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ST GABRIEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH COMPLEX

Location

237-243 Spring Street, RESERVOIR VIC 3073

Level

Included in Heritage Overlay

Statement of Significance

What is significant?
St Gabriel's Catholic Church complex, comprising the church designed by S.J. Moran and constructed by F.O. Dixon in 1960, and the presbytery at 237-243 Spring Street, Reservoir is significant. The church is constructed of cream brick in the Modernist style with a roof clad in terracotta tiles and built on a diagonal to the Spring Street and Viola Street corner. The church has a recessed entrance which is faced with glazed white tiles and panels of small green mosaic tiles. At right of the entrance is a bell tower with a cross at its top. There is a foundation stone at the base of the tower. Further west along Viola Street is a cream brick Presbytery that is contemporaneous with the church, and sympathetic to it in terms of its materials. The Presbytery is now linked to the rear of the church by additions.

The original form detailing, materials and siting of the Church and Presbytery are significant.

Later alterations and/or additions are not significant.

How is it significant?
St Gabriel's Catholic Church complex at 237-43 Spring Street, Reservoir is of local historic, architectural and social significance to Darebin City.

Why is it significant?
Historically, St Gabriel's Catholic Church complex is significant as representative example of a Catholic Church Parish complex, which provides evidence of the post-war development of Reservoir. The scale and central location of the complex also illustrates the importance of the church to Reservoir. (AHC criteria A.4, B.2, D.2)

St Gabriel's Catholic Church is architecturally significant as a good representative example of a Modernist church in Darebin, which illustrates the transition in Catholic Church design that anticipated the outcomes of the Second Vatican Council. It has aesthetic qualities as a landmark building, which are due to its scale, materials and prominent position on a corner site. (AHC criteria D.2, E.1)

Socially, St Gabriel's Catholic Church complex, Reservoir is significant as a church that is known, used and valued by the local community for over 70 years. (AHC criterion G.1)

Group

Religion

Category

Church