Foolscap Studio elevates the cultural currency of ANZ Gothic Bank, one of Melbourne’s architectural gems, in a remarkable restoration, writes Kiri Sawtell for inside.

‘A museum where you can bank’ was the brief given to Melbourne-based practice

Foolscap Studio tasked with reviving ANZ’s historic Gothic Bank. The newly restored space, which reopened in May, showcases ANZ’s museum collection of artefacts charting the history of the building and the bank, while ushering in a new era of digital banking.

The site’s renaissance is a delicate juxtaposition of museum-meets-digital-world, gracefully executed by Foolscap as a new civic asset for the city of Melbourne.

Foolscap director Adele Winteridge and associate Cassie Collins worked closely with ANZ and Heritage Victoria, leading a team of specialist heritage trades, historians, archivists, curators and exhibition designers to restore the entire ground floor at 380 Collins St to its resplendent glory.

Much like its elaborately carved sandstone architecture, the Gothic Bank is internally ornate and a grand heist of the imagination. Monastic 10-metre vaulted ceilings, supported by iron columns with 23-karat gilded capitals, frame the space.

The team reinstated a 110-square-metre stained-glass light well – restored and cleaned – from the former back-of-house to illuminate the chamber’s core once more. Japanese wallpaper – the first of its kind used in the world and dating back to the 1880s – graces the ceiling and is preserved like new.

The mammoth conservation effort took seven months to complete, unearthing the collection of museum pieces from the basement – now home to gritty underground bar, Purple Pit. It also earned Foolscap a prestigious shortlisting in IDEA 2024.

Winteridge describes the opportunity as an honour, one that arose from a trusted relationship with ANZ as its design partner since 2019, following Foolscap’s award- winning outfit of the bank’s Docklands level 10 executive floor and gallery.

“The Gothic Bank is the second most significant building in Victoria after the Exhibition Building,” Winteridge explains.

“Its incredibly ornate detailing and craftsmanship are things we don’t often see in many restorations today, largely because they’re not economically feasible. Working with this historic fabric was a privilege.”

Exposing the past

Foolscap’s new machination of the banking chamber is “sympathetic yet progressive” in its approach, guided by a concept of “open heritage”.

“For us, heritage architecture should be for all to use,” Collins says. “ANZ had taken extremely good care of this building, but the foyer was stuck in the 1990s.”

Foolscap, in collaboration with Conservation Studio, reconfigured the layout to reinstate the bank’s original footprint as it stood in the 1880s. A 40-metre-long linear banking counter, made from rare blackwood timber, dominated the space and left a large portion of the chamber underutilised. The counter was documented and repurposed into the museum’s showcase joinery, the concierge desk and retail sales pods throughout.

Perhaps the most captivating focal point – and biggest restoration task – is the central foyer mosaic floor. It was originally crafted by renowned 19th-century, London-based ceramicists Minton Hollins and hidden under layers of linoleum and carpet.

“We knew that the tiles existed originally, based on photographs, but whether they were still there was something that we needed to uncover,” Winteridge tells inside.

“Uncovering the mosaic was like finding treasure.”

With the expertise of heritage trades, led by International Conservation Services, thousands of tiles were removed, refurbished or replicated and returned. The painstaking process was made possible using humble crayons and paper to obtain rubbings of the damaged tiles, which were sourced from the same British ceramicists who made them nearly 150 years prior.

“It’s a testament to the craftsmanship of the past, and restoring it was one of the most rewarding aspects of the project,” Winteridge says.

Opulent origins

The Gothic Bank’s origins trace back to the prosperous1880s, a time when Melbourne was flourishing due to the Gold Rush that had turned the city into one of the wealthiest in the world. The bank was built in 1887by ANZ’s forerunners, the English, Scottish, and Australia Chartered Bank (ES&A), and commissioned by its first general manager Sir George Verdon. It was lavishly designed by architect William Wardell, who was renowned for his work in Gothic Revival, including landmarks such as St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne and St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney.

The upper floors of the Gothic Bank, known as Verdon Chambers, were Verdon’s personal quarters, where he would watch ships sailing into the Yarra River, carrying gold and possessions destined for the bank. Today, Verdon Chambers remains one of the few intact city residences from the 1880s in Australia.

