Architecture Dissertation, QUEER SPACES: Invisible Queer Spaces in Perth, Western Australia, 2022

QUEER SPACES

Dexter Xian Yang Wong Master of Architecture

UWA School of Design 2022

This thesis is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Architecture.

Invisible Queer Spaces in Perth, Western Australia.

I wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we are meeting on, the Whadjuk (Perth region) people Traditional Custodians of the land, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present. I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.

Acknowledgment

I would like to express my sincerest thanks to my supervisor, Craig McCormack for his time, patience and knowledge. This queer thesis would not have become what it is without his expert guidance. I would also like to thank my partner, Chris, for being my rock for the entire duration of my Master of Architecture journey.

I am also grateful, to Tony and Robert for allowing me to hear about queer stories growing up in Perth in the 1960s. Furthermore, I’d like to thank Naveen for allowing me to engage in a discussion with Tony and Robert. I would like to thank the researchers, publishers, librarians and historians who gave me feedback and advice on this research project.

Without the resilience and perseverance of the queer community who predate me, this body of research would not have come to fruition. I acknowledge the fight of past queer people and the organisations who fought valiantly for gay rights. I further applaud those members of the community who are currently still advocating and fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights. This research will benefit the queer community but also the wider parts of Australia in acknowledging a fragment of queer history in Northbridge and the nuances of the illegality of homosexuality in Western Australia. Recognition of the historical discrimination and oppression towards the queer community needs to be addressed. In addition, recognition of the inequality endured by the queer community also demonstrates the importance of queer history in Perth. In doing so, we can empower the current and future queer youths.

At the end of this project, the mappings of queer spaces and drawings will be contributed to the Local History Centre of the Vincent Library as part of a larger collection of queer stories and work in the City of Vincent area. I am forever thankful for that opportunity.

Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my family, back in Malaysia who have supported me during this process. To my friends who have given me support and advice, I take this opportunity to thank you all.

0 Definition 1 Abstract 2 Queer literature 2.1 Queer literature in Australia 2.2 The nature of queer spaces 2.3 Urban city and architecture: Women, gender diverse and minorities 2.4 Gaps in Queer Architecture, Space and Place 3 Methodology 3.1 Archive Research: Periodicals 3.2 Queer Maps 3.3 Planometric Drawing 4 Historical Queer Spaces 4.1 The Palace Hotel 4.2 The Shaftesbury Hotel 4.3 Connections Night Club 4.4 The Northbridge Hotel 4.5 The Aberdeen Hotel 4.6 The Arcane Bookshop 4.7 The Court Hotel 4.8 The Freedom Centre

Research Findings 6.1 Location of Queer Spaces 6.2 Gender Politics: Politics of Space in Pubs 6.3 Architecture of Queer Spaces: Simplicity and Ephemerality

Definitions

0 Definition

LGBTQIA+

The term LGBTQIA+ can be broken down into Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and more.1

Queer

Queer is defined as an umbrella term for the LGBTQIA+ community. The term was once a derogatory slur but has been reclaimed by the LGBTQIA+ community.2

Gay

Synonymous with the term homosexuality, which defines attraction to people of the same sex. The term is typically used to describe individuals identifying as male, but the term “gay” has also been used by other people to describe their homosexuality. 3

Lesbian

A term used to describe same-sex attraction, usually to describe women dating women.

Sexuality

The term is used to describe an individual(s) sexual identity to another individual(s). 4

Coming Out

Typically the term used with coming “out of the closet”, means being proud, accepting and open to your sexuality.5

Cruise (Cruising)

A term describing the act of having sex between two people of the same sex.6

Queer Spaces

1 CityofPerth, LGBTQIA Plan (City of Perth, 2021), https://perth.wa.gov.au/en/live-and-work/community-services-and-facilities/lgbtqia#:~:text=The%20City%20of%20Perth%20Council,October%202021%20Ordinary%20Council%20Meeting.&text=The%20three%2Dyear%20plan%20will,wellbeing%20of%20the%20LGBTQIA%2B%20community.

2 CityofPerth, LGBTQIA Plan

3 CityofPerth, LGBTQIA Plan

4 CityofPerth, LGBTQIA Plan

5 P. Merriman, Space (Taylor & Francis, 2022). https://books.google.com.au/books?id=BvhVEAAAQBAJ.

6 Reference needed hereJennifer Elizabeth Moon, Cruising and queer counterpublics: Theories and fictions (University of Michigan, 2006); José Esteban Muñoz, “Cruising utopia,” in Cruising Utopia, 10th Anniversary Edition (New York University Press, 2019).

A space, not necessarily enclosed or open that has cultural and social significance, occupied in the past or present by the queer community.

Queer Architecture

Queer architecture is the appropriation of the building and space that may be inherently queer, or queer through the lens of a queer individual.7

7 Oliver Vallerand, “Queer Perspectives on Architecture. A questioning of identity-based approaches to space,” Captures vol. 1, no. 1 (May) (2016), https://revuecaptures.org/node/349/?utm_medium=website&utm_source=archdaily.com; Timothy Moore and Simona Castricum, “Queering architecture: Simona Castricum and Timothy Moore in conversation,” in Contentious Cities (Routledge, 2020).

Figure 2. Elmsworth and Dragset, Berlin Memorial. Source:Phaidon(2019)

1 Abstract

Homosexuality was widely unlawful across the globe and still is in many countries. Western Australia only recently abolished a law legalising assault on homosexuals as a defence in 2008. Historically queer individuals were persecuted, resulting in their queer history not being valued due to the ramifications of being queer.

The research examined and uncovered historical queer spaces in Northbridge, Western Australia because there were gaps in queer scholarship within architecture and wider Australia. Due to the historical perception of the LGBTQIA+ community, there are gaps in queer architecture research. However, the historical queer spaces do exist and are significant to the LGBTQIA+ community and Northbridge community. Queer methodologies were used include carrying out informal discussions about queer history, archival research on historical periodicals, and the act of mapping and plotting these queer spaces on a map. Planometric type drawings were used to reconstruct eight of these historical queer spaces.

The main findings were that these queer spaces do exist, and have historically been clandestine, with any physical evidence destroyed due to the illegality of homosexuality. Furthermore, a lot of these spaces were hospitality venues such as hotels, pubs and bars concentrated primarily around the fringes of the Perth CBD, Northbridge.

This research contributes to a larger scholarship on queer spaces globally but also contributes to the local history of Northbridge. This queer history of Northbridge is validated through the planometric drawings and queer maps. Both the drawing and maps contributes to wider queer space research. Furthermore, this research in queer history contributes to the on-going efforts of collecting queer history by the historic centre of the City of Vincent. Lastly, the queer research further instills the significance and importance of historical LGBTQIA+ spaces in Northbridge, Perth.

Figure 3. Pride march 1990. Source: GALAWA

Queer(s): An Introduction

2 Introduction

The queer history of Perth can be traced as far back as early 1901.8 The queer communities existence has historically been under threat, with plenty of claims and rhetorics used to describe the “indecency” and harm towards society. Although progress is slow, the fight towards a more equitable society for everyone is slowly forming. An example of this progression is the landmark ruling on marriage equality in Australia. More than half of Australians voted yes to equal marriage regardless of gender, or expression.9

Despite this, assault and hatred towards queer people have continued.10 The history and hurdles of the queer community across Australia in educating the wider public need to be acknowledged.

During a time when identifying as lesbian and gay was unlawful, many queer people endured hardship and oppression as consequence.11 Thus, queer history in Perth was not archived or recorded due to the persecution of lesbian and gay people. By looking at queer history through a local lens, in Perth, Western Australia, a concentration of queer spaces emerge. A mapping of Northbridge’s queer history shows that this central,

metropolitan suburb engages heavily with queer history. Acknowledging the importance of Northbridge’s queer history is an important step forward for the public, but also empowers the past, current, and future queers in Perth.

8 Jon Daly, “WA’s oldest gay bar believed to be Freo’s Newport Hotel,” WAtoday 2017, https://www.watoday.com. au/national/western-australia/was-oldest-gay-bar-believed-to-be-freos-newport-hotel-20170915-gyimfc.html.

9 “1800.0 - Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, 2017 “, 2017, https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/1800.0.

10 Michael Flood and Clive Hamilton, Mapping homophobia in Australia (Australia Institute Canberra, Australia, 2005); Alan Berman, Speaking out: Stopping homophobic and transphobic abuse in Queensland (Australian Academic Press, 2010); ABCnews, “Norway Pride parade cancelled after two people are killed and more than 20 wounded in gay nightclub shooting,” 2022, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-25/norway-nightclub-shooting-police-possible-terrorism/101183546.

11 “QUEER STORIES: FROM THE NGV COLLECTION,” 2022, 2022, https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/queer/.

The Gay Museum

An exhibition exploring the history of lesbian and gay presence in Western Australia

Figure 4. Queer, National Gallery Victoria. Source: NGV.

Figure 5. Gay Museum. Source: Jo Darbyshire.

Figure 6. Gender Space Architecture. Source: Jane Rendell.

Western Australian Museum,Perth

Queer Literature

2.1 Queer literature in Australia

Current queer space scholarships are prevalent in the eastern states of Australia. This includes the scholarship on the possibilities of queer architecture.12 A recent exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) showcasing proudly about queer culture and the queer community has made headlines across the nation.13 A Perth example of this is Jo Darbyshire’s Gay Museum exhibit in 2003 which successfully revealed a section of Northbridge’s queer history and its significance to the Northbridge and queer community.

