Old Pathology Building Melbourne University

Old Pathology Building
Alternative names	Elisabeth Murdoch Building
General information
Architectural style	English Gothic architecture
Address	Spencer Rd, Parkville campus
Town or city	Melbourne
Country	Australia
Completed	1885
Owner	Melbourne University
Technical details
Floor count	2
Design and construction
Architect	Reed, Henderson & Smart

Old Pathology Building is an educational building, part of Melbourne University’s city campus in Melbourne, Victoria. The building has since been renamed as Elisabeth Murdoch building. It is located on Spencer Road as building number 134, campus reference number F 20.^[1] Built in 1885 by architects Reed, Henderson & Smart.^[2] The Old Pathology Building is of historical and architectural significance to the State of Victoria, due to its example of early English Gothic architecture and its continued use as a university building for over 100 years. Victorian Heritage Register (H0922) - Old Pathology Building (Melbourne University) is protected by state law.^[3]

Description

Built during the Victorian period in the Neo-Gothic style, the old pathology building is a 2-storey education building at Melbourne University’s Parkville campus. A fine example of early English Gothic architecture characterised by the use of lancet arches and attached buttresses.

The choice of a Gothic style came as a request from the university council’s desire that all buildings be built in a consistent architectural style.

The building was originally designed as the new medical school along with the department of anatomy and pathology. The south wing of which was originally constructed in 1885, the building has seen many additions made over the following years.

Classes at the University of Melbourne began in 1853 and in 1862 the university established Australia’s first medical school.^[4] Appointed as professor of anatomy and pathology at the university in 1882, HB Allen oversaw the design process of the new building. His first task was to create a large and efficient museum. Allen built up a collection of thousands of pathology specimens which form the core of the museum.^[5]

HB Allen’s successor, Peter MacCallum, established the Society of Pathology and Experimental Science in 1930.^[6] This included further addition to the building and demonstrating the Universities significant role in medical research during the 1950s included research laboratories.

Following the Gothic style, the principle facades have bluestone plinths and are buttressed, with stone walls, a slate clad steeply pitched roof. The north and west wings are constructed of brick with segmental and square headed windows^[3] The south building still illustrates the original concept for the "new medical school", and includes the original Museum of Pathology which housed HB Allen’s collection until the 1960s. The north wing was designed to accommodate a dissecting room, associated coffin and preparation rooms, and anatomy lecture theatre.

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  Gothic stone work used on the Old Pathology Building
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  Entrance and split stairwell
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  Gothic arches and window arches
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  Construction works for University of Melbourne new Architecture Building in front of Old Pathology Building
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  The Old Commons Building current site map

Key influences and design approach

The Old Commons Building current floor plan.

The Old Pathology Building uses Gothic building attributes such as lancet arches and attached buttresses. University Councils influence on how buildings were to be built is evident, as the Old Pathology Building exhibits this collegiate Gothic style.^[3] The facade of whole building is generally same. All of the program spaces were planned to around the court yard in the center. The old pathology building is famous as the expansion of the first medical school in Australia. It played an import role in medical training during the nineteenth century when disease reaching epidemic proportion.^[7]

References

Media related to Old Pathology Building (Melbourne University) at Wikimedia Commons

Coordinates: 37°47′51″S 144°57′48″E / 37.79750°S 144.96333°E / -37.79750; 144.96333