Wingham Chamber News - Well Creative's new studio

The Well Creative team has moved into new corporate premises 12 months after starting a massive restoration of the iconic mid century bank building on Bent Street.

The two-storey building most recently housed the Holiday Coast Credit Union but is probably better known to locals since the 1970s as the ANZ Bank. It was originally built for the ES&A Bank.

Well Creative’s new graphic design HQ had made headlines when it was first opened in 1957, in fact it was on the front page of the Wingham Chronicle three times and described as “a thing of beauty.”

The clean, modern lines were revolutionary and the original architect was applauded for creating a home worthy of a modern financial institution.

Unfortunately time and poor decisions were not kind to the building and the Well Creative team, led by project manager and co-director Aaron Cuneo, had the hard job of undoing years of corporate disrespect.

The staircase that had once been a focal point of the interior had been boarded up and the ceiling was lost under fake panels and strip lighting.

Aaron has so far worked on the project for a year - solidly for six months - painstakingly researching every detail of the building in order to take her back to her former glory. He’s spent hours on the internet, travelled far and wide to find the right materials and the whole team have discovered skills they didn’t know they had.

There are 13 different colours used throughout all matched to the original scrapings found under layers of old paint.

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The stairs are once again visible and new coloured glass sits well next to what remains of the original.

The team put a lot of work into the windows, removing nailed fibro sheets and bars and having new ones made to match.

There is now genuine 1950s lighting installed and clever tricks have been used to hide 21st century cabling. In the vault, where it wasn’t possible to run wires through the thick walls copper piping has been used to great effect.

With stage one complete, it is business as usual for most of the team. Aaron however still has much to do. He will take his focus outside to complete the sandstone (yes Aaron’s sourced the exact colour from a quarry) and some funky plans are a foot for the backyard. Aaron hopes to complete the building in time for its 60th birthday in September 2017 when the team will throw a big bash to celebrate.

See the interior restoration for yourself at the Wingham Chamber of Commerce breakfast on Wednesday November 23. Cost is $25 for chamber members or $30 for non members. RSVP by November 21 to admin@winghamchamber.com.au.