Permanence and impermanence are both significant qualities in queer spaces and queer exhibitions. Queer spaces across the world have a quality that is the temporary occupation of both public and private spaces. 14 The main reason why queer spaces are so important is that homosexuality was unlawful, leading to the persecution of queer people. This research project examines similar qualities of Perth’s queer spaces. The associated mapping of queer spaces helps researchers identify possible areas of historical queer activity and the factors in how architecture and the built environment create this queer space. By mapping queer spaces out, an invisible group of queer spaces would be revealed.

So, queer spaces in Perth that were ones frequented by the queer community could shed light on the quality of the space that allows for queer appropriation.

2.2 The nature of queer spaces

“ This is not space as it has traditionally been defined by architecture— the space of architect-designed buildings— but rather space as it is found, as it is used, occupied and transformed through everyday activities.” - Jane Rendell, Barbara Penner and Lain Borden. Gender Space Architecture, 2000.15

As early as the 1990s, multiple authors from different backgrounds sought to explain queerness and its intersections with gender, space, architecture, and urban geography. These intersections produce what can be described as an ephemeral takeover of spaces by queer people. Jane Rendell, Barbara Penner and Lain Borden describes the ephemeral quality of queer spaces. Rendell, Penner and Borden further elaborate on how spaces are traditionally designed by architects for the general public with no consideration for the queer community. Moreover, places such as alleyways, bathrooms, bars, and restaurants all create spaces that allow social interactions to form, but also fertile ground for queer people to interact and create a space for themselves.

12 Moore and Castricum, “Queering architecture: Simona Castricum and Timothy Moore in conversation.”; Adam Nathaniel Furman and SiblingArchitecture, Boudoir Babylon, 2020. NGV; “ The Victorian Pride Centre,” 2022, https://pridecentre.org.au/.

13 (NGV). “QUEER STORIES: FROM THE NGV COLLECTION.”

14 Adam Nathaniel Furman and Joshua Mardell, Queer Spaces : An Atlas of LGBTQ+ Places and Stories (Milton: RIBA Publications, 2022).

15 Jane Rendell, Barbara Penner, and Iain Borden, “Gender Space Architecture,” An Interdisciplinary Introduction, New York/NY (2000).

Figure 8.Queer Space Exhibition 1994, Storefront Art and Architecture. Source: Storefront for Art and Architecture

Figure 9. Queer Space Exhibition. Source:Storefront for art and architecture.

Figure 10. Queer Space Exhibition. Source:Storefront for art and architecture.

Similarly, Aaron Betsky explains the use of public places such as queer dance halls and bars taking on the role of venues to cruise.16 This act of cruising, inherent in the nature of queer space, also potentially exists everywhere in public and private, viewed through a personal point of view.17 As such, this explains the nature of queerness and how queer spaces can be appropriated. The architecture of the hospitality space become the aid to the queering.

These queer scholarships in the study of queer spaces provide a precedent for this research project because of its focus on architecture and space. Architect-designed buildings are thought to be a canvas for activity and social interaction. But it also serves as a space for different communities to occupy. The flexibility and fluidity of spaces described outline how “queer” spaces can function. The quality of queer space intertwines with the process of staying “in the closet”. The closet describes a metaphorical space to hide one’s sexuality for everyone. Because of that, queer spaces help shield one’s identity from exposure or being “outed” to the public.

2.3 Urban city and architecture: Women, gender diverse and minorities

The built fabric of urban cities is experienced differently by women, gender-diverse people and minorities. Studies have shown that queer people fundamentally experience the city differently.18 This difference in the urban spaces underpins an issue with how the city is designed. One example of unsafe public space are streets, which become dangerous at night even with the presence of street lighting.19 Materials used to construct streets typically consist of concrete and steel, which are long-lasting materials but hard and harsh. Public streets are visually and are perceived to be unfriendly due to their constructed material properties. These material properties increase the sense of danger, multiplied by the lack of daylight making an unsafe environment for everyone.20Gender scholarships have been written about the fundamentally built public spaces designed to be patriarchal.21 Women, minorities and, queer people have faced continuous discrimination and harassment due to how the city has been designed. This designed-for-men city does not allow or engage in the women’s experience in urban cities according to Leslie Kern.22 Kern’s

16 Aaron Betsky, “Queer space: Architecture and same-sex desire,” (1997).

17 Christopher Reed, “Imminent Domain: Queer Space in the Built Environment,” Art Journal 55, no. 4 (1996), https://doi.org/10.2307/777657, http://www.jstor.org/stable/777657.

18 Berman, Speaking out: Stopping homophobic and transphobic abuse in Queensland

19 Jess Berry et al., Contentious Cities : Design and the Gendered Production of Space, Gender, Bodies and Transformation Ser., (Milton: Taylor & Francis Group, 2020).

20 Gene Bawden, “Introduction: Histories of the gendered city,” in Contentious Cities (Routledge, 2020); Nicole Kalms and Gene Bawden, “Lived experience: Participatory practices for gender-sensitive spaces and places,” in Contentious Cities (Routledge, 2020).

21 Bawden, “Introduction: Histories of the gendered city.”; “XYX Lab – Gender + Place,” 2022, https://www.monash.edu/mada/research/labs/xyx.

22 Leslie Kern, Feminist city: claiming space in a man-made world (Verso Books, 2021).

Figure 11. Queer Spaces, An atlas of LGBTQIA+ Places & Stories. Source: Adam Nathaniel Furman & Joshua Mardell.

Figure 12. Boudoir Babylon, Adam Nathaniel Furman & Sibling Architecture. Source: Dezeen

scholarship reveals the underlying patriarchal design of the city for men, ignoring the experiences of women. Her study correlates with a study done in Queensland on the experiences queer people manoeuvring through metropolitan spaces. More than 72% of LGBTQIA+ people have experienced some form of abuse, either verbal or physical, according to a study undertaken in 2010.23 Thus, urban and public spaces require further design consideration to address the continual societal change and become increasingly inclusive to the queer community.

2.4 Gaps in Queer Architecture, Space and Place

While there have been several seminal works showcasing the richness of queer culture and queer architecture around the globe, Perth’s queer architectural history is sufficiently lacking. A facet of this queer space research was mentioned by Christopher Reed. He suggests that future queer research should focus on the visual properties of queer spaces. Reed argues that queer is a simple identity of an individual, and queer spaces are appropriated by queer people. However, he also claims that some spaces are queerer than others. Queer spaces can be inherently queer such as a bar space feeling queerer, or more inclusive than other bars. Furthermore, Reed also suggests that queer spaces or inclusive spaces

are imminent and will need to be applied to all spaces when designing.24

Contrasting Reed’s argument, Adam Furman and Joshua Mardell’s 2022 book Queer Spaces: An Atlas of LGBTQ+ disproves Reed’s claim.25 Queer Spaces not only celebrates the richness and diversity of queer spaces around the world but also argues that spaces can also be the manifestations of non-patriarchal, queer spaces that take different forms private, communal, and public.26

Furthermore, queer spaces and queer architecture can take on various forms, demonstrating different levels of scale and ephemerality. Nathaniel Furman’s art installation Boudoir Babylon created at the NGV Melbourne in 2021 is an amalgamation of different modes of spaces, such as the bedroom and bathroom. These are amplified through the bold use of colour, volume, and form. The result of Boudoir Babylon is a splash of bright, contrasting colours, with multiple levels of platforms surrounding a centrepiece. Surrounding the installations, colourful screens with openings obscure the viewer’s vision of the installation, demonstrating the nature of queerness. The nature in the installation of Boudoir Babylon is the mixture of bold use of clashing colours and the obscuring of the audience’s view. This is important because of the nature of staying hidden or “in the closet” which is hard to

23 Berman, Speaking out: Stopping homophobic and transphobic abuse in Queensland.

24 Reed, “Imminent Domain: Queer Space in the Built Environment.”

25 Furman and Mardell, Queer Spaces : An Atlas of LGBTQ+ Places and Stories

26 Furman and Mardell, Queer Spaces : An Atlas of LGBTQ+ Places and Stories

Figure 13. Hypersext city, XYX Lab Monash University. Source: Hypersext City

imagine without the queer lens.

Within Perth, most studies focusing on queer research and scholarship have been most studies focusing on queer research and scholarship primarily on social aspects of queer youths and their mental well-being. Darbyshire’s Gay Museum exhibition cemented a foundation for the future scholarship of queer history in Perth. Gay Museum was a curated exhibition that demonstrated the history of queer presence in Perth. Through her research, Darbyshire mentioned the atypical experience LGBTQIA+ people go through due to their sexuality. Queer people had to be secretive and discrete to protect themselves and their surrounding community(queer). 27 Through the use of objects, Darbyshire’s exhibition sought to showcase Perth’s historical queer stories through everyday objects. Darbyshire laid a foundation to allow for the further discovery and showcase of the dangers of being lesbian and gay in WA. However, Darbyshire’s research explains gaps that could not be addressed. These gaps in research include the rejection and discouragements by queer individuals nuanced by past trauma of gay persecution and suffering. This thesis continuous the research established by Darbyshire and seeks to address the gaps through re-construction of Northbridge’s queer spaces.

Unlike Perth, discourse concerning queer architecture has been notably prevalent in larger metropolitan centres including Melbourne and Sydney. XYX Lab has done extensive research work on the experience of women and gender-diverse people in public spaces 28 Furthermore, organisations like Parlour have advocated and created room for the public discourse of queer architecture and space.29 A recent exhibition at the annual Fremantle Design week showcased HyperSext City, featuring global statistics that documented the confronting experiences of women and queer people.30 The XYX Lab scholarships provide an understanding of queer research which will help explain the factors as to why queer spaces exist. Furthermore, a catalogue of uncovered queer space will help add to XYX Labs’ research. This queer space research will empower queer individuals in Perth, Western Australia.

