Conrad Gargett

Conrad Gargett is an Australian architectural practice, founded in Brisbane in 1890 and is one of Queensland's oldest architectural firms.[1]

Conrad Gargett
Practice information
Firm type	Architecture Landscape architecture Interior design Urban design
Founders	Henry Wallace Atkinson Charles McLay (1907) Arnold Conrad (1918) Lange Powell (1926) Sydney Ancher (1946) Bryce Mortlock (1946) Ken Woolley (1946) Robert Riddel (1982)
Founded	1890 (1890)
Location	Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Newcastle, Townsville, Addis Ababa
Website
conradgargett.com.au

The practice operates out of studios in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Newcastle, Townsville and Addis Ababa.

Establishment

Lady Cilento Children's Hospital designed with Lyons, South Brisbane

Royal Agricultural Showground Exhibition Halls, Sydney

The former Queensland National Bank at 308 Queen Street, completed in association with Donovan Hill

Conrad Gargett Architecture was established as HW Atkinson in 1890 by Henry Wallace Atkinson with the winning design for the new Brisbane Head Fire Station.[1] Charles McLay joined Atkinson to form the partnership HW Atkinson & Chas McLay in 1907.[2] The practice subsequently assumed the position of Diocesan Architect to the Anglican Church, designing a number of schools and churches in South East Queensland.[3] Following the death of McLay in 1918 the practice was renamed Atkinson & Conrad when Arnold Conrad became a partner. The new firm was noted for its use of the distinctive Spanish Mission style in many of its projects.[4] The practice was also appointed to the position of Hospital Architect by various hospital boards and played a large role in the design of hospitals in Queensland between 1920–80, including extensive projects at the Royal Brisbane Hospital, South Brisbane Auxiliary Hospital (now Princess Alexandra Hospital), Prince Charles Hospital and Gold Coast Hospital.[5] Following their appointment in 1926 as architects to the Brisbane and South Coast Hospital Board, the practice took on a new partner Lange Leopold Powell becoming Atkinson, Powell & Conrad.

During the post-war era, the firm now called AH Conrad & TBF Gargett (Thomas Brenan Femister Gargett having become a partner) became a prominent designer of commercial office towers in the Brisbane CBD. Most notable of these were the SGIO Building including the SGIO Theatre (now Suncorp Metway Plaza) and head offices for three of the big four banks.[1] The MLC building, designed in 1955 with Bates Smart, was one of the first commercial office buildings to be built in the undecorated, modern style in Brisbane.[6]^:137

In 2017 a book titled Conrad Gargett was published, detailing the history of the firm between 1890 and 2015. The book was edited by Robert Riddel and attempts to provide a broader historical and architectural context to the various phases in which the practice has operated.[7]

Growth

Conrad Gargett formed after Conrad Gargett Architecture undertook a series of mergers with Riddel Architecture (2012) and Ancher Mortlock Woolley (2013).[8] The contemporary firm is a multi-disciplinary practice, which specialises in health, education, heritage and defence.[9][10]

Riddel Architecture was established in 1982 by Robert Riddel.[11]

The Brisbane-based practice focused on heritage, conservation and adaptive reuse projects.[11] Notable works by the firm include the restoration and adaptive re-use of Brisbane's Customs House, the former Wests Furniture Showroom and the former Queensland National Bank at 308 Queen Street (in association with Donovan Hill).[11]

Ancher Mortlock Woolley, initially called Ancher Mortlock & Murray, was established in 1946 by Sydney Ancher, Bryce Mortlock and Stuart Murray.[12] The Sydney-based practice was later joined by Ken Woolley in 1964.

The practice designed modern structures, winning both the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture and the Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture.[13] Notable projects by the practice include Town Hall House and Sydney Square (1977) and more recently, the Royal Agricultural Showground Exhibition Halls and restoration of the State Library of Victoria.[13]

Notable works

Queensland Brewery in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane

Old Government House, Gardens Point

Trades and Labour Hall, Brisbane (now demolished)

Masonic Temple, Brisbane (Designed by Lange Powell)

Royal Women's Hospital in Brisbane at the time of its opening, 1938

Advertisement for the Atcherley Private Hotel, Adelaide Street

SGIO Building (now Suncorp Plaza) viewed from Albert street across King George Square

Sheraton Hotel (now Sofitel) over Central Station, Brisbane

State Law Building, Brisbane QLD

Conrad Gargett has designed some of Australia's landmark buildings predominately in Queensland, including the following major architectural projects:[14][15][16]

