Perrott Lyon Mathieson
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Architecture |
| Predecessor | Leslie M Perrott & Associates |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Founder | Leslie M Perrott |
| Defunct | circa 2015 |
| Fate | Ceased operations |
| Successor | Lyons Architects (related firm) |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Leslie M Perrott Sr., Leslie M Perrott Jr., Ronald Lyon, Brian Mathieson, Carey Lyon |
| Products | Architectural design, urban planning |
Perrott Lyon Mathieson was a prominent architectural practice located in Melbourne, Australia, established by Leslie M Perrott in 1914. Over several decades—from the 1920s through to the 1990s—the firm was responsible for a variety of significant projects and maintained strong connections with the Perrott and Lyon families spanning three generations.
History
The firm was initiated by Leslie M. Perrott in 1914, initially focusing on residential designs in the Edwardian style that incorporated early uses of reinforced concrete. Early commissions were situated in St Kilda and Essendon. Notably, his own home built in Brighton in 1925 showcased concrete construction executed in an Old English architectural style.
Beginning in the late 1920s, Perrott concentrated on designing large residential hotels. His first major project in this genre was the Alexander Hotel (presently known as the Savoy Hotel) in Melbourne, completed in 1928 and distinguished by having private bathrooms in all 200 guest rooms. This was followed by the Chevron Hotel on St Kilda Road (1934), which was completed swiftly to coincide with Melbourne’s centenary celebrations. Later, he designed the modernist Hotel Australia on Collins Street (1939), a key social venue during the 1940s before its demolition in 1989.
In the early 1950s, Leslie M Perrott Jr., commonly referred to as Les Perrott, joined the practice alongside Ronald Lyon. The firm recorded projects such as Welton Becket’s Southern Cross Hotel (1962), which at that time was regarded as Melbourne’s most luxurious hotel. Upon Leslie Sr.’s retirement in 1966, leadership transitioned to his son while work was underway on the Princes Gate Towers (1967), a controversial development later called the Gas & Fuel Buildings and demolished in 1996. The company also expanded its scope into urban planning, producing a master plan for the City of Prahran in 1969 and conducting a major urban renewal study known as the "Perrott Report" (1965) for Carlton; however, this latter proposal was ultimately shelved due to community resistance.
By the late 1960s, partners Les Perrott, Ron Lyon, John Timlock, and Ernst Kesa had formed Perrott Lyon Timlock & Kesa. Their portfolio included tertiary education facilities such as Preston Institute of Technology’s Bundoora campus (1973) and a tower for Caulfield Institute of Technology. Following the retirement of Timlock and Kesa in 1976, Brian Mathieson became a partner, prompting a rebranding of the firm as Perrott Lyon Mathieson ("PLM").
Throughout the mid-1970s, PLM contributed to several office tower projects along Collins Street including Nauru House and designed the Melbourne & Metropolitan Board of Works headquarters on Spencer Street (1979). This building was notable for its Brutalist style featuring bluestone cladding, which was later replaced due to weathering issues.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, PLM undertook design work for Museum underground station (now Melbourne Central) and partnered with Gerard de Prue on Rialto Towers—Australia’s tallest skyscraper from 1986 until 1991. Carey Lyon, who is both Leslie M Perrott’s grandson via his daughter and son of Ron Lyon, joined the firm during the mid-1980s and led design efforts for projects such as Telstra Corporate Centre (1991).
During the 1990s, PLM played a role in developing Melbourne’s inaugural casino complex, Crown Melbourne (which opened in 1997), while continuing to deliver educational facilities including campuses for Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE at Benalla and Eastern Institute of TAFE at Lilydale Lake (now part of Box Hill Institute), earning an Award of Merit in 1998. The practice ceased operations circa 2015.
Leslie M Perrott Senior (1892–1976)
Leslie Marsh Perrott Senior, originally from Gippsland, pursued architectural studies at Melbourne Technical College and launched his own practice in 1914, initially concentrating on concrete residential buildings. His firm subsequently shifted its emphasis toward hotel projects, including the notable Hotel Alexander, commissioned by pub proprietor Jimmy Richardson following Perrott’s investigative trip to the United States in 1926.