27 “The Gay Museum An exhibition exploring the history of lesbian and gay presence in Western Australia,” 2004.

28 University, “XYX Lab – Gender + Place.”

29 N Stead and N Kalms, “Queering architecture: Framing the conversation,” Parlour (2017). 30 University, “XYX Lab – Gender + Place.”

Literature Review

Archival Research Informal Discussions

14. Methodology Diagram, Author’s work, 2022.

Methodology

3 Methodology

This dissertation utilises queer methods in research. Queer methods in research can be defined as the opposite of conventional research; they are not 100% accurate and requires an understanding of the queer community (LGBTQIA+). In addition, the queer method can be fragmented and is undertaken in various ways. This research utilizes informal discussions, periodicals, and archival photos. Thus, the three aforementioned methods were used together to reconstruct some of these lost queer spaces.

The following paragraphs outline three methods used in succession to draw out the hidden meanings that allow the formation of queer spaces. This queer methodology helped understand and uncover the number of queer spaces in the Perth CBD and Northbridge. Furthermore, this research seeks to understand the interior architecture of queer spaces using planometric drawing projection (planometric drawings are unrotated plan oblique drawing).31 Finally, the study analysed queer spaces at an urban scale on how the distances between major transportation hubs may contribute to the formation of queer spaces.

This study collected data on queer spaces through the Westside Observer (WSO), an LGBTQIA+ newspaper circulated in Perth between 1987 to 2000. After collecting data

from the WSO, eight queer spaces in Perth city and Northbridge were selected. The eight queer spaces were chosen based on their significance to the queer community. Then, further research is carried out on eight of these individual queer spaces. Firstly, architecture and operation data were tabulated from WSO, informal interviews, newsletters, and historic photos for further investigation. The queer space data are then disseminated into architectural categories such as building typology, architectural style, function, and materialities. Finally, all eight queer spaces are drawn and represented in a planometric drawing. The queer spaces are drawn according to the period where they were appropriated into queer spaces. For example, the Court Hotel became a queer space in 1994, thus the planometric drawing reveals the interior layouts of the Court Hotel in 1994. The queer spaces will be drawn to their current-day layout if there are insufficient data. Finally, the queer space drawings provide an understanding of Perth’s historical queer spaces to contemporary audiences.

3.1 Archive Research: Periodicals

The archival research of queer periodicals and resources started at the Gay and Lesbian Archive of Western Australia (GALAWA). GALAWA was founded in 1994 at Murdoch University, Bolton Library. 32 The archive

31 Sally Farrah, “Architectural representation as a form of theoretical language: The verbal and visual forms of transatlantic, post-modern architecture,” (2021).

32 Gay and Lesbian Archives Western Australia (GALAWA) Inc., “Gay and Lesbian Archives Western Australia (GALAWA) Inc.,” in QB 50, Special Collections, ed. Murdoch Geoffrey Bolton Library, Western Australia. (2022).

Figure 15. Westside Observer (WSO). Source: National Library Archives

Figure 16. No End to the Way by Neville Jackson. Source: GALAWA

serves to collect queer-related historical memorabilia, such as posters.33 Queer resources found at GALAWA contains physical copies of multiple Western Australian-specific periodicals including magazines, newsletters, and maps. Due to the vast number and diversity of sources only the most relevant were the subject of focus. Their relevance was determined by reported queer social events and news relating to the queer community. Most periodicals had advertised business listings, allowing the periodicals to keep functioning.34 This is important because funding was hard to require to run a queer publishing during a time of queer persecution.

From speaking to volunteers and librarians at GALAWA, the leading newsletter for the queer community between 1987 to 2000 was the Westside Observer (WSO) periodical. The WSO became the primary research material in which the newsletter was published from 1898 to 2000.35 The WSO periodicals present clues as to where the queer community would go to socialise and meet other queer people. As mentioned before, the newsletter includes business listings, articles and advertisements by queer-owned businesses to market their services in order to fund their newsletter. The legibility of the queer spaces that were collected as data had to represent

significant and historically important queer spaces due to queer spaces being inpermanent and was passed on person to person through word of mouth. However, there are degrees of subjectivity taken when conducting this archival research. For example, queer spaces were collected from the WSO and plotted on a queer map to mark their location. Eight queer spaces will be selected and drawn out, reconstructed using data from the aforementioned methodologies. This method has a degree of inaccuracies due to the nature of the data available. Lastly, the significance and importance of queer spaces within the queer community were also considered as a factor in the project’s selection.

Some of the business listings from the digital archives of WSO were not tabulated as the research scope only includes queer spaces that were frequented and popular amongst queer individuals. Through interrogation of some of these eight queer spaces, other secondary resources that supported the research were examined. This included the ongoing online newsletter OutinPerth, “No End to the Way ” by Gerry Gaskin, Darbyshire’s Gay Museum, and all archived photos of these eight spaces in the State Library of Western Australia(SLWA). 36 These secondary resources were thought to be important after

33 Inc., “Gay and Lesbian Archives Western Australia (GALAWA) Inc..”

34 Inc., “Gay and Lesbian Archives Western Australia (GALAWA) Inc..”

35 WSO, “Westside Observer,” Westside Observer, n.d, 1989-2000, Gale, https:// link.gale.com/apps/pub/917O/AHSI?u=nla&sid=gale_marc.

36 Neville Jackson, No end to the way (1985); Darbyshire, “The Gay Museum An exhibition exploring the history of lesbian and gay presence in Western Australia.”; “Queer Northbridge History,” OUTInPerth, 2008; “https://slwa.wa.gov.au/,” 2022, https://slwa.wa.gov.au/.

visiting GALAWA upon consulting with various people in the field of queer culture and history.

3.2 Queer Maps

To understand the concentration of Perth’s queer spaces, the tabulated spaces from WSO were recorded and plotted on two maps. The two queer maps are drawn at 1:50,000 of Metropolitan Perth, and a queer map at 1:15000 scale. The 1:15,000 map focused primarily on the Northbridge area. The two maps seek to reveal some of the areas of historical queer spaces in Perth. It is worth noting that, most of these queer spaces have been removed or demolished with only a few still operating.37 Some of these queer spaces shut down and vanished, whilst other former queer spaces chose to focus on serving a broader group.38 Many of these closures were related to changes in ownership or evolving community needs and focuses.39

The scope of this dissertation utilises two different queer map scales, to determine the concentration of queer spaces which narrows the project scope. Through an overall mapping in Metropolitan Perth, concentration nodes of queer spaces form mostly within the fringes of Perth’s central business district (CBD). After that, the 1:15,000 queer map is plotted with queer spaces.

The plotting of Queer spaces yielded a concentration of queer spaces appearing within

37 OUTInPerth, “Queer Northbridge History.”

38 OUTInPerth, “Queer Northbridge History.”

the Perth CBD and Northbridge. The Central Perth and Northbridge area showed the most active urban areas for the queer community compared to other areas. Subsequently, extensive data on these queer spaces were collected from WSO periodicals. Further discovery of significant relics of Perth’s history was found at GALAWA that supported the research of queer spaces. Those significant items were handheld maps for the queer community in the 1990s.

The maps of these queer spaces in Perth create a catalyst for further research into historical queer spaces. The queer maps can provide an understanding of the types and locations of queer spaces in Perth. Legends accompany these two maps, and lists of queer spaces are found in both primary and secondary research materials. The pink numbers represent the queer spaces. The 1:15,000 queer map zooms into the Central Perth and Northbridge area with lists of queer spaces mapped out. The 1:15,000 scale queer map has distinct colours differentiating spaces into their typologies and are categorised into hotels, bars, and non-hospitality venues such as bookshops. Historically these queer spaces have been oppressed. The main reason for revealing because mapping them establishes validity and recognition to the general public and queer community. Queer maps that preceded this study have existed elsewhere such as the OLGAD Lesbian and Gay map 1994,

39 Massimo Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective (MIT press, 2012).

Figure 20. Lesbian & Gay New York Historical Landmark. Source: OLGAD

Figure 18. Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Tower of Babel painting (c.1563). Source: Oblique Drawing, Masimo Scolari.

Figure 19. Representation of ziggurat on an Assyrian relief. Source: Oblique Drawing, Masimo Scolari.

LaRochelle’s Queering the map and Rebecca Solnit’s descriptive maps of history and statistics.40 These precedents act as a guide to the graphical representation of the map. Finally, the two queer maps aim to provide a guide for anyone to use. A queer history tour around the Perth CBD and Northbridge area allows people to engage with the map and discover spaces. The tour uses the map as a medium, which signifies a vehicle of change to the broader engagement of Perth’s queer history. So, this allows people to remember the queer history in Perth, allowing researchers to further build upon this queer mapping.

3.3 Planometric Drawing

Planometric drawings have been used since the 14th century to present monumental buildings. These planometric drawings such as the Tower of Babel allow the drawings to convey their surrounding context.41 This makes planometric drawings powerful providing a standard of accuracy and measurement. Planometric drawings were used historically because they are useful to plan out tactics and evade potential threats from opposing enemies. The planometric drawings served as a guide to ensure the artillerymen could strategically win the fight against their common enemy whilst a

perspective drawing serves no use other than a pretty landscape painting.42 Architects were able to draw measurements of lengths such as artillery projectile distances. Otherwise, discrepancies using perspective drawings would result in inaccuracies due to the singular perspective point of view, resulting in the loss of their fort.43 Scolari describes this as the “military perspective” which examines the evolution of axonometry drawing.44 The author mentions the incorrect use of oblique parallel projection, with many English and French authors would use the term “perspective”. The use of the term ‘Perspective’ simply meant drawings that were not planar projections of drawings or plans but were described as perspectives if the traits were simple and practical. That is why using planometric and oblique drawings was useful during battle.