Completed	Firm name	Project name	Location	Award	Notes
1890	HW Atkinson	Fire Brigade Head Station, Ann & Edward St	Brisbane City		(Demolished)[17]
1892		Coorparoo School of Arts and RSL Memorial Hall	Coorparoo		(State Heritage Place)[18]
1903		Wesleyan Methodist Church, Linton Street	Kangaroo Point		(Local Heritage Place)[19]
1906		Brisbane Fruit & Produce Markets, Turbot St	Brisbane		(Local Heritage Place)[20]
1906		Queensland Brewery (additions)	Fortitude Valley		[21]
1907	HW Atkinson & Charles McLay	Fire Station, Ann & Wharf St	Brisbane		(Demolished)[2]
1907		Villa Residence "Denila", for FAJ Isles, Jordan Tce	Bowen Hills		(Local Heritage Place)[22]
1909		Ithaca Town Council Chambers	Red Hill		(State Heritage Place)[23]
1910		Fitzroy Chambers (renamed Commerce House)	Brisbane City		[6]^:116
1910		McWhirters & Son, Wickham & Warner St	Fortitude Valley		(State Heritage Place)[24]
1912		Desmond Chambers, Adelaide St	Brisbane City		(Local Heritage Place)[25]
1918		Church of England Grammar School (Churchie)	East Brisbane		(Local Heritage Place)
1918		Trades and Labour Hall	Brisbane City		(Demolished)
1920	Atkinson & Conrad	The Southport School	Southport
1923		St Paul's Anglican Church and Columbarium	East Brisbane		(State Heritage Place)[26]
1925		Gordon and Gotch, Adelaide St	Brisbane City		[27]
1926		Atcherley Private Hotel, Adelaide St	Brisbane City		(Demolished)
1926		Craigston Apartments, Wickham Tce	Spring Hill		(State Heritage Place)[28]
1926		Block 2 & Block 3, Royal Brisbane Hospital	Herston		(Demolished)
1927		Residence and rooms for Dr Hedley Brown	Nundah
1927		Masonic Temple, Ann St (designed by Lange Powell)	Brisbane City		(State Heritage Place)[29]
1928	Atkinson, Powell & Conrad	St John's Cathedral (abutment wall)	Brisbane City		(State Heritage Place)[30]
1928		National Australia Bank (180 Queen Street) (with A & K Henderson)	Brisbane City		(State Heritage Place)[31]
1929		Brisbane Boys' College	Toowong		(State Heritage Place)[32]
1929		Lady Lamington Nurses Home (additions), Royal Brisbane Hospital	Herston		(State Heritage Place)[33]
1930		Royal Women's Hospital, Royal Brisbane Hospital	Herston		(Demolished)
1930		Tristram's Factory (Tristram's West End Market)	West End		(Register of the National Estate)[4]
1934		Somerville House Library	South Brisbane		(State Heritage Place)[34]
1935		Courier-Mail Building (with Meldrum & Turner), Queen St	Brisbane City		(Demolished)
1935		Finney Isles & Co Building (additions), Queen St (now David Jones)	Brisbane City		(State Heritage Place)[35]
1951	AH Conrad & TBF Gargett	South Brisbane Auxiliary Hospital (now Princess Alexandra Hospital)	Woolloongabba		(Demolished)[36]
1953		Cromwell College, University of Queensland	St Lucia		[37]
1953		Prince Charles Hospital (Sanatorium & Nurses Quarters)	Chermside		(Sanatorium demolished)[38]
1954		St John's College, University of Queensland	St Lucia		[37]
1955		MLC (with Bates Smart), Adelaide & Edward St	Brisbane City		[39]
1958		Women's College, University of Queensland	St Lucia		[37]
1960		St John's Cathedral (extension to nave)	Brisbane City		(State Heritage Place)[30]
1960		Physiology Lecture Theatres, University of Queensland	St Lucia		[37]
1961		Commonwealth Bank Building, King George Square	Brisbane City		[39]
1962		Queensland Newspapers	Bowen Hills
1963		Bishopsbourne (Archbishop's Chapel)	Hamilton		[40]
1963		Sir William MacGregor Building, University of Queensland	St Lucia		[37]
1965		Head Fire Station, Kemp Place	Fortitude Valley		[41]
1965		The Age Newspapers	Tullamarine, Melbourne
1967		SGIO Offices and Theatre	Brisbane City		(Demolished; now Suncorp Metway Plaza)[39]
1968		Block 7 & Block 8, Royal Brisbane Hospital	Herston		[42]
1970		Brisbane Administration Centre and City Plaza	Brisbane City		(City Plaza demolished)[6]^:157
1971		ANZ Head Office, Queen & Creek St	Brisbane City