In 1924, Perrott married Marion Buell from San Francisco and established residence in Brighton. He was a strong advocate for concrete construction, authoring an article in 1924 and publishing a book called Concrete Homes in 1925. During the Great Depression, he served as president of the Building Industry Congress and was actively involved with the RVIA, holding its presidency in 1939. His contributions to urban planning were recognized in 1955 with the Barrett Memorial Medal. Perrott retired in 1966, passing the practice to his son Leslie M Perrott Jr, who maintained the original firm name.
Ronald Grant Lyon (1920–2006)
Ronald "Tiger" Lyon received his education at Geelong Junior Technical School, Geelong High School, and later at the Gordon Institute, completing architectural training affiliated with the University of Melbourne. Early in his career, he gained experience working alongside Modernist architects Edward Billson and Frederick Romberg. During World War II, Lyon served as a lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers stationed in New Guinea. After the war ended, he became registered with RVIA and worked in London for Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew before joining Leslie M. Perrott & Associates in 1952.
Lyon married Marietta Perrott, daughter of Leslie M Perrott Sr., who herself was engaged as an architectural renderer. The couple had four sons—Corbett, Cameron (deceased 2018), Carey, and Hamish—with three founding Lyons Architecture in 1996, which has grown into a prominent Australian architectural firm. In 1970, Lyon became a partner alongside Leslie M Perrott Jr and served as principal designer for the early 1980s Rialto Towers development.
Throughout his professional life, Lyon remained deeply involved both within industry circles and community activities. He held the RVIA presidency in 1965 and again led the 'RAIA Victorian Chapter' in 1966. His dedication earned him an AM honor in 1984 for his contributions to architecture and society. Marietta passed away in 2003; Ronald died three years later in 2006.
Leslie M Perrott Junior (1926–2001)
Leslie Jr, commonly known as Les Perrott, graduated in 1951 and played a significant role expanding the firm during the post-war economic growth period. After his father’s retirement in 1966, he assumed leadership alongside Ron Lyon but focused more on client acquisition than on design work. He was instrumental in the development of the Forest Hill Shopping Centre.
Brian George Mathieson
Brian Mathieson received an RAIA Silver Medal in 1967 for his thesis concerning High Density Housing. He led design efforts for the MMBW project and was the final partner before the firm dissolved around 2015.
David Simpson (1929– )
David Simpson graduated in 1955 and joined the firm during the early 1960s. He managed the Princes Gate project and supervised construction of the Museum Underground Railway Station (part of Melbourne’s City Loop), which had been designed by Graeme Butler with documentation prepared by Elton Cassumbhoy. Simpson departed as the firm began downsizing around 1980.
Carey Lyon
Carey Lyon, grandson of Leslie M Perrott and son of Ron Lyon, completed his studies at Melbourne University in 1982. He initially gained experience at Bates Smart McCutcheon before joining his father's architectural practice in 1985. During his tenure there, he played a role in the development of the Telstra Corporate Centre, which was finalized in 1992. In 1996, he departed to establish Lyons architects alongside his brother Corbett.
Awards
- 1981 Garden State Award for Sunbury Pedestrianisation
- 1989 Urban Design Award from the Royal Australian Planning Institute (RAPI) for Malvern Square Development
- 1992 RAPI Award recognizing N.E.S.T House
- 1992 Residential Multiple Merit Award by RAIA Victoria for Queensberry Hill Youth Hostel
- 1993 RAIA Victoria Commercial New Category Award for Telecom Corporate Building
- 1998 Institutional New & Merit Awards from RAIA Victoria for Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE, Benalla Campus (in collaboration with Carey Lyon)
- 1998 Institutional New Award from RAIA Victoria for Eastern Institute of TAFE, Lilydale Lake Campus (with Carey Lyon)
- 1998 Merit Award by RAIA Victoria for Crown Entertainment Complex Riverside Promenade (in partnership with Bates Smart and Daryl Jackson)
- 2001 BHP Colorbond Award from RAIA Victoria for Swinburne University Lilydale Lake Campus Stage 2 (with Lyons Architects)
- 2002 Heritage Award from RAIA Victoria for 4 Treasury Place
- 2004 Commercial New Award by RAIA Victoria for Crown Promenade Hotel (collaborating with Bates Smart)