Masimo Scolari further explains and compares the historical use of parallel projections in Oblique Drawing 45 In his book, an example of the earliest use of oblique drawing, the tower of babel (figure 2 above) shows architectural representations of mythical biblical structures that use an oblique projection and planometric types of drawing.46 An oblique drawing is an oblique parallel projection, with three axes, x,y, and z projected together.

40 Rebecca Solnit and Rebecca Snedeker, Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas (Univ of California Press, 2013); OLGAD, A Guide to Lesbian & Gay New York Historical Landmarks, (1994), https://www.nowwhat-architexx.org/articles/2018/5/25/the-organization-of-lesbian-and-gay-architects-designers; Lucas LaRochelle, “Queering the Map: On designing digital queer space,” in Queer Sites in Global Contexts (Routledge, 2020).

41 Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective 42 Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective 43 Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective. 312.

44 Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective 45 Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective 46 Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective

45

Square Base

Figure 24. Oblique Drawing of a Cube, Author’s work, 2022.

Figure 21. Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Tower of Babel painting (c.1563).

Source: Oblique Drawing, Masimo Scolari.

Using a square, Scolari explains oblique drawing with a cube as an example. Firstly, a square is drawn, and then parallel diagonal lines are drawn at four corners of the same length. All four of these lines are parallel to each other and orthogonally to the square base.47 (See figure 3 below)

The planometric drawing consists of a single plane of the object or elevation, usually inclined at a degree(45o), resulting in deformations in the projection of the object and context.48 Due to this, the formation of oblique drawings causes certain projections of the object or context to be obscured or hidden away from view. Thus creating an illusion or could even be labelled as a form of deceit of the subject, omitting what could potentially be useful information for one (viewer) or to the advantage of another. Some of the earliest use of the parallel perspective existed in the Western world as early as the fourteenth century, but explicit mentions of the parallel projection in literature and writing did not happen until the sixteenth century.49 In eastern culture, Chinese painters who specialised in landscape and palace paintings adhered to strict rules of parallel perspective, and never skewed or distorted their drawings; or misrepresent objects as it was nonlogical.50 This colluded with the Jesuit approach,

which sought to introduce Western ideology, culture and Christianity with Parallel drawings but came to an end in the sixteenth century.51

Planometric drawings have also been used to represent queer space drawings.52 Regner Ramos’ work on historical queer spaces of Puerto Rico is portrayed using a planometric type of drawing.53 The reason why Ramos uses planometric drawings is that it portrays queer spaces meaningfully. This includes the main contextual elements such as the street and neighbouring buildings. Furthermore, the actualisation of the interior spaces allows a broader audience to understand how the queer space functions. Not only that, the planometric projections show both the elevation and plan projection in a single image, unlike twodimensional drawings. Hence, making the planometric drawing useful in representing the Puerto Rican queer space in a single drawing whilst retaining the queer elements and surrounding context. Regner synthesises his approach using planometric drawing as a queer method of representation.

“A lot of what I do with queer spaces parts from the premise that queer methods in architecture should allow for certain room for error, speculation, and partiality. I’m not necessarily

47 Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective. 341.

48 Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective.

49 Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective

50 Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective ,370

51Scolari, Oblique drawing: A history of anti-perspective

52 Regner Ramos, “Aquí: Queering Architectural Space Through Site-Based Posters,” Visión Doble: Revista de Crítica e Historia del Arte (2018); Regner Ramos, “Circo Bar: San Juan, Puerto Rico,” in Queer Spaces (RIBA Publishing, 2022); Ramos, “EI Hangar en Santurce: San Juan, Puerto Rico.”; Ramos, “Loverbar: San Juan, Puerto Rico.”; R. Ramos and S. Mowlabocus, Queer Sites in Global Contexts: Technologies, Spaces, and Otherness (Taylor & Francis, 2020). https://books.google.com.au/books?id=w6oLEAAAQBAJ.

53 Ramos, “Circo Bar: San Juan, Puerto Rico.”

Figure 25. San Rocco. Source: San Rocco.

Figure 26. San Rocco. Source: San Rocco.

Figure 27. MOS Architect 2 Apartment. Source: MOS Architect

looking to recreate reality.” Regner Ramos, Private Communications, 22nd August 2022.54

He explains that the queer space drawings are merely approximations and are not completely factual representations of the former spaces due to multiple factors. One major factor is attributed to unavailable documentation of as-built drawings. He further corroborates that planometric drawing is more in line with being queer. Ramos explains the nature of “Queerness” can take advantage of the strength of fragmentation, instead of a traditional “factual” approach to representing queer spaces. If queer spaces in Ramos’ project were drawn with perspective, they would not have the same qualities as a planometric drawing would as perspectives can only show a limited amount of queer space. A perspective drawing would further obscure, taking away the strength of viewing the spaces as a whole in an oblique projection drawing. Ramos has successfully established significant Puerto Rican queer spaces that don’t exist anymore. His project further validates and authenticates Puerto Rico’s queer history.

Today, parallel drawings, and oblique drawings, are used even more than before. Examples such as MOS Architects No.2 Studio and Apartment, and San Rocco 2010 to 2019, feature the use of planometric projections without the connotations of “queer” attached to them.55 Their works involve the use of

54 Regner Ramos, e-mail to author, August 22, 2022.

planometric drawing projections to explain their projects successfully. The reason for this is that these Architects have found an important projection style to tell their projects and their accompanying narrative. The widespread use of planometric drawings paints a whole picture of the proposal and it can tell a story without multiple others. There is also a quantitative quality to these representations. In MOS Architects apartment project, the client can measure the number of installations on the roof, the depth of the space and its surrounding context. Thus showing how important and relevant this type of drawing can address. These examples establish the importance and usefulness of planometric drawings as quantitative and qualitative representations.

Upon establishing precedents for planometric drawings, this research has attempted to represent eight of Perth’s queer spaces using planometric projection drawings.

55 “studio-and-apartment,” 2015, https://www.mos.nyc/project/studio-and-apartment; “San Rocco,” 2010 - 2019, https://www.sanrocco.info/.

Historical Queer Spaces

4 Eight Queer Spaces

“Hotels in Australia had hot and cold baths, billiard tables, drawing rooms, better furnishings and decorations .. to attract patronage. Tap rooms had become store rooms and bar counters were common in most pubs.” Australian pub crawl, 1977, 81-83.56

After collecting data using WSO and relevant secondary sources, eight queer spaces around Northbridge Perth were selected. The selection criteria for eight of the queer spaces are spaces that have been demolished but hold a significant value towards the queer community. Not only that, the eight spaces were chosen to benefit from receiving more research and study. These eight spaces below will be described based on their historical significance, interior layouts and queer history. The planometric drawings are used as a guide, read with descriptions of each space’s conception and historical significance, its internal space, and finally the spaces’ significance to the queer community. Therefore, the text and drawing will be able to build upon existing queer space research

56

and simultaneously add to Northbridge’s rich history. By recognising these queer spaces, we can enable future research in the field locally and in wider Australia.

Douglass Baglin and Yvonne Austin, Australian pub crawl (French’s Forest, N.S.W: Murray Child, 1977).

Figure 29. 1.15,000 Queer Map, Author’s work, 2022.

4.1 The Palace Hotel

The Palace Hotel opened in 1904, as Australia’s most stunning Hotel.57 The Hotel is constructed in Federation Free Classical Style and has gone through multiple refurbishments and modifications over the years. 58 When the Bank West tower was constructed in 1988, the north and east sections of the Palace Hotel had to be demolished, resulting in a loss of heritage 59

Palace Hotel

Figure 30.Dining Room Palace Hotel, Interior Image 1959. Source: The Palace Hotel Conservation Management Plan, August 2003.

Internally, the Palace Hotel is furnished with rich decorations and ornamentations. The Dining Room on the Ground level is an example of lavish classical-style details that are also found on the outside.60 The room’s gold motifs on the skirting, ceiling and columns are a fine example of

57 Baglin and Austin, Australian pub crawl.

Victorian era Hotels and Palace Hotel is the only remaining Victorian-era hotel in Australia.61The Palace Hotel had many spaces dedicated to the range of clientele that would stay there. There were at least two public bars that were on William Street and St Georges Terrace. A central stairwell is connected to the main entrance of the Hotel and provides access to the upper mezzanine levels and accommodation floors.

The Queer space at the palace hotel is at the public bar on St Georges Terrace and the lavatory blocks at the north end of the building. There are accounts the Palace Hotel is mentioned in Perth’s very first gay novel.62 In the novel “No end to the way”, the Palace hotel was a frequent place for the protagonists who described the hotel as a lavish spot for gay men to meet up.63

“ You’d pick him up here too, in the old Palais Grande, saloon bar for men only, the most dependable place in town.” - Gerry Gaskin(Neville Jackson), No end to the way, 1985. 64

The Palais Grande or grand palace is thought to be the Palace Hotel. Furthermore, personal accounts also solidify the lavatory at the northern end of the Palace Hotel as a space for gay men to cruise. The palace toilet block was a popular cruising spot for gay men and was accessed

HCWA, REGISTER OF HERITAGE PLACES - ASSESSMENT DOCUMENTATIONPALACE HOTEL (2000), http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Admin/api/file/5dd1cda8-fd9c-86fb-ae2d-5f50359431a9.