1971		100 George Street, Executive Building (with State Dept. of Works)	Brisbane City		[6]^:157
1972		Central Railway Administration Building, Central Station (with Civil & Civic)	Brisbane City		[6]^:157
1973		Comalco House, George & Ann St (now State Law Building)	Brisbane City		[39]
1974		National Bank House (formerly Estates House)	Brisbane City		[39]
1978	Conrad Gargett and Partners	National Mutual Centre, Edward & Charlotte St (with Civil & Civic)	Brisbane City		[6]^:157
1981		Santos House and Rowes Arcade, Adelaide St	Brisbane City		[39]
1981		Queensland Parliament House (conservation with State Dept. of Works)	Brisbane City		[43]
1982		Sheraton Hotel (now Sofitel), Central Station	Brisbane City		[39]
1983		The Mansions (conservation), George St	Brisbane City		(State Heritage Place)[44]
1985		Queensland Mapping and Surveying Building	Woolloongabba
1989		Commonwealth Bank Head Office, Queen & Edward St	Brisbane City		(State Heritage Place)[43]
1990		St Martin's House (adaptive reuse), St John's Cathedral Precinct	Brisbane City		(State Heritage Place)[45]
1991		Queensland Newspapers	Murarrie		[43]
1992		State Law Building (renovation), Ann St	Brisbane City		[39]
1993		Therapies and Anatomy, University of Queensland	St Lucia		[37]
1995	Conrad Gargett	Brisbane Customs House	Brisbane CBD		(state heritage place)[46]
1996		Balmoral Water Reserve	Brisbane City
1999		Brisbane City Hall	Brisbane City		(state heritage place)[47]
2000		Australian Catholic University Masterplan	Banyo
2000		Spring Hill Baths	Brisbane City		(state heritage place)[48]
2001		RAAF Base Amberley Redevelopment	Amberley
2001		St Stephens Cathedral	Brisbane City		(state heritage place)[49]
2003		Blackall Woolscour conservation	Blackall	RAIA Conservation Award (2003)	(state heritage place)[50]
2004		Brisbane City Hall	Brisbane City
2004		Combined Mess Facility, RAAF Base Townsville	Townsville
2004		Clinical Science Building I Griffith University	Brisbane City
2005		State Library of Victoria Redevelopment	Melbourne City
2006		St Stephen's Cathedral Precinct	Brisbane City
2009		Warroo Shire Hall	Warroo		(state heritage place)[51]
2009		Barambah Station	Barambah
2009		Holy Spirit Seminary, Brisbane Australian Catholic University	Banyo
2009		Old Government House Conservation and Adaptation	Gardens Point	Union of International Architects – Honourable Mention – UIA Prize Friendly Spaces Accessible to All (2014)	(state heritage place)[52]
2009		Former Wests Furniture Showroom	Fortitude Valley
2010		Queen Victoria Building Refurbishment	Sydney CBD
2011		Australian Tropical Science Innovation Project	Townsville
2012		Harvey's Bistro	Fortitude Valley
2013		Emergency Shelter Competition	Brisbane City	International Young Architects Ideas Awards and Exhibition – First Prize (2013)
2013		BDO Workplace	Brisbane
2013		Harrison Grierson Workplace	Brisbane
2013		Goddard Building Rooftop Expansion University of Queensland	St Lucia	AIA Architecture Awards – Queensland Award for Heritage (2015) National Trust Queensland Heritage Awards – David Eades Award (2014)
2013		Mt Isa Hospital Redevelopment	Mt Isa
2014		St Stephen's Hospital	Hervey Bay	Australian Interior Design Awards – Shortlist, Public Buildings (2015)	[53]
2014		Lady Cilento Children's Hospital (with Lyons)	South Brisbane	AIA Architecture Awards – John Dalton Award for Building of the Year (2015) Design and Health International Academy Awards – Overall Winner – Salutogenic Design Project for Healthcare Environment (2015) World Architecture Festival Building of the Year – Shortlist, Health (2015) Design and Health International Academy Awards – Winner – International Future Health Projects (2013)	[54]
2015		St John Paul II Building Australian Catholic University	Banyo
2015		GE Headquarters	Springfield
2015		Coorparoo Square	Coorparoo
		Brian Wilson Chancellery, University of Queensland	St Lucia

