Pratts Warehouse, Cnr Mair & Camp Streets

New Work/Development within a Heritage Area – Finalist

 Owners: B. Taylor, B .Hanrahan & G. Browning

 Architect/Designer: DCG Newline Design

 Builder/Tradesperson: Geoff Beechey & Stuart Menhennet

‘Historically significant in its ability to provide a rare example of a two-storey masonry warehouse of the mid-19th century. In its original form, with pulleys, hooks, and hoists, it exhibits the type of warehouse structure of the day.  Designed by prominent local architect JA Doane in 1869, it is representative of Victorian functional architecture. Pratt's Warehouse is one of the remaining examples of a rough-faced masonry warehouse in Victoria. It is structurally a credit to its architect, because it has stood intact for over 103 years, despite its various uses.  Pratt's Warehouse is also interesting because it is a free-standing corner structure with a double facade. The facade is also notable for its unusual false and real chimneys, used to establish the symmetry on the Mair Street side.  It is also a superb example of the fine railway-area warehouses of the century past’.

The owners, architect and builders worked closely with Heritage Victoria and the City of Ballarat’s Heritage Architect to achieve an outstanding conservation outcome that is fully reversible and has no detrimental impacts on the heritage significance of the building.  The extension is highly functional and helps to preserve the buildings integrity by housing a number of, what could have been, intrusive elements.