58 Heritage Council of Western Australia

59 HCWA, REGISTER OF HERITAGE PLACES - ASSESSMENT DOCUMENTATIONPALACE HOTEL

60 TPG, THE PALACE HOTEL 108 ST GEORGES TERRACE CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN (2013).

61 Baglin and Austin, Australian pub crawl.

62 Jackson, No end to the way

63 WSO, “Westside Observer.”

64 Jackson, No end to the way

Figure 32. Bar of the Palace Hotel, 1959. Source: SLWA.

Figure 33.Club Lounge of the Palace Hotel, 1959. Source: SLWA.

Figure 31.The Palace Hotel,1959. Source: SLWA.

from the northern alleyway on William Street.65

Throughout the years, the Hotel bars and rooms received modifications and upgrades due to increasing customer capacity. For example, the Billiard rooms in the basements were renovated, along with the enlargement of the bars in the 1930s.66 The lavatories were thought to be a part of the upgrades, deduced by the lavatories’ location to the north of the building in the alleyway.

At the end of the 1970s, the Palace Hotel ran its last service as an accommodation. The Hotel was then turned into an office space for BankWest from 1989 until 2003.67 In 2016, the Palace Hotel was refurbished to its former glory and brought to current-day health and safety codes by WoodsBagot.68

65 Tony Bennett and Robert Bettini, in discussion with the authors, August 21,2022.

66 TPG, THE PALACE HOTEL 108 ST GEORGES TERRACE CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

67 TPG, THE PALACE HOTEL 108 ST GEORGES TERRACE CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

68 WoodsBagot, “Woods Bagot Perth Studio,” (2016), https:// www.woodsbagot.com/projects/woods-bagot-perth-studio/.

Figure 34.Dining Room Palace Hotel, Interior Image 1959. Source: SLWA.

Figure 35. The Shaftesbury Hotel on Stirling Street, Author’s work, 2022.

Shaftesbury Hotel

4.2

Shaftesbury Hotel

The Shaftesbury Hotel was constructed in 1908 by Thomas Alfred Shafto (who also constructed the Shaftesbury Theatre or Canterbury Court on James Street) with an extended verandah.69 The verandah is estimated to have been removed after the 1930s. The Shaftesbury Hotel was a significant queer space in the early 1970s.70 However, in 1988 the Canterbury Court Carpark and the Shaftesbury Hotel were demolished to make way for more carparking. 71

The Shaftesbury hotel was first discovered in Darbyshire’s research into the lesbian and gay history in Northbridge, Perth. 72 Upon

investigating further, oral accounts confirmed the existence of the Shaftesbury Hotel, the hotel was established as an important space for the queer community. For example, there were typical sightings of drag queens and other queer people in the pub area.73

Figure 36.Shaftesbury Hotel 1930-1933.

Source: SLWA.

Figure 37. The Shaftesbury Hotel Stirling Street reconstructed pub area, Author’s work, 2022.

The interior furnishing of the Shaftesbury Hotel was described as a typical Australian pub layout.74 A typical City Australian pub consists of areas with different levels of publicness and privacy segregated by gender. The front-ofhouse pub spaces were typically reserved for male patrons, while female patrons would instead be confined to the lounge areas. A separate ladies’ lounge could also be assumed to have been in the Shaftesbury Hotel, as historically, the lounges were there to keep the women from drunk men harassing them. This is where the drag queens could have been

69 Pictures in Motion, The Shaftesbury Hotel in Stirling Street AMMPT (The Australian Museum of Motion Pictures & Television Inc.). 70 OUTInPerth, “Queer Northbridge History.”; “Pride 25 “, 2003; Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Northbridge History Project (2010), https://www.cultureandcontext.com.au/ uploads/4/4/5/1/44513701/nhp_(2005)_northbridgehistoryreport2005-2010-web.pdf.

71 SLWA, Stirling Street, Perth, The Shaftesbury Hotel and the Canterbury Court Car Park, August 1982. The Shaftesbury demolished October 1988, the Canterbury Court demolished June 1990 (2022). 72 Jo Darbyshire, “Restlessness of meaning: an exploration of how visual artists are working with museum collections” (Curtin University of Technology, 2003).

73 Terri-ann White, in discussion with the author, August 12th 2022 2022; Bennett and Bettini. 74 White.

Figure 38. The Shaftesbury Hotel Stirling Street, December 1982. Source: State Library of Western Australia

sighted based on the informal discussions with various individuals.75 Colourful chairs and tables would have been furnished inside the hotel. The formal spaces dictated by gender were common practice in Australian hotels.76 Despite that, most Australian Hotels have been upgraded to be more spacious and open to welcome everyone.

75 White; Bennett and Bettini. 76 Baglin and Austin, Australian pub crawl

Figure 39.Shaftesbury Hotel1966. Source: SLWA.

JAMES STREET

Figure 40. Connections Night Club on James Street. Author’s work, 2022.

Connections Nightclub

4.3

Connections Night Club

deep blue paint to the furniture and materials contrasted with the slick red PVC wall panels. Further use of gold leaf details provided

Connections nightclub opened its door in 1975 and is considered Perth’s longest-running gay nightclub.77 The venue has gone through several changes.78 At one point, connections night club served as a sex-on-venue location.79 In the 1990s, the current owner of Connections nightclub sought to re-establish the nightclub as a landmark of partying and life in Northbridge.80

In 2004, Architects Chindarsi were contracted to carry out refurbishments to its discotheque and level 2 outdoor terrace.81 The Architect designed the Nightclub with “extravagance, sumptuousness and mystery”. Shades of

extravagance and elegance to the space. This sensuous and contrasting use of material can be described as queer as it carries connotations of the atypical use of materials distinguishing spaces, designed around a dark lighting system, with minimal lighting. Both lighting and material in the space worked in tandem in providing a space safe from public eyes. Furthermore, the window to the level discotheque is boarded up to inhibit sightlines from the streets. This is an early example of an architect-designed space for queer people.

The refurbishment in 2004 has since been replaced by a more recent modification.82 The open space on the first floor is covered in

77 “45years oral history_Connections club_ History of Perth’s iconic nightclub,” 2020.

78 Cunningham, “45years oral history_Connections club_ History of Perth’s iconic nightclub.”

79 Bennett and Bettini.

80 Cabinet, Northbridge History Project

81 “Connections Nightclub - Stage One,” 2004, https://chindarsi.com.au/projects/connections-nightclub-stage-one/; Cunningham, “45years oral history_Connections club_ History of Perth’s iconic nightclub.”

82 “Connections Nightclub Lighting “, https://alti.com.au/projects/connections-nightclub; “Connections Nightclub,” https://bradleycole.com.au/portfolio/connections-nightclub/; BradleyCole, “Connections Nightclub.”

Bingo Night at Connections Night Club discotheque space. Source: Connections Night Club

James

Northbridge, Western Australia Google

Figure 42. Connections Night Club on James Street. Source: Google Street Maps.

Figure 43.Connections, 1975. Source: Connections Night Club

Figure 44.Connections, 1975. Source: Connections Night Club

Figure 45. Roof terrace, Connections Night Club. Source: Bradley Cole

timber flooring, with a stage for a performance in the middle of the floor. Along the southern wall, a heightened section surrounds the south side of the space providing additional height for sightlines to the stage. A public bar stretches itself north of the space, with shelving backlit with a warm yellow light. Adjacent to the bar, an open space functions as a dance floor and performance space. The ephemeral quality of the space is heightened with the use of smoke machines and bright neon-coloured lights flashing inside the space.

The second level space, located on the top floor has another public bar that connects with an outdoor terrace overlooking the Perth CBD. The theme of the upper-level bar space is different to the discotheque space on the first level. Set with warm lighting to its surroundings and bar area, the ambience of the upper level is still dark but has sufficient lighting. This space connects directly to the outdoor terrace and looks towards the south.

83 WSO, “Westside Observer.”

Figure 46. Level 2 bar area, Connections Night Club. Source: Bradley Cole

The Connection Nightclub has continually provided a safe space for LGBTQIA+ by primarily targeting the queer community and branding itself as a queer nightclub.83 It also prides itself on being the oldest nightclub in the southern hemisphere.84

84 ConnectionsNightClub CNC, Connections Nightclub Posters, 1975-2019.

Northbridge Hotel 1:150

Figure 47.The Northbridge Hotel. Author’s work,2022.

4.4 Northbridge Hotel

Figure 48. Northbridge Hotel, WSO Volume 2 issue 10, june 1989. Source: National Library Archives

Northbridge Hotel or formerly known as the Royal Standard Hotel was constructed as a “Queen Anne style hotel”. The construction year is yet to be determined but was estimated to be 1897.85 Corrugated iron verandahs of the Hotel were removed in the early 1930s.86 Furthermore, a timber spire that no longer exists sat at the southwest corner of the roof, indicating a potential attic or room.87 The constructed material based on the historical photos was exposed brick, and timber roof construction.88

According to the Heritage Council of WA, the Northbridge Hotel had three bars, a restaurant, a function room and a boardroom. The front public bar faced Brisbane Street, along with the main entry into the hotel. The extension

Northbridge Hotel

seen in the 2004 image was constructed between 1995 and 2005 and reinstated the two-storey verandah removed in the 30s.

Northbridge Hotel was a queer venue from the 1980s to 2000. One of the three bars, the Laneway Bar was a space frequent for gay men. Drag queen performances were also common, on Saturdays and Sundays.89 The interior of Northbridge Hotel is thought to be furnished with tables and chairs. There is also the piano room within the Laneway Bar.

