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St Anne's Church

Location 53 Windella Avenue KEW EAST, BOROONDARA CITY Level Incl in HO area indiv sig

[1/1] St Anne's Church

Statement of Significance

What is Significant?

St Anne's Church at 53 Windella Avenue, built in 1957 on the same site as St Anne's school established in 1930, is significant.

How is it significant?

St Anne's Church is of historic, architectural, aesthetic and social significance to the City of Boroondara.

Why is it significant?

Historically St Anne's Church and school is significant as one of three suburban churches in East Kew, as the newly developing suburb expanded following the electric tram connection to the city. St Anne's church is part of the Post-war development of the suburb of Kew East although it occupies a site adjacent to St Anne's School established in 1930. Having separated from the Kew Parish in 1937, St Anne's is historically significant as part of the Christian denominations providing churches to the newly developing suburbs. The site is historically significant for its development in 1930 as a church/school, with the building fronting Beresford Street serving both purposes until the church was built in 1957. (Criterion A)

St Anne's church is part of a group of Post-war suburban churches that combine modern and traditional elements of a basilica forms and tower with a stripped back modernity. Built of the common building material of brick, but monumental in scale compared with the surrounding residential urban form, St Anne's is a representative example of this group. Stylistically St Anne's does not achieve the scholarly interpretation of traditional church architecture that other churches such as St Anthony's Shrine (1961-69) or St Michael's Ashburton (1953) display. (Criterion D)

Aesthetically the cream brick church of St Anne's is significant for its monumental scale and Modernist austerity. Modelled on a basilica form with sheer brick walls, the front elevation is dominated by a central square tower with simply articulated brickwork panels decorated with a large brown brick cross and ornamental lettering. Aesthetically St Anne's combines a stripped back palette, articulation of the side walls with buttresses, simply executed brick decoration and the use of differently scaled parts that accentuate the overall height. St Anne's refers to the traditional church elements of tower, nave and longitudinal east-west site planning. (Criterion E)

St Anne's church is of social significance for its connection to the Catholic community of Kew East, the school community and that of the Holy Spirit Sisters who are involved in the life of the parish. Social significance is demonstrated by the place itself as well as commemorative events such as the 50th anniversary celebrations for the church and 75th anniversary for the school. (Criterion E)

Group

Religion

Category

Church