Commonwealth Trading bank building, Bank building in Sydney Central Business District, Australia
The Commonwealth Trading Bank Building stands at the corner of Pitt Street and Martin Place, featuring Art Deco architectural elements with a stone facade. Its former banking hall has been transformed into retail spaces following major renovations completed in 2012.
Architect John Kirkpatrick designed this building, which was constructed between 1913 and 1916 as the headquarters for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It represented the bank's growing importance as a major financial institution during Australia's early 20th century development.
The building reflects confidence in modern banking through its Art Deco design, which became iconic enough to influence the appearance of savings boxes distributed to children across the country. Today, visitors walking past can still see how this architectural style shaped public perceptions of financial institutions during that era.
The building is located at 120 Pitt Street in the Central Business District and is easy to find on foot. Retail spaces inside are accessible to visitors, and you can still see some original architectural details from the interior.
The building appears on multiple heritage registers including the State Heritage Register and the National Trust of Australia register. This recognition reflects its importance as a key example of Art Deco design in Australian banking architecture.
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