Lawson Apartments

Lawson Apartments
Lawson Apartments, corner view Sherwood Court and The Esplanade
Former names	Lawson Flats
General information
Architectural style	Art deco
Location	Perth, Australia
Address	2–4 Sherwood Court, Perth
Coordinates	31°57′24″S 115°51′30″E / 31.9566°S 115.8582°E / -31.9566; 115.8582
Construction started	November 1936
Completed	1937
Renovated	1987
Technical details
Structural system	Reinforced concrete
Floor count	11
Design and construction
Architect	Hennessy, Hennessy & Co Reginald Summerhayes
Structural engineer	Hennessy, Hennessy & Co
Main contractor	Concrete Construction (W.A.) Ltd
Renovating team
Architect	Oldham Boas Ednie-Brown Architects

Lawson Apartments are located at 2–4 Sherwood Court (cnr The Esplanade), in Perth, Western Australia. They are situated across the road from The Esplanade Reserve and are adjacent to the Weld Club.

The building, originally known as Lawson Flats, is an eleven storey art deco apartment block, constructed in 1937, by the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society. It included a restaurant and a private club, the Perth Club, at the lower three floors and apartments above. The building was designed by Sydney architects Hennessy, Hennessy & Co in association with local architect, Reginald Summerhayes for rental purposes as a companion piece to the neighbouring Colonial Mutal Life building (1936–1980) on St Georges Terrace. When constructed, the two Colonial Mutual Life buildings were amongst the tallest in Perth. Its landmark status and prestigious location catered for an exclusive market in multi-residential building stock not known in Western Australia prior to the Inter-War years. The design features Spanish Mission and Art Deco styled ornamentation, evoking some of the allure of Hollywood. Internally, the H-shaped plan form provides for four apartments per floor, arranged in pairs in the twin palazzi form towers. During World War Two, the headquarters of the State Cabinet were located in the building.

The apartments were refurbished in 1986, following their sale by Colonial Mutual and they were subsequently strata titled and sold off individually in 1987. The Karrakatta Club currently occupies the former premises of the Perth Club on the first and second floors and shares part of the ground floor with Balthazar, a fine-dining restaurant. The club relocated to the Lawson Apartments in 1984, following the sale of its former club premises on St Georges Terrace.