashis real estate offices.• In 2009 an application to demolish thebuilding and construct apartments was lodgedby a company owned by Bernard Booth.The proposed development was to a plandesigned by Danvers Cultural Landscapes.Above: Part of drawing dated July 1882, by architect/engineer Carl Gustav Joachimi (1826-1892). Scale 1/8” = 1’0”.Builder: Gustav Kleingunther.Source: from a full set of original drawings held by theState Library of SA PRG 880.The developmentapplication, No.DA/240/2009, isavailable for viewingat the AdelaideCity Counciloffices. In January2010 the National Trust lodged an objectionto the development application togetherwith a request to be heard by the Council’sDevelopment Assessment Panel. The NationalTrust objection raises serious doubts aboutthe compliance of the development with theCouncil’s Planning guidelines, in particular theprincipal requirement that the RA 1 Zone; ‘becharacterised by large residential buildings.’• Then last month, in February, a submissionwas lodged by descendants of the originalowners, the Langhans family, with theDepartment of Environment & Heritage forthe building to be included on the Register ofState Heritage items.• More recently on 25th February MinisterHolloway released the Development PlanAmendment for Adelaide’s new Local Heritagelist and the Booth property was included onthat list. That list is available on-line now.The Council’s Local Heritage Survey was carriedout in 2008-2009 by Donovan and Associates.Of the criteria for Local Heritage listing therelevant ones selected by Donovan and acceptedby the Council and the Minister for Booth’sWakefield Street property are:(a) it displays historical, economic or socialthemes that are of importance to the localarea.(d) it displays aesthetic merit, designcharacteristics or construction techniques ofsignificance to the local area.The National Trust is hopeful that the inclusion ofBooth’s property on the Local Heritage list will beof some assistance in saving it from demolition.However Booth’s development applicationpreceded the release of the Local Heritage list.The Local Heritage list has been in preparationfor three years and the timing of the lodgementof Booth’s development provides a stark warningof the consequences of such delays to Heritageitems awaiting protection.To meet the criteria for State Heritage listing therepage 14
Left: 1886 photo of members of the Langhans family at the front of the dwellingthey occupied, 325 Wakefield Street the eastern dwelling, the western side (321)was rented to tenants. Note the unusual verandah design with paired posts and lacework to the upper level and a deep timber valence to the lower verandah as well theoriginal fence is strikingly complimentary.Langhans Family Collection - Ron Langhans.Heritage Livingnational TRust of South AustraliaAdvocacy: 325 Wakefield Street continuedhas been considerable detailed research by theNational Trust and the Langhans family to justifythe building being listed as an item of StateHeritage. This research has revealed material thatis both novel and more extensive than thatcontained in Donovan & Associates ‘Brief HistoricalBackground’ supporting the Local Heritage listing(see p. 385-387 of their Survey – visit ).A short synopsis of the relevant information that theNTSA and the Langhans family believe adequatelymeets the criteria for State listing is as follows:The Langhans House was designed by GustavJoachimi (born Hanover Germany 1826, arrived inMelbourne in 1854, died Perth WA 1899). Joachimipracticed as an architect/engineer in Melbourneand Adelaide. Joachimi worked with the renownedcolonial architect William Wardell. Some of thesignificant works in Victoria that Joachimi iscredited with are; Pentridge Gaol, BeechworthPrison, parts of the Old Melbourne Gaol, formerObservatory, Victoria Barracks on St. Kilda Road,the Ararat Courthouse and the YackandandahMining Court. As well Joachimi was a teacher atthe Artisans School of Design in Melbourne andwas also known as an inventor.It is not known, as yet, why he came to Adelaidebut it seems most likely that it was because of aGerman connection or maybe the promise of workas it is known that he was ‘let go’ by the PublicWorks Department in Melbourne.Joachimi was established in offices in RundleStreet Adelaide by 1876 and was very active hereuntil ca. 1890. Amongst his known works are manyhouses, a shopping arcade in Rundle Street, adesign submitted for the architectural competitionfor the first University of Adelaide building (theMitchell Building), a large market development atPort Adelaide for Richard Vaughan of the East EndMarket Co., supervising architect for the GermanClub in Pirie Street, Marlborough Chambers inWaymouth Street, and the design of OchiltreeHouse on East Terrace has been attributed to him.A son of the original owner of 325 WakefieldStreet, J.F.D. Langhans (1832-1892), was AlbertWilhelm Langhans (1883-1964). Albert Langhansgraduated in architecture at Cologne University.Albert returned to Adelaide and was employedin the important architectural practice of AlfredWells Grenfell Street. Later Albert becamea sole practitioner. As a sole practitioner hewas responsible for a variety of architecturalcommissions such as; work for St. StephensLutheran Church Wakefield Street, extensivealterations and additions to ‘The Cedars’ for (Sir)Hans Heysen, a major redevelopment of QueltallerHouse in Gilbert Place, Adelaide for Buring &Sobels, and an impressive monument to CarlLinger (composer of the ‘Song of Australia’) inWest Terrace Cemetery.Albert Langhans was the last member of thefamily to occupy 321-325 Wakefield Street and itwas sold from his estate in 1964 ending 81 yearsof ownership.The structure itself represents a prime exampleof an 1880’s boom time pair of attached dwellingsbuilt for investment and occupation. The survivalof this type of building is now extremely rare inthe south-east corner of Adelaide. Each househas six main rooms over two floors plus cellar.There is a gross building area of approx. 483 sq.m. Interestingly the houses, rather than being onthe street frontage like so many row dwellingswere, are set back within the boundaries therebyallowing for garden spaces all round.The original verandah as seen in the illustration hasunfortunately been removed and the replacementverandah appears to be in poor condition.The Langhans family have extensive connectionsin the area, particularly with their immediateneighbours to the east, the Bonythons, whosehouse has been heritage listed previously. TheLanghans were also well connected to Adelaide’sGerman community.Any further supporting evidence and detailson 321-325 Wakefield Street will be gratefullyreceived to help enable the application for Statelisting to be successful.To inspect the files on the property and the currentsubmissions please contact David Beaumont atthe National Trust office.In the meantime, the National Trust urges allmembers to support the 84 properties listedin the ‘City Heritage and CharacterResidential and Main Street(Hutt) Development PlanAmendment’ which will be openfor public comment shortly.right:325 Wakefield Street (current).Photo Marcus Beresford.page 15
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