Occupation Architect Spouse Mary Fiennes Died May 17, 1536, Tower Hill | Role Groom of the Stool Name Harry Norris Resting place Tower of London | |
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Born 12 June 1888 ( 1888-06-12 ) Children Henry Norris, 1st Baron Norreys Grandchildren John Norreys, Edward Norreys, Sir Thomas Norris, Henry Norreys, William Norreys People also search for Henry Norris, 1st Baron Norreys | ||
Harry Norris (12 June 1888 – 15 December 1966) was an Australian architect, one of the more prolific and successful in Melbourne in the interwar period, best known for his 1930s Art Deco commercial work in the Melbourne CBD. His designs were informed by his regular overseas trips, especially to the United States, which he visited at least every 18 months from perhaps the late 1920s; and he was one of the very first architects to introduce Art Deco style buildings to central Melbourne. He had a strong relationship with the wealthy Nicholas family, designing not only the Nicholas Building, but the simpler yet similar Nicholas Factory in South Melbourne, and the spectacular mansion 'Burnham Beeches' in the Dandenongs for Alfred Nicholas. He also had a long relationship with G J Coles, designing branches of their eponymous Coles Stores from the late 1920s, numerous matching Art Deco branches in the 1930s, and some of their earliest supermarkets in the 1950s, as well as a country house for E.B.Coles in 1938. He refused membership of the RVIA for many years until finally joining on the 21 February 1946. Harry Norris retired on his 76th birthday in June 1966 and died 6 months later.
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Key buildings
Address: 27-41 Swanston Street Date of construction: 1925-26, 1939-40 (extension) Client: Alfred Nicholas The Nicholas Building is the most distinctive commercial palazzo in Melbourne. The facade is an essay in the Commercial Palazzo or Stripped Classical on a grand scale, with classical elements such as tall ionic pilasters and Doric columns and a wide cornice, all executed in terracotta faience. The Cathedral Arcade is located on the ground floor and its glazed leadlight barrel vaulted ceiling is a main feature of the building. Norris had his architecture practice from 1926 until moving to 136 Jolimont Road East Melbourne in the 1950s. The Nicholas Building was originally used as offices and retail, and as of the 2010s is known for specialist retail and the creative industries.
Address: 288-292 Collins Street Date of construction:1930 Harry Norris' Block Court was a remodelling project where a shopping arcade was introduced to the ground floor to connect Collins Street with the Block Arcade. The building was originally the Athenaeum Club built in 1890. Block Court is noted for its extensive use of Art Deco or Jazz Moderne detailing, with features like zigzag decoration to the copper shop window frames, stained glass, patterned terrazzo flooring and elaborate ceiling decoration with stepped geometric shapes and floral motifs.
Address: 298-304 Bourke Street Date of construction: 1929-30, 1938-40 (extension), [1984 Bates Smart McCutcheon (conversion to David Jones)] Client: G.J. Coles Builder: Clements Langford Pty. Ltd. Engineer: Mr. Clive S.Steele The building is noted for its use of colorful Jazz Moderne detailing, the unusual mauve colour of the faience facade and its overall verticality created by the use of prominent vertical piers, a form known locally as "Commercial Gothic". It was not only the first example of this building style, but also one of the first large scale examples of Art Deco design.
Address: 325-362 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne Date of construction: 1937 Mitchell House is located at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Lonsdale Street. The building is designed in what is called Streamlined Modern, reflecting the architecture language of a European modern architecture of the 1920s and '30s with its clean horizontal glass and plain wall surfaces, broken by a contrasting vertical stairwell element.