Deva House
Deva House is a 1926 commercial building in Melbourne, Australia designed by Harry Norris, one of the most prolific architects in the city during the period from 1920 to 1930, and noted for his Art Deco buildings, incorporating both emerging Australian and American architectural styles. History of the building Deva House is a 10-storey building located at 327-9 Bourke Street, CBD. It was designed by Harry Norris in 1925 (some sources say 1924), and completed in 1926, for his client George (G.J.) Coles, founder of the Coles Group retail empire. Norris designed it during the same period, and in a similar style, to the better-known Nicholas Building. In common with other architects working in the city at the time, Norris adopted significantly different styles, depending on the client and project demands. He also incorporated different architectural influences within one building. Structure and style Deva House was constructed using a steel frame for the basement and first two floors, with reinforced concrete for the eight upper floors. Its height is , just below the height limit in force in Melbourne at the time. Economic considerations may also have influenced the design, as this created maximum floor area at more commercially attractive