Smith & Johnson

Alfred Louis Smith and Arthur Ebden Johnson were architects who designed many instrumental public buildings of Melbourne in the classical style.

Both architects emigrated from London to Melbourne where they had been trained by leading British architects and designers in the execution of the classical style. After meeting each other in the Colonial Architect's Department they opened a private practice connected with the Public Works Department (PWD). Despite the popularity of other architectural styles of the time such as Gothic, Smith and Johnson practiced in a time when the dignity of classical architecture was still considered the right and proper style for town halls, museums, art galleries and post offices. This perception of public buildings coupled with Smith and Johnson's background gave them great opportunities to execute instrumental buildings in a burgeoning new city flooded with the prosperity of the 1851 Victorian Gold Rush.

Works completed by Smith and Johnson included the Bank of Victoria, Imperial Insurance office, and Baring Chambers in Market Street, the Athenaeum, Union Bank and Ebden's house in Collins Street, the Fire Brigade Station in Eastern Hill, Esplanade Hotel in St. Kilda and adjoining residence, the old Fish Market, Presbyterian Church in William Street, numerous banks and large residences, the Melbourne Law Courts, and the Colonial Bank.

Their commitment to the establishment of architecture in Victoria was further exemplified when, in 1856, with T.J. Crouch they were founders of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects (Royal Society of Victoria) (RVIA), and became members of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria in 1958/59.

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