See also

• Architecture of Australia

References

1. Neale, Douglas (September 2005). "Conrad Gargett Architecture: 12 decades of design". Architecture Australia: 33–4.
2. "A New Firm of Architects". The Brisbane Courier. 5 January 1907. p. 5. Retrieved 21 December 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
3. "St Paul's Anglican Church and Columbarium (entry 602826)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
4. "Tristrams West End Market". Australian Heritage Database. Australia: Department of Environment.
5. "Nurses' Homes, Royal Brisbane Hospital (including Lady Lamington and Blocks 1 and 2) (entry 600223)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
6. De Gruchy, Graham (1994). A study of change in the built environment with special reference to urban and architectural design in Brisbane's central business district core and core periphery (PhD thesis). University of Queensland.
7. ArchitectureAU (2017). "An 'impossible task': 125 years of practice collected in Conrad Gargett: 1890–2015" (Editorial). Architecture Media.
8. Bleby, Michael (18 January 2014). "How architect firms compete in a consolidating industry". Australian Financial Review.
9. "Conrad Gargett Riddel". ArchitectureAU.
10. Moody, Ann-Maree (18 January 2014). "Defence buildings: design with a military precision". Australian Financial Review.
11. Fraser, Magie. "Robert Riddel, Geoff Cook and David Gole of Riddel Architecture". ArchitectureAU.
12. "Ancher Mortlock and Woolley". ArchitectureAU.
13. Architects for the New Millennium. Images Publishing. 2000. ISBN 978-1-86470-079-4.
14. "Search". Queensland Heritage Register. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014.
15. "Fryer Library Database (Conrad Gargett Collection)" (PDF). Library. University of Queensland.
16. "Digital Archive". Queensland Architecture.
17. "Brisbane Fire Brigade Station, ca. 1899". John Oxley Library. State Library of Queensland.
18. "Coorparoo School of Arts and RSL Memorial Hall (entry 602054)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
19. "Former Wesley Church and Parsonage". Brisbane Heritage Register. Brisbane City Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
20. "Brisbane Fruit & Produce Market/Exchange (former)". Brisbane Heritage Register. Brisbane City Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
21. "THE QUEENSLAND BREWERY COMPANY". The Brisbane Courier. 9 January 1906. p. 4. Retrieved 15 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
22. "Residence 'Denila' (former)". Brisbane Heritage Register. Brisbane City Council. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
23. "Ithaca Town Council Chambers and Red Hill Kindergarten (former) (entry 602058)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
24. "McWhirters Marketplace (entry 600214)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
25. "Desmond Chambers". Brisbane Heritage Register. Brisbane City Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
26. "St Paul's Anglican Church and Columbarium (entry 602826)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
27. "No title". The Brisbane Courier. 31 August 1926. p. 9. Retrieved 15 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
28. "Craigston (entry 600165)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
29. "Masonic Temple (entry 600074)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
30. "St John's Cathedral (entry 600076)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
31. "National Australia Bank (entry 600141)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
32. "Brisbane Boys College (entry 600337)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
33. "Nurses' Homes, Royal Brisbane Hospital (including Lady Lamington and Blocks 1 and 2) (entry 600223)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
34. "Somerville House (entry 600305)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
35. "David Jones (entry 600142)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
36. "Nurses' Quarters at the South Brisbane General Hospital, Woolloongabba, Queensland, 1958". John Oxley Library. State Library of Queensland.
37. Moulis, Antony; Wilson, Andrew (2010). University of Queensland Centenary Architecture Campus Map (Map). St Lucia: University of Queensland.
38. "NEW T.B. SANATORIUM FOR CHERMSIDE". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane. 7 July 1952. p. 5. Retrieved 15 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
39. Discover Brisbane architecture (PDF) (Map). Brisbane Modern Magazine. State Library of Queensland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 February 2014.
40. "Archbishop's Chapel in Hamilton, Queensland, 1965". John Oxley Library. State Library of Queensland.
41. "Metropolitan Fire Brigade Head Station in Brisbane, Queensland, 1964". John Oxley Library. State Library of Queensland.
42. "Block 8 of the Royal Brisbane Hospital at Herston, Queensland, 1970". John Oxley Library. State Library of Queensland.
43. "Conrad Gargett Riddel History – Conrad Gargett". CGR Architects.
44. "The Mansions (entry 600119)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
45. "St Martin's House (entry 600075)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
46. "Brisbane Customs House (entry 600156)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
47. "Brisbane City Hall (entry 600065)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
48. "Spring Hill Baths (entry 600313)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
49. "St Stephens Cathedral (entry 600107)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
50. "Blackall Woolscour". Conrad Gargett. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
51. "Warroo Shire Hall (entry 602612)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
52. "Old Government House (entry 600118)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
53. "St Stephen's Hospital Hervey Bay". St Stephen's Hospital.
54. "Conrad Gargett Riddel". Architecture and Design. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016.

External links

• Conrad Gargett website
• Digital Archive of Queensland Architecture
• Fryer Library Database (Conrad Gargett Collection)
• Book review: Conrad Gargett