Archival Record | What is it and why do I need one?
As an owner of a heritage property, you may at some stage need to have an Archival Record prepared for your property.The most common reason for needing an Archival Record is when the Heritage Council of Western Australia (HCWA) or your Local Government Authority (LGA) require that one be prepared prior to development or demolition works be undertaken.
An Archival Record is essentially a report that documents the heritage property in its current condition. It usually includes a brief history and physical description of the building, current floor plans, sometimes elevation drawings, copies of historic drawings or images, and high-quality present day photographs.
It is a requirement that Archival Records are prepared by a suitably qualified heritage professional or consultant. Dar Studio is certified and experienced in Archival Recording and can assist in providing advice or preparing the Archival Record if you require one.
We have recently completed an Archival Record for the old Commonwealth Bank building in Perth’s CBD. As heritage lovers, this provided us an incredible opportunity to study the iconic building and investigate its spaces before it enters its next stage of use.
Interestingly, there had already been an Archival Record prepared for the building in 2003, just before it was sold and stopped operating as a bank. We found this exceptionally useful when trying to understand the building and particularly work out what remained the same and what had been changed. Later reports including the 2019 Fabric Inventory Report assisted us to locate original heritage items that had been removed and stored onsite.
Original plans, showing a through section of the Commonwealth Bank Building.
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If you are interested in further information about Archival Records, or have been advised that you need one and want some advice, get in contact with our Dar Studio team.