Figure 49. WSO. Source: NLA

From the WSO newsletter, advertisements and images of Northbridge Hotel began in 1989. Signs featuring “Molly Duke” the drag queen performing. The last article on queer activity was recorded in 1999 in the WSO newsletter. The estimated queer history of Northbridge Hotel established from the WSO periodical is between 1989 to the year 1999. However, there are claims that the Northbridge

85 City of Vincent, Royal Standard Hotel (Former) inHerit (2018), http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov. au/Public/Inventory/PrintSingleRecord/63b20647-7945-468a-a1e1-4c9fcaca6b8d.

86 Vincent, Royal Standard Hotel (Former) inHerit

87 WSO, “Westside Observer.”

88 WSO, “Northbridge Hotel,” Westside Observer (Advertisement), 1989/06//, 1989, Gale, https://link-galecom.rp.nla.gov.au/apps/doc/FUVBPR510086135/AHSI?u=nla&sid=bookmark-AHSI&xid=890e037c.

89 WSO, “Northbridge Hotel.”

Figure 50. The Northbridge Hotel 1984. Source: SLWA.

Figure 51.The Northbridge Hotel, 2004. Source: SLWA

Hotel had a queer history even before 1989.

Images from the 2000s show that the verandahs have been reinstated. Further additions to the northern area have been added, with three and four-storey additions. Following major works and upgrades, the Northbridge Hotel became “Hotel Northbridge”.90 After the change of hands in 1999, it is hypothesised that the Northbridge Hotel became less frequented by the queer community. The Hotel is not a queer space at the present moment.

90 Vincent, Royal Standard Hotel (Former) inHerit

Figure 52. The Northbridge Hotel 2022.

Source: Hotel Northbridge

ABERDEEN STREET

Aberdeen Hotel 1:150

Figure 53.The Aberdeen Hotel. Author’s work,2022.

Aberdeen Hotel

4.5 Aberdeen Hotel

The Aberdeen Hotel was constructed in 1886, with an additional two-storey addition in 1892 to the eastern area.91 From 1939 to 1990, the Aberdeen Hotel was at one point called the Red Lion hotel. The Hotel was a space for the gay community between the 1980s to the 1990s.92 According to research, the hotel began serving the gay community in the 1980s due to a change of hands. Before that, the hotel was not considered queer space.93

During its operations in the 1980s, the Red Lion Hotel was described to be extremely well furnished just like any other pub would. The ground level of the Red Lion Hotel was divided into four quadrants, These four unique spaces were devoted and appealed to different groups of queer people. The front of house is classified as a public pub or bar area. An elongated U-shaped bar commands the space, with bar stools along the entirety of the bar area, a common practice in the 1970s pubs and taverns.94 Next, the piano lounge space is connected to the northeast corner of the bar area and was given to the older gays where they could comfortably sit on armchairs around the piano.95 The flooring of the Aberdeen

Hotel was a dark blue colour, typical of an office carpet but has been stained and soiled with beer and alcohol throughout the lifetime of the bar. Currently, the flooring of the Hotel is exposed Timber, presumed to be newly constructed.

The other room towards the northwest was reserved for friends of the owner. The semiprivate space is divided between walls along the U-shaped bar but is still connected to a corridor that led to the outdoor area. A flight of stairs made from jarrah wood sits subserviently as patrons would come in from the main entry west of the

91 Heritage Council of Western Australia HCWA, REGISTER OF HERITAGE PLACES - ASSESSMENT DOCUMENTATION ABERDEEN HOTEL (2003), http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Admin/api/file/9c74dd93-0d1d-4046-d3fd-c5cde5ab60f6.

92 HCWA, REGISTER OF HERITAGE PLACES - ASSESSMENT DOCUMENTATION ABERDEEN HOTEL

93Aberdeen Hotel was once called Top Hat when it was owned by a closeted gay individual – who later commited suicide because he was “outed” by close acquittances demonstrates the highly dangerous of individuals who were secretly queer associating with spaces and places in order to not be found out.

94 Baglin and Austin, Australian pub crawl

95Bennett and Bettini. Personal communication with authors. August 21,2022.

Figure 54. Aberdeen Hotel pub space. Author’s photo, 2022.

Figure 55.The Aberdeen Hotel, 1984. Source: SLWA.

Figure 56.The Aberdeen Hotel, 1999. Source: SLWA.

hotel.96 The last section, the outdoor beer garden, was an outdoor space with a shed to the west, a pool at one stage, and an outdoor bar area. The Aberdeen Hotel became a space frequented by many; both the gay community along with regular patrons. Both its location, aided by the depth of the balcony created a public bar space that felt detached from the main street.

96 HCWA, REGISTER OF HERITAGE

PLACES - ASSESSMENT

DOCUMENTATION ABERDEEN HOTEL The Jarrah Wood Stairs still exists in the current-day Aberdeen Hotel, however its location may have been relocated

Figure 57. Aberdeen Hotel pub space reconstruction, Author’s work, 2022.

Arcane Bookshop 1:50

Figure 58.The Arcane Bookshop, Author’s work,2022.

4.6 Arcane Bookshop

The Arcane Bookshop on William Street opened in 1984.97 The original owner author and publisher Terri-Ann White currently runs Upswell Publishing.98 The Arcane Bookshop was a significant gathering point for a diverse group of people. The bookshop drew in people from local and afar to read up on books about feminism, and gender identity. Not only that, Terri-ann would promote events that were considered taboo such as queer and feminism-related events. She even sold tickets for queer events, with posters advertising it at the Bookshop. This considers the hidden queerness of the Bookshop, allowing queer and gender-diverse people into the safe space. From the street, the shop front of Arcane Bookshop is covered in glass, with spotlights

The Arcane Bookshop

shining on books that sat on shelvings located at the front display area. The angled glass walls lofted towards the entry door are pasted with posters and events from various organisations such as the Western Australian Aids Council (WAAC).99

The interior shelvings and layouts of the space obstructed the view from the people outside. This allowed the formation of safe spaces in the Bookshop. Upon stepping into the Bookshop, a front desk sat in the centre of the space located directly to the entry door. On the north side of the shop, a spacious desk with four canvas chairs around it allowed patrons to read comfortably. A variety of IKEA timber shelvings with different heights are positioned in the bookshop. At the far end of the shop, purposefully angled shelving towered amongst the other shelving in scale and width. Queer individuals interested in the contents of the shelf on an angle would take turns queuing up to view queer books. According to Terri-ann, queer books would be mixed up with books of other genres such as photography. The reason for this was to reduce suspicion and protect customers who were looking for queerrelated books. Finally, the back window brings a peaceful ambience into the backspace, providing the readers and patrons in the bookshop as they browse.100

Terri-ann sold the Arcane Bookshop in 1994 and the bookshop subsequently closed soon after in Figure

97 White. In discussion with the author. August 12, 2022.

98 White. In discussion with the author. August 12, 2022.

99 White. In discussion with the author. August 12, 2022.

100 White. In discussion with the author. August 12, 2022.

59. The Arcane Bookshop on William Street, 2005. Source: SLWA.

Figure 60. The Arcane Bookshop. Source: SLWA.

2005.101 The Arcane Bookshop was thought to be a symbol of Perth’s progression on feminism and queer activism. The Bookshop was a significant space for young women and queer people growing up in the 1980s and 1990s in Perth. The planometric drawings show internal layouts and furnishings that were constructed using the information described by Terri-ann White. No photos of the interior of Arcane Bookshop can be found.

101 OUTInPerth, “Queer Northbridge History.”

Figure 61. Arcane Bookshop interior reconstruction looking towards William Street. Author’s work, 2022.

Figure 62. William Street, 1980s. Source: SLWA.

Figure 63.The Court Hotel. Author’s work, 2022.

Court Hotel

4.7 Court Hotel

Court Hotel on Beaufort Street was constructed in 1888. 102 The Court Hotel in Northbridge Perth was originally constructed in the Victorian Regency style but has gone through multiple refurbishments to both its exterior in interior layout. 103Through out its lifetime, The Hotel was refurbished into a Federation Free style, and subsequently Inter War style and is one of Perth’s oldest Hotels.104 Despite that, the Court Hotel has unfortunately been removed from the Heritage Registry in 2004.105

The current 2022 Court Hotel looks considerably different from than Court Hotel in 1992. Since the 1930s, the Court Hotel has been through constant improvements to its interiors.106 The three doors on Beaufort street open into three separate rooms; Saloon Bar (originally Billiard Saloon), a Public bar, with a bottle shop in the middle. An entrance hall where the main entry on James Street connects with an enlarged dining room. Furthermore, the interior of the space had a lounge, saloon bar, separate public bar, and outdoor area.107

Only in 1992, the Court Hotel became a queer space. The Hotel pivoted to serve

the LGBTQIA+ community, transforming the place into a significant safe space for the queer community. The queer space is confirmed found in archival images from early 2000 and in WSO. Upon its transformation into a more modern venue, the Hotel space discontinued its function of providing accommodation in 2003. Currently, the Court Hotel

has been modified with an open public bar on the ground, with an open dance floor and roof garden upstairs. The openings from 1992 have been removed to make way for bifold doors. The bar area next to Beaufort Street has undergone significant changes, as all of the previous internal walls dividing the spaces

102 Heritage Council, REGISTER OF HERITAGE PLACES COURT HOTEL (2003), http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Admin/api/file/c7c35c50-df88-c565-eb2a-9437b0bb8de9.

