Colonial Mutual Chambers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Colonial Mutual Chambers |
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Former Colonial Mutual Chambers (upper facade), 2008
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| Location | 62 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1883 |
| Built for | Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society |
| Architect | Richard Gailey |
| Architectural style(s) | Gothic |
| Official name: 62 Queen Street, Colonial Mutual Chambers, Sussans Building | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 August 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600160 |
| Significant period | 1883 (fabric) 1883–1906 (historical) |
| Builders | W McPark |
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The Colonial Mutual Chambers is a historic office building located at 62 Queen Street in Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by architect Richard Gailey and built in 1883 by W McPark. This building is also known as the Sussans Building. It is recognized for its important history and unique design. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992, meaning it's a special place protected for future generations.
Contents
A Look Back: The Building's Story
This building was constructed in 1883 for the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society. They had bought the land two years earlier.
The land where the building stands was once part of a larger area. This area used to have buildings from when Moreton Bay was a penal settlement. The government decided to knock down some old buildings. This opened up the land for new commercial buildings along Queen Street.
The famous architect Richard Gailey designed the building. W McPark was the builder. Gailey designed many commercial buildings in Brisbane during the 1880s. Most of his designs used a classical style. However, for this building, he chose a Gothic style. Sir Thomas McIlwraith, an early director of the company, laid the first stone in September 1883.
The Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society used most of the building themselves. They called it the Colonial Mutual Chambers. They rented out the other parts of the building. In 1906, Colonial Mutual moved its main office. But they still owned the building and continued to rent out its spaces.
In 1936, the Carnegie family bought the building. They were known for selling musical instruments. The building stayed in their family until 1972. Since the 1960s, the upper floors have been used as offices. The ground floor has been used for shops.
Over the years, some parts of the building's top have changed. A tall spire and parts of the side towers were removed. Also, the attic rooms and chimneys on the roof were taken away.
What the Building Looks Like
The Colonial Mutual Chambers is a three-story building made of brick. Its outside walls are covered with a smooth finish. It also has a basement level.
The Front of the Building
The front of the building is very striking. It has a large, rounded window that sticks out, called an oriel window. This window is supported by decorative brackets with flower designs. In the middle of this window, on the second floor, there's a band with six different badges.
Above this, vertical bars (called mullions) and horizontal bars (called transoms) divide the window into 24 smaller glass sections. The top of each small window section has a fancy, curved design called Gothic tracery. On both the second and third floors, the windows go from the floor all the way to the ceiling.
Decorative towers, called turrets, stand on each side of the oriel window. The very top of the building has a decorative wall, like a castle, called a parapet. In the center of this wall is a badge with the company's symbol.
Other Features
On each side of the oriel window, there are small alcoves called niches. These niches have curved tops, similar to the window designs. At both ends of the building's front, there's a turret. These turrets are decorated with patterns and flower designs. They also have a pointed ornament on top called a finial. The lower parts of these turrets were removed over time.
The Back of the Building
The back of the building faces Burnett Lane. Its brick walls are also covered with a smooth finish. This finish is made to look like stonework. There are four windows on each floor at the back. These windows have stone sills. The tops of the windows are shaped like a Tudor arch. A continuous decorative band highlights these arches. You can still see one old cast iron pipe and two old rainwater heads from the 1800s on the back wall.
Inside the Building
Inside, a new half-floor, called a mezzanine, has been added above the ground floor. On the floor above, you can still see a beautiful, decorative ceiling made of pressed metal.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The Colonial Mutual Chambers was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on August 21, 1992. This means it's considered an important part of Queensland's history and culture.
Showing Queensland's History
The building helps us understand how Queensland's history unfolded. It shows how Queen Street developed in the 1880s. This happened when old government buildings from the penal era were removed, and new commercial buildings were built.
Showing Building Styles
The Colonial Mutual Chambers is a great example of a commercial building from the 1880s. It also shows the different styles used by architect Richard Gailey. He often mixed different architectural ideas in his work.
Its Beautiful Design
The building is important because of its beautiful design. People value its Gothic style facade from the 1880s. It also adds to the overall look of Queen Street. This street has many other interesting buildings from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
