There are leaks at The Lodge, but they are not of the political variety, more the bathroom, plumbing and roofing kind. The Lodge, the official residence of the Australian Prime Minister, is a building of heritage significance and is about to undergo major renovation work.
The Lodge was built in the 1920’s as an example of Colonial revival architecture with Georgian details. Australia’s Prime Ministers have been housed there since its completion in 1927. As is to be expected with any property of that age, however, The Lodge has fallen into disrepair and is undergoing extensive renovations. Renovations that have the added constraints that come with a heritage listing.
Leaks at The Lodge
It is not only leaky bathrooms, but plumbing, and rewiring that need to be completed. Those words can be scary enough on their own but here at JEDI Plumbing we know that when applied to a culturally significant, heritage listed building, they can become a recipe for plumber and electrician nightmares.
The Extent of Required Works
The work at The Lodge includes:
*Roofing repairs – the slate roof needs to be replaced. In the process any structural issues with the timber roof frames need to be rectified. The roof will be insulated and the guttering needs to be replaced. In addition to this, there are now redundant services in the roof void, mainly old services for hot water, which need to be removed.
*Complete re-wiring
*Substandard plumbing requires repair
*A fire protection system needs to be installed
*Hazardous materials need to be removed
*The heating and cooling systems will be upgraded including the installation of a more energy efficient centralised system of air conditioning.
*Leaking bathrooms are also in need of repair.
The Refurbishment Project
This work is absolutely necessary, not just for comfort, but because the building is not currently compliant with WHS (Work, Health & Safety) guidelines. It is important that the Prime Minister’s residence is compliant with the Building Code.
The building itself is owned and managed by Finance (Department of Finance). That management is undertaken with consideration for the heritage obligations that are an integral part of the property.
Heritage Significance
To understand the heritage significance of this renovation project we need to consider the historical significance of the building. The Lodge was designed by architects Oakley and Parkes, and it is an important example of the architecture used in official residences built around Canberra in the 1920s.
Works by a number of craft specialists and Australian designers are housed at The Lodge. The original interiors were designed by Ruth Lane-Poole.
It is not only the building and the architecture that are of heritage significance but also a substantial part of the grounds. Landscape designer Charles Weston was responsible for the estate landscape which contains some rare landscape design.
It is therefore important that the grounds and interiors, not just the look and feel of the building itself, are protected during any refurbishment work.
Renovating Heritage Listed Buildings
It is a common misconception though that no work can be undertaken on heritage listed buildings – this is neither true nor practical. Heritage buildings must retain their look and feel but there is scope for change when it comes to functionality.
Here at JEDI, we know that the greatest flexibility when renovating a heritage listed building is applied in terms of making them usable and safe.
Scope is given in the regulations governing heritage listed buildings, like The Lodge, to allow for more modern plumbing and newer, better bathrooms. One of the greatest concerns we believe is in protecting the current fixtures and features of the building’s interior, especially in the case of a property like The Lodge where obviously every aspect has significance to our country’s history.
This large restoration and refurbishment project has been approved by Finance, to not just return the property to her former glory, but to improve her safety, making her compliant with building codes and WHS. If only all leaks in Canberra were so easy to fix!