103 Council, REGISTER OF HERITAGE PLACES COURT HOTEL

104 Council, REGISTER OF HERITAGE PLACES COURT HOTEL.

105 Council, REGISTER OF HERITAGE PLACES COURT HOTEL

106 Council, REGISTER OF HERITAGE PLACES COURT HOTEL

107 Council, REGISTER OF HERITAGE PLACES COURT HOTEL

Figure 64.Court Hotel,2004. Source: SLWA

Figure 67.Court Hotel, 1938. Source: SLWA

Figure 68.Court Hotel, 1980. Source: SLWA

have been removed for an open floor.108

The neighbouring eastern area has been developed into a sheltered outdoor stage area. The Court Hotel continues to be a queer safe space for the queer community although, in recent years the mainstreaming of the venue has led to the Hotel being a less desirable safe space.109 Due to multiple harassment and assault events between the queer patrons and heterosexual patrons, the queer community have had dedicated queer nights on Wednesdays, whilst other nights were catered to the general public.110

108 OUTInPerth, “The Court lists 20 actions for improvement but patrons remain concerned,” 2021, https:// www.outinperth.com/the-court-lists-20-actions-for-improvement-but-patrons-remain-concerned/.

109 OUTInPerth, “The Court lists 20 actions for improvement but patrons remain concerned.”

110 “The Court “, 2022, https://www.thecourt.com.au/.

Figure 69.Court Hotel, 2007. Source: SLWA

Freedom Centre

4.8 Former Freedom Centre Northbridge

Formerly at Northbridge on 93 Brisbane Street, the Freedom centre was established by the Western Australian WA Aids Council in 1994 and is an example of local queer space.111 The Freedom Centre is a safe queer space provided for young queer youths in Perth to meet others where they can learn to accept and respect themselves.112 The description and analysis of the Freedom Centre will be of 93 Brisbane Street space. The commencement date of operation of the Brisbane Street Freedom Centre is unknown.

From the outside, the freedom centre in Northbridge looks unassuming like any commercial space, the inside however is a collection of rich queerness in the interior. The entry space shows a splash of bright colours and a simplistic desk as the reception. Private consultation rooms can be seen on the left, with a passage through to the open space to the right.

The Freedom Centre provides a safe space for queer youths to explore and learn about respecting and acknowledging their sexuality and others. Bright-coloured flags, posters, and personalised drawings fill the interior of the freedom centre common space. The symbolism in the colourful space shows acceptance. A big open space used as a gathering space is furnished simply with assorted types of coaches

and desks.113 The flooring is a typical navy blue carpet, whilst the ceiling is covered with Gyprock plasterboard. This space sits surrounding the office, private consultation room and entry. The original floor tiles have been covered with a blue carpet. However, the original tile underneath can be seen in the southeast corner left exposed.114 Finally, the southern wall is bookended by a

spacious kitchen, adjacent to the bathrooms.115

The furniture in the large communal area is all different in colour and type but serves the purpose of providing seating. The collection of colourful furniture work in tandem with the outwardly “queer” quality of the space. Furthermore, this richness of colours promotes an open space that is much more fun to be in, and less hostile. Moreover, there is a long open shelf against the west wall with computer desks and chairs, with additional tables and chairs for youths to use.116

111 “Freedom Centre,” 2022.

112 Centre, “Freedom Centre.”

113 Nikita Miller, in communication with the author, August 2, 2022.

114 Miller.

115 Centre, “Freedom Centre.”

116 Miller.

Figure 74. The Freedom Centre safe space. Source:Tilt

Figure 75. Freedom Centre Brisbane Street. Source:Tilt

Figure

Figure 78.Garage space

Figure 79.Kitchen space

Figure 80.Office space

Source:Tilt

In 2022, the Brisbane Street Freedom Centre relocated to Leederville due to the freedom centre’s rental lease expiring at the Brisbane Street location.117

117 Centre, “Freedom Centre.”

Metric of Measurement

Queer Spaces

The PalaceThe Freedom CentreThe Court Hotel Connections NightclubNorthbridge

Year Built Hotel 1895 1994 1888 1987

Address 108 St Georges Terrace 93 Brisbane Street 50 Beaufort Street Jamees Street

Building Typology Hotel Office Hotel Commercial Architecture Style Federation Free Classical Style Modern Commercial Inter-War Art Deco, Victorian Regency, Federation Free Classical Queen Anne Style Hotel

Commercial Public Area 455m2 180m2 1230m2± 540m2±

Depth of Space from street (Average) 18m (William st Bar) 16m 10m 18m(Discotheque)

Building Floors (Levels, Mezzanine is 1 level) 3123212

Entry Facing Streets (6) St Georges Terrace, William Street Brisbane St Beaufort, James St James Street

Exit Facing Streets (6) St Georges Terrace, William Street Brisbane St, Fore St Beaufort, James St James Street Function/ program Pub, Bar, Hotel, Community Centre Pub, Bar Nightclub, bar, Alternative Function Hotel, Bank,(1980s-present) No Hotel event space(Fringe Festival)

Program of the space (Day and Night) Day - Hotel, Night Bar and Pub Community Space Day:Open as Pub, Night:NightclubDay:Not Open, Night:NightclubDay

Gender specific nights (Male only, Female only…) NA No Yes Yes

Building Demolished Refurbished Refurbished Refurbished No Central Business Distrcit (CBD) Yes No No No Northbridge Yes Yes Yes Proximity to street (Within 1-3m) Yes Yes Yes Yes

Proximity to Perth Train Station 397m 996m 193m 230m Closest Proximity to Bus Stop 70m 99m 15m 280m

Figure 81. Queer Mapping Table

Note:The

Beaufort, James St James Street Aberdeen St, Lake St William Street Aberdeen St Stirling Street

Beaufort, James St James Street Aberdeen St, Lake St William Street Aberdeen St Stirling St Pub, Bar Nightclub, bar, Hotel, Bar Bookshop Pub, Bar, Beer Garden Hotel, Bar, Pub Hotel event space(Fringe Festival) Hotel & Pub No Hotel & Pub Hotel & Pub Day:Open as Pub, Night:NightclubDay:Not Open, Night:NightclubDay - Hotel, Night Bar and Pub Bookshop Day - Hotel, Night Bar and PubDay - Hotel, Night Bar and Pub

Queer Space Timeline

Figure 84. Queer Space Timeline. Author’s work, 2022.

Figure 86. Central Perth and Northbridge showing the concentration of queer spaces. Author’s work, 2022.

Research Findings

5.0 Research Findings

5.1 Location of Queer Spaces

Based on the metropolitan scale queer map, more than 38% of spaces mapped with fixed addresses were within the Perth CBD and Northbridge area. The research shows that 8% of the total spaces found within the scope were in the Perth CBD, with the remaining 30% of queer spaces in the Northbridge area. Based on the locality of queer spaces, there are primarily located at the fringes of Perth city. This is partly due to Northbridge as an entertainment district. The Northbridge area has a long history of migrants establishing commercial and hospitality venues due to the affordable rents.118 Migrants from both overseas and eastern states created the commercial district. As a result, Northbridge has prospered into its current place of entertainment, food and night culture. This also shows how queer spaces were appropriated by venues that were located on important thoroughfares such as James, William and Aberdeen Street.

Personal safety and egress were important before the legalisation of homosexuality. Queer people had to think about escape routes and safeguard their own identities. We understand that queer people around the world had to be cautious of exposing themselves to the general public. The act of getting exposed or

“outed” could ruin a queer person’s career and personal life.119 This fear and cautiousness are also felt by the queer community in Perth, Western Australia. Proximity to transportation was key to a queer space. Patrons of these queer spaces had to be discrete, and navigate the urban fabric of Northbridge precariously. All eight of the queer spaces were situated next to a street. For example, the recorded data shows proximity from queer spaces such as Northbridge Hotel being the furthest at 990 to 996metres to Perth’s train station; the Arcane Bookshop and Court Hotel is the closest to Perth Station at around 190metres. This proximity to the train station allowed queer individuals to adequate walking distance to escape. It is also important to note William and James Street both have significant amounts of restaurants, nightclubs and commercial spaces. These two major streets activate the Northbridge precinct at dusk, creating life in an otherwise quiet CBD.

As the scope of works for this research does not pertain to a wider range of periodicals and oral experiences, it is hard to determine the correct percentage of queer spaces in Perth, Western Australia. However, we can establish Northbridge’s queer history as significant.

118 City of Perth, 279 Newcastle St Northbridge (2002), http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/ Public/Inventory/PrintSingleRecord/4d0e6e82-86c3-41b8-802e-89c2de7ad6f3.

