Category: Queensland State Archives’ Photostream About Fortitude Valley

Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Early Buildings “Cultural Asset”

Brisbane, Nov. 10. – Australian architects will ask the State Government to establish trusts to preserve historical buildings.

This decision was made by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects Federal Council today.

The council, in a special statement, said it regarded early buildings of historical and architectural interest as a cultural asset and a national heritage.

The Federal President (Mr. Cobden Parkes) is understood to have told the council that historians and architects should prepare lists of buildings in Australia considered worthy of preservation at whatever the cost.

Description source:
Queensland Times, 11 November 1952

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Digital Image ID 14184

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Improved Building

Alterations to the Royal Exchange Assurance Building in Brisbane have included all modern trends. Sound-absorbent ceilings, with concealed fluorescent lighting throughout, have been found not only attractive, but conducive to a greater standard of efficiency.

Artificial ventilation in the manager’s and assistant manager’s rooms has been installed. A new counter and desks to match have been set up, and a particular feature of the counter is a low-set section at which clients can sit and complete forms, without having to stand.

Color plays an important part in the furnishings. New flooring of inlaid linoleum tiles in red are allied to the main walls of primrose yellow, with two contrasting walls of pottery blue.

Description source:
Truth, 17 October 1954

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Digital Image ID 14183

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Building Controls

Brisbane, July 17. – All home building controls may be lifted in Queensland shortly. It is believed the Labour and Industry Minister, Mr. Jones, is ready to recommend this to Cabinet.

A decision may be delayed, however, until the Premier, Mr. Gair, returns from his northern tour next month. The Government is expected to retain control on commercial buildings, but this control would be relaxed.

Another £380,000 was allocated by the State Government today for its housing projects. The Acting Premier, Mr. Duggan, announced this after a special committee had reviewed the State finances to find more money for housing.

The £380,000 would keep in employment 60 per cent of the Housing Commission’s 640 day labourers. Efforts would be made to absorb the displaced employees in other works.

Description source:
Maryborough Chronicle, 18 July 1952

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Digital Image ID 14064

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Building Delayed

Brisbane, May 3.- Commercial building programmes totalling more than £5,000,000 are being delayed in Queensland because of building controls and shortages.

An estimated total of £3,000,000 would be spent in Brisbane on substantial commercial buildings by 10 large firms or institutions if building controls are relaxed.

Building experts said to-day that this would constitute the biggest building boom in Brisbane’s history.

One organisation – the Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd. – is likely to bring steel and cement with teams of skilled workmen from overseas if it cannot use local labour and materials.

It plans to build an 11-storey building in North Quay-Queen-street corner.

Description source:
Mayborough Chronicle, 4 May 1951

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Digital Image ID 14063

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Ultra-Modern Building

Planned for Brisbane

Brisbane, Dec. 26.- The Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd. has taken out preliminary plans for a new five-storey £531,490 building at the corner of Queen-street and North Quay.

It will have a curved facade facing Victoria Bridge and fronted by spacious lawns and gardens. There will be an inner shopping arcade and basement parking accommodation for 150 cars.

It is understood the Prudential Assurance Co. has offered to import all building materials. The company’s negotiations on the proposed building with the Minister in charge of building control, the Labour and Industry Minister (Mr. A. Jones) have continued for several months.

One of the biggest financial institutions of the British Empire, the Prudential Assurance Co. has an Australia-wide building programme.

Description source:
Cairns Post, 27 December 1951

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Digital Image ID 21603

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This scale model takes in Roma St Train Station, parts of Roma St Parklands, Brisbane City Hall and riverfront. The focal point of this model is the Magistrates Court Precinct, including the Supreme Court building.

Thanks to Ditto Labs and SiteSee, this architectural model is available online in 3D for the first time. To view online visit SiteSee.

Description source:
Ditto Labs

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Item ID 1680368

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The building at 80 George St was commissioned as Queensland Government Offices. It is currently being demolished to make way for a new development. This model features a number of fine elements, including the trees and other greenery. Great care was taken to build a model which accurately reflected the architect’s intentions for the site.

Thanks to Ditto Labs and SiteSee, this architectural model is available online in 3D for the first time. To view online visit SiteSee.

Description source:
Ditto Labs

View the original record at Queensland State Archives:
Item ID 2781814

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

The Land Administration Building model measures at 600mm in length and 285mm in width at the base. It is evident that the model maker took care to include the smallest details, from the miniature cars to the various characters on footpaths.

Thanks to Ditto Labs and SiteSee, this architectural model is available online in 3D for the first time. To view online visit SiteSee.

Description source:
Ditto Labs

View the original record at Queensland State Archives:
Item ID 1680335

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

The Queensland Housing Commission was constituted in pursuance of the provisions of the State Housing Act of 1945 which was proclaimed on 10 December 1945. The Commission amalgamated with the Local Government Department to form the Department of Housing and Local Government in December 1989.

The Housing Commission was established to address the post-war housing shortage. Its functions were: planning, construction, acquisition and maintenance of houses under the State Housing Acts and Commonwealth and State Housing Agreements; acquisition and development of estates for housing; granting of loans for home ownership; sale and rental of Housing Commission dwellings; also to advise Local Authorities in regard to building by-laws and similar matters.

In the 1960s and 1970s the Commission branched out from large estate development to unit blocks and attached housing. With the repeal of the State Housing Act of 1945 by the Housing Act 2003, the Housing Commission

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Queensland State Archives posted a photo:

Building Plans For Brisbane

If all the building plans for city business houses which may have been “on the ice” for years past could be carried out in one night nobody would be able to recognise Brisbane the next day, write our Brisbane correspondent.

But one rather suspects that quite a lot of these alleged plans were as much smoke as anything else. It is just as well that credit restrictions are still in force to some extent, otherwise Queen-street would soon be a mass of scaffolding, according to all the talk, and pedestrians would have to use the roadway instead of the footpaths.

There are a great number of old buildings in our main street which urgently need extensive alteration to make them at all modern. lots of them will have to be demolished, as nothing could be done with them. They are merely old brick shells,

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