South Brisbane Library
| South Brisbane Library | |
|---|---|
Building in 2015
|
|
| Location | 472 Stanley Street, South Brisbane, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Coordinates | 27°28′57″S 153°01′35″E / 27.4826°S 153.0264°ECoordinates: 27°28′57″S 153°01′35″E / 27.4826°S 153.0264°E |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1881 - 1902 |
| Architect | Francis Drummond Greville Stanley |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: South Brisbane Library (former), College / South Brisbane Municipal Library and School of Arts, Mechanics Institute and Library / South Brisbane Technical, South Brisbane Post and Telegraph / Office South Brisbane | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600302 |
| Significant period | 1880s - 1900s (historical) 1880s - 1910s (fabric) 1880s - 1970s (social) |
| Significant components | post office, library - building, hall - concert |
| Builders | W Macfarlane |
 Location of South Brisbane Library in Queensland
Location of South Brisbane Library in Queensland
|
|
South Brisbane Library is a heritage-listed former library at 472 Stanley Street, South Brisbane, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Francis Drummond Greville Stanley and built from 1881 to 1902 by W Macfarlane. It is also known as South Brisbane School of Arts, South Brisbane Mechanics Institute, South Brisbane Technical College, and South Brisbane Post & Telegraph Office. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. It now houses the Griffith University Film School, which forms part of the Queensland College of Art.
This complex is composed of three structures built at different times in response to different needs: the South Brisbane Post Office (1881); the South Brisbane Municipal Library (1897); and the City Concert Hall (1902).
The South Brisbane Post Office was designed by FDG Stanley and W Macfarlane was the contractor. The one-room post office occupied the ground floor. The postmaster's accommodation included three bedrooms and verandah upstairs and basement diningroom, kitchen and bedroom. The original symmetrical front facade included a ground floor arcade with an open verandah above. The central focus was the arched masonry frontispiece.
The Post and Telegraph Office was closed in late 1889 to become the South Brisbane Mechanics Institute and Library. In 1893 the South Brisbane Town Council took over the site.
About 1897, the council with the help of a government subsidy built the corner structure and the complex became known as the South Brisbane Municipal Library and Technical College. John Henry Burley is said to be the architect.
The third stage is the concert hall designed by Alexander Brown Wilson in 1902. This building included Technical College classrooms in the basement.
In 1909 the council was offered the Richard John Randall collection of artwork. About the same time, with the Queensland Government take-over of the Technical College, many classrooms became vacant. The council decided to convert the library on the first floor into an art gallery.
...
Wikipedia