119 Betsky, “Queer space: Architecture and same-sex desire.”

Northbridge

PerthTrainStation

Perth CBD

Figure 87. Eight Queer Spaces

Former Freedom Centre Rainbow Connections

Connections Night Club “CNC”

Northbridge Hotel

The Court Hotel

Arcane Bookshop

The Palace Hotel

Paddington,“The Deen”, The Red Lion Hotel,The Aberdeen Hotel Shaftesbury Hotel

5.2

Gender Politics: Politics of Space in Pubs

Based on the research on eight of Central Perth’s queer spaces, it was found that segregated spaces based on gender and sexuality assisted with the existence of queer spaces. Upon studying the data of eight queer spaces, five out of eight of these queer spaces had specific gendered nights. For example, Northbridge Hotel had a “men only” night.120 Part of the reason why dedicating specific nights to a specific group of people was to help create a safe environment for queer people without ramifications. Traditionally, the pub area or known as the “ public bar “ is known to be only an all-male space. During the early 1900s, women were not allowed in these male-dominated spaces and were confined to a separate space typically called a “lounge” or historically a “ladies’ lounge”.121 The segregation of male and female spaces was documented in an interview in 1974.122 The legacy of these segregated spaces in Australian pubs arguably allowed the appropriation of spaces by the queer community. For example, the Shaftesbury Hotel hosted all sorts of people but still allowed female impersonators or transgender people into the Hotel space.123 Persecution and unlawful acts of homosexuality, including people in drag

120 WSO, “Northbridge Hotel.”; WSO, “Westside Observer.”

121

122

were considered felonious. The Shaftesbury provided a sanctuary, albeit not very long.124 The re-appropriation of spaces, the “lounge” area created a safe space for people in drag due to the lounge space being separate from the main pub area.125 Perhaps the connotations of the lounge associated with women, and the segregation of the lounge space allowed the appropriation of queer people. Other than that, the Hotel was on Stirling Street, which was very close to the Canterbury Court which was a theatre space. The performers might’ve dined at the Shaftesbury Hotel pub creating a correlation between the occupation of performers at the canterbury court and the queer-friendly venue. One explanation could be due to the similarities between the appearances of both the performers and drag queens.

5.3 Architecture of Queer Spaces: Simplicity and Ephemerality

The research further found the simplicity of the interior furnishing of these eight queer spaces essential for queer spaces to exist. Before the 2006 decriminalisation of homosexuality in Western Australia, queer spaces existed in an ephemeral sense; most of these spaces were not permanent except for places like Connections Night Club. The queer community had to remain

ABCTV&IVIEW, Women in Public Bars: This Day Tonight (1974) | RetroFocus (youtube.com 1974).

ABCTV&IVIEW, Women in Public Bars: This Day Tonight (1974) | RetroFocus

123 White; Bennett and Bettini.

124

SLWA, Stirling Street, Perth

125 Research found that the Shaftesbury pub was popular amongst drag queens, although, drag queens in the 70’s were simply female-impersonators instead of contemporary day drag queens. (Unlike Drag Queens on Rupauls Drag Race Drag Queen’s) They occupied the “Lounge” area of the shaftesbury pub, which has been described as a traditional australian pub.

Joondanna Menora

Mount Hawthorn

The Invisible Queer City Queer Visibility and Celebration Beaufort 565

Coolbinia Former Freedom Centre Rainbow Connections Paddington,“The Deen”, The Red Lion Hotel,The Aberdeen Hotel

Leederville West Leederville

Subiaco East

West Perth

Kings Park and Botanic Garden

Inglewood

WAAC West Australian AIDS Council 1989 Protest for Gay Rights

STATE WAR MEMORIAL

Eurobar Cinema Paradiso

Street North Perth

Perth Steam Works Connections Night Club “CNC” Underground Toilets

OLD MILL

O2 Night Club

Blue Room, Northbridge Hotel The Court Hotel

Rainbow Connection Cafe

Street Bulwer Street Roe

James Street ECU Campus HBF Park Belmont Park Gloucester Park

William Street Beaufort Street Stirling Street Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River) North Perth South Perth

Mount Lawley Highgate

DC Night Club Loton Park Tennis Club

Metropolitan Community Church PICA & Arts House

Round Up Fair Day Fair Day Boans Furniture Factory

A A F F K K

Perth

His Majesty’s Theatre American Health Studio The Palace Hotel The Esplanade Carpark Supreme Court Garden South Perth Golf Club

Northbridge East Perth

B B G G L L

C C H H M M

Arcane Bookshop Savoy Hotel Green Room Perth Concert Hall

PICA Theatre Shaftesbury Hotel Green Door Coffee House

Bedford Maylands Heirrison Island

D D I N N

LANGLEY PARK

COODE STREET JETTY

0 0.5 1 km 1:15,000 LGBTQIA+ Queer Spaces & Places Protests for LGBTQIA+ Rights

1 4 7 2 5 8 3 3 6 9 10 1 4 7 2 5 8 3 3 9 10

WELLINGTON SQUARE MOORT-AK WASSDINY PERTH ZOO

E E J J O O Bar and or Nightclub Venue Hotels To FREMANTLE 20km

vigilant without frequenting in one space meant an increased risk of being caught.126 This meant that many queer spaces allowing them to socialise and meet others would change around northbridge and Perth City.  Queer spaces were spread through word of mouth through queer individuals. The queer social circle were an integral part of ensuring everyone’s safety, thus none of the queer venues before the 1980s were published physically.

Furthermore, the windows to these queer spaces were found to be mostly opaque or covered up. This obscures public sightlines from looking through the windows. By doing so, the people in the space have an extra level of safety. An example of this can be seen in the Court Hotel, Northbridge Hotel, and Connections Night Club. The Connections Night Club discotheque space has all the windows covered up to prevent any daylight from entering. Similarly, the Freedom Centre provides a safe space by segregating the big open space away from the entrance on Brisbane Street. The entry space and administration office create protection, separating the safe space from the main street. The queer explanation to this can be interpreted using the big space as a “closet”, whilst the walls separate the spaces as the “closet door”. Queer spaces were spread through word of mouth to safeguard their identity and safety.

Through informal discussions with a senior gay couple, being gay meant that society would judge and discriminate against them. Similar to what Betsky described as the qualities of queer spaces, the existence and brief formation only happen under a certain set of conditions.127 This research study has proven that queer spaces in Northbridge are appropriated and formed through a set of factors. Factors include queer spaces prevalent in the Northbridge area. Next, queer spaces form in segregated spaces. Lastly, the permeability of the queer space.

126 Chris Berry and Annamarie Jagose, Australia Queer, vol. 55 (Melbourne University Publishing, 1996). https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.886364163309944.

127 Betsky, “Queer space: Architecture and same-sex desire.”

Figure 89. Queer Perth Tour Map Brochure. Author’s work, 2022.

6 Research Conclusion

Through the methodology of research, the yielded results show a prominent queer history of Northbridge that has been oppressed. Evidently in WSO, Northbridge was the epicentre of Perth’s queer community. From Hotels on Beaufort and Brisbane Street to Nightclubs on James Street, Northbridge is filled with the presence of queer history and culture.

The persecution of homosexuality in the 1980s meant that meeting people had to be secretive with precautions not to reveal important meeting spaces for the queer community. CAMP, an organisation campaigning against legalising homosexuality had to have all its former records destroyed.128 Identities of gay men and women were handled precariously and thus leading to a lot of destroyed evidence and silence in the queer community.

Subsequently, the scope of this project could be much larger to include more resources. The queer spaces that were found in WSO do not account for all of the historical queer spaces that existed. Other issues such as Laughing Medusa (lesbian women issue) provide further sources for queer space research to be conducted.129 Not only that, the project’s research pool is very limited due to the scope and nature of the project. This is a gap in the research project, acknowledging that the degree of research could be much

more profound with additional support and funds in the future.

There are also gaps in how the eight queer space drawings are represented queer spaces. Each of these queer spaces was drawn through a very limited sample of informal discussions, writings from periodicals and an understanding of Australian pub layouts. Not only that, all of these spaces have either had refurbishments and modifications done to their internal layouts or demolished. Due to this, artistic licensing was taken causing inaccuracies and subjectiveness in all of these drawings. Although there are degrees of the subjectivity of these drawings and potential inaccuracies, the research acts as a catalyst for future scholarship into the history behind queer spaces in Northbridge Perth. The research outcome also notes that the interior spaces weren’t necessarily labelled queer, the quality of queerness came from the appropriation by queer people. Architecture enabled these spaces to form, through the spaces’ locality, the constructed layout, and the interior architecture of the spaces through separation and segregation. The architectural trend of open offices or spaces harms the appropriation of spaces although open-plan spaces are perceived to be inclusive for all.

Exhibiting this body of historical work will allow queer voices of the past and present, in shining a light on Perth’s queer history. This will benefit the general public and empower

128 Darbyshire, “Restlessness of meaning: an exploration of how visual artists are working with museum collections.” 129 Inc., “Gay and Lesbian Archives Western Australia (GALAWA) Inc..”

Figure 90.Westside Observer, 2000 issue 229. Source: National Library Archive

the younger queers in Perth, Western Australia. By educating the general public, an understanding of the precarious nature of the history of eight of northbridge’s queer spaces in a time where being LGBTQIA+ meant persecution and oppression will be recognised.

Potential Future Research

This research has contributed to a deeper understanding of how architecture can be designed to serve the queer community. Planometric drawing representation successfully re-constructs eight of the queer spaces. The obvious queerness in the planometric drawings because of the obscurity of the oblique drawing projection, hiding certain aspects of the drawn space. This obscurity is inherently queer. Masking and hiding certain aspects of the spaces is akin to being queer (“in the closet”) as presented in the planometric drawings. Therefore, planometric drawings are inherently queer. The queerness in the planometric projection is because the planometric drawing is fluid, skews and inhibits the view of certain areas of the object. Moreover, this queer aesthetic and qualvity of the drawing allow viewers to take a step closer to understanding what constructed a queer space. So, this queer space research area allows future queer space research to be built upon. The medium of representation using planometric drawing plays a significant role in representing historical queer spaces.

LGBTQIA+ PLAN

1.1 LGBTQIA+ Plan, 2021. Source: City of Perth

1.2 2005-2010 Northbridge history project: Excerpt Jo Darbyshire. Source: Government of Western Australia 2005-2010

1.3 The Palace Hotel Conservation Management Plan, August 2003. Source: TPG.

1.4

Queer Space Architecture and Same-Sex Desire, 1997. Author: Aaron Betsky

1.5 Space 2022. Author: Peter Merriman

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