The CRA Building (also known as CRA House, Consolidated Zinc Building and Comalco House), located at 89 - 101 Collins Street (aka 95 Collins Street), was a curtain-walled office building in the

international style The International Style is a major architectural style and movement that began in western Europe in the 1920s and dominated modern architecture until the 1970s. It is defined by strict adherence to Functionalism (architecture), functional and Fo ...

, designed by Bernard Evans and Partners for Conzinc Riotinto of Australia. When completed in 1962 it was the tallest building in Melbourne, a mantle it held until 1969 when it was surpassed by AMP Square in the western end of the city. When it was demolished in 1988, it was the youngest major building and the first skyscraper to be demolished in the city. The CRA was a first truly high-rise office building to be built within the

Hoddle Grid The Hoddle Grid is the contemporary name given to the approximately grid of streets that form the Melbourne central business district, Australia. Bounded by Flinders Street, Spring Street, La Trobe Street, and Spencer Street, it lies at a ...

; at 26 floors, it was 10 storeys taller than the other new office towers within the CBD, and as the first tower on top of the Collins Street hill in the eastern half of the city it was a very prominent in distant views.The National Library of Australia holds many photos, e
this one
/ref> As an International style skyscraper it was built as an almost free standing building, with a plaza / garden setback to the street, which was beset by strong winds due to the downdraft formed by the sheer face of the building catching strong northerlies. With its vertical ribbing emphasising its vertical proportions, and the setback interrupting the highly valued historic streetscape of the 'Paris End' of Collins Street, by the 1970s it was seen to be out of place, and it was not missed when it was demolished in 1988. It made way for the 57 storey

101 Collins Street 101 Collins Street is a skyscraper located in Collins Street, Melbourne central business district, Victoria, Australia. The 57-storey building designed by Denton Corker Marshall was completed in March 1991. Towards the end of project, with ...

development, completed in March

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

, designed by

Denton Corker Marshall Denton Corker Marshall is an international architecture practice based in Melbourne, Australia. History Denton Corker Marshall was established in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1972. It was founded by architects John Denton, Bill Corker, and Barri ...

References

{{reflist

External links

1962 photograph (National Library of Australia)
Buildings and structures demolished in 1988 Modernist architecture in Australia Skyscrapers in Melbourne Office buildings completed in 1962 Former skyscrapers Collins Street, Melbourne Buildings and structures in Melbourne City Centre Demolished buildings and structures in Melbourne 1962 establishments in Australia 1988 disestablishments in Australia