Beneath the foyer, the original subterranean vaults housed secured money, gold and other valuable items for many years. In 2017, ANZ closed the safety deposit vault, offering rightful owners the chance to claim some 4500 boxes, some of which had been left untouched for three generations. Unclaimed boxes became part of the museum’s collection.

Verdon’s exquisite taste meant only the finest available craftsmen were contracted to construct a building that expressed surety to its customers. On completion, the bank exceeded its original budget of £40,000 by nearly double, prompting ES&A’s concerned London board to investigate.

“We have a banking chamber which is one of the sights of Melbourne and likely to be so for many years to come,” ES&A’s report stated.

Today, the Gothic Bank is classified as ‘world significant’ by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria).

Winteridge shares in this delight to restore the heritage integrity of such a special site. “We don’t have a huge amount of heritage stock in Australia, and to me, it’s important that we are utilising it, that we are able to invite people in and share these spaces.”

A recent Open House Melbourne event saw 650 people flock to the newly reimagined museum.

“Utilising heritage is always a good outcome,” Collins adds.

Reawakening history

Winteridge says ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott envisioned the Gothic Bank as an “old car with a new engine”, a metaphor that captures the blend of historical grandeur with cutting- edge technology.

In this spirit, Foolscap Studio integrated digital elements seamlessly into the design. Touchscreens were incorporated into the museum’s showcase cabinets, allowing visitors
to engage with interactive content while viewing physical artefacts. Transparent LED film was also used creatively to conceal a meeting pod within the space, which tells the story of the building through motion pictures.

“The tech is integrated into the space in a way that we don’t see. It’s intuitive and feels very much like part of the fabric,” Winteridge says.

The museum’s custom joinery pieces are designed with flexibility in mind. While the space features fixed displays, other plinths can be reconfigured for temporary exhibitions. Motorised hydraulic lift mechanisms were installed to reveal artefacts displayed atop the plinths.

Among the treasured items is a ledger signed by ‘champion of the poor’ Saint Mary MacKillop, alongside early bank paraphernalia that recounts Melbourne’s financial history
and the bank’s role in the city’s growth. A historic clock was reconfigured by digital experiential team Sandpit to count down the time until ANZ turns 200 in 2028.

Futureproofing an icon

A key focus of Foolscap’s restoration was sustainability. The design team worked to salvage and repurpose as much of the original building fabric as possible, minimising waste and ensuring the project aligned with modern sustainability standards.

“We didn’t have a demolition plan – we had a salvaging and re-use plan,” Winteridge explains. “It was important to us that we preserved the integrity of the space while making it functional for modern use.”

Fundamental to this is understanding and specifying materials based on their origins and future beyond the project at hand, Winteridge says.

“It’s the idea of furniture pieces having passports,” she explains.

Bespoke pieces by furniture-maker Hugh McCarthy and glass artist Liam Fleming are featured throughout the space. Existing furniture from the bank’s storage was resumed – including 20-year-old Cassina cab chairs. Where new furniture was necessary, Melbourne-based manufacturers Ross Gardam and Jardan were commissioned.

A gift to the city

For ANZ, the restoration of the Gothic Bank is more than just a preservation project – “it’s a gift to the city”. What was once a retail banking space is now a public museum, inviting Melburnians and visitors alike to explore its history and beauty.

“Previously, only a limited number of people could access the building,” Collins says. “Now, as a museum and public space, it’s a civic asset. ANZ is the custodian of this building, and they’ve given it back to the city.”

Since its reopening, almost 500 people per week have visited the museum, more than doubling utilisation.

“That’s my favourite bit; I get such a kick out of seeing people – big and small – open the drawers, taking photos and walking through it,” Winteridge says.

The Gothic Bank stands as a reminder of Melbourne’s rich history, a symbol of the city’s growth and evolution.

“For me, it’s been an opportunity of a lifetime,” Collins concludes.

Photography by Joe Vittorio and Michael Pham. 

This article appears in inside 120. Order your copy here or at selected newsagents.