Torrens Building

Built 1877-1881, the Torrens Building is an outstanding example of Victorian Free Classical architecture in South Australia. Designed by Michael Egan, with modifications by South Australian Architect-in-Chief John Woods, the building demonstrates key attributes of the style, including unusual fenestration, decorative accents such as the urns and coat of arms, and the unconventional order of architecture through the combination of Tuscan, Roman Doric and Ionic elements.

Purpose-built to house several government departments, notably the Commissioner of Public Works, Registrar General and Water Works, the Torrens Building is directly associated with the expansion of the colony and its administration in the latter half of the nineteenth century.

The Commissioner of Public Works Honour Board (a State Heritage Object) is intrinsically related to the Torrens Building as it represents the scale of operations of the Public Works Department and its enduring association with the building into the twentieth century. The board contains the names of 497 First Nations and non-Indigenous departmental employees who enlisted to serve in the First World War, including 52 that died overseas. The Honour Board demonstrates the profound impact of the war on the state’s public service and commemorates the contribution of the Public Works Department to the defence of South Australia and Australia.
The creation of the Honour Board and its six siblings was the responsibility of the Works and Buildings branch and was designed by draughtsman for the Architect-in-Chief’s branch, Archibald J. Lavender. South Australian artist Blanche Francis was commissioned to paint the scenes in oil. Both the Architect-in-Chief and Works and Buildings were departments of the Commissioner of Public Works, meaning the Honour Board was designed and made for members of staff who were based in the Torrens Building.

Listing Information

• Date of Listing: 28 May 1981

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