Craigston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Craigston
Craigston, 2015
Location	217 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Design period	1919 - 1930s (interwar period)
Built	1927
Architect	Atkinson & Conrad
Architectural style(s)	Spanish Mission
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: Craigston
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	21 October 1992
Reference no.	600165
Significant components	tower - observation/lookout, garden edging/balustrades/planter boxes, garden - bed/s, basement / sub-floor, office/s, residential accommodation - flat/s, garden - roof
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Craigston is a historic apartment building located at 217 Wickham Terrace in Spring Hill, Brisbane, Australia. It was designed by the architects Atkinson & Conrad and finished in 1927. This building is special because it was one of the first of its kind in Brisbane. It is now listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its important history and unique design.

History of Craigston

Craigston under construction, around 1928

This tall, eight-story building was built in 1927. It was made for a group of doctors in Brisbane who wanted both offices and homes in one place.

In the mid-1920s, a doctor named Sydney Fancourt McDonald had a new idea. He wanted a building that had professional offices on the ground floor and apartments on the floors above. This was a new concept for Brisbane. So, a company called Craigston Ltd was started, with Dr. McDonald as the chairman.

The company hired the architects Atkinson & Conrad to design the building. Arnold Conrad and his draftsman, David Wales, worked on the design in 1926. They used a special building method with a reinforced concrete frame. This might have been the first time this method was used in a tall building in Brisbane!

The design also showed the architects' interest in the Spanish Mission style. They used this style in other buildings around Brisbane too.

A famous builder and engineer named Walter Taylor built Craigston in 1927. He was supervised by architect Thomas Brennan Femister Gargett. Walter Taylor later built the well-known Walter Taylor Bridge (1932–36).

Craigston was built during a time when many medical buildings were being added to Wickham Terrace. Other buildings like Ballow Chambers, Inchcolm, Brisbane Clinic (also known as Lister House), and Wickham House were also constructed around this time. This made Wickham Terrace a very important area for doctors and medical services.

What Craigston Looks Like

Craigston is located on Wickham Terrace. It looks out over the city center. This area has been important for Brisbane's medical community since the 1880s.

It is an eight-story building. It also has a lower floor, a garden on the roof, and a viewing tower. The building is made of brick with a strong steel-reinforced concrete frame.

The building's design is in the Spanish Mission style. This means it has arched entryways and arched windows. It also has a decorative top edge at the penthouse level. There is a corner tower with a roof made of terracotta tiles.

The outside of the building looks almost exactly as it did when it was built. Only the balconies have been enclosed to match the original style.

The ground floor and lower floor have offices for professionals. The other floors are for people to live in. The sixth floor has always had two apartments. Originally, each of the other living floors had one large apartment. These apartments had a central hallway and separate rooms for servants. Most of these large apartments have now been divided into smaller ones. Today, there are twelve apartments in total.

The building has a central elevator. There are also L-shaped hallways lined with dark wood paneling. You can get to the professional offices through the front entrance. Residents have their own separate entrance on the side of the building.

At the front and along one side of the building, there are small garden beds. These gardens have edges made from a special type of stone called Brisbane tuff.

Why Craigston is Important

Aerial view of Wickham Park showing Craigston as a main landmark, 1938

Craigston was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. It met several important requirements.

• Showing Queensland's History: Craigston was Brisbane's first tall apartment building. This shows how multi-story buildings became popular in Queensland. It was also the first building made specifically for doctors to have both offices and homes. This shows how Wickham Terrace became a key area for medical services.

• Showing a Special Style: Craigston is a great example of the Spanish Mission style used in a tall building in Brisbane.

• Aesthetic Significance: Many people in Brisbane value Craigston for its beauty. It adds a lot to the look of Wickham Terrace and the city skyline.

• Creative or Technical Achievement: Craigston was possibly the first tall building in Queensland to use a reinforced concrete frame. This shows a high level of technical skill for its time.

• Association with Important People: Craigston is linked to the famous Brisbane builder and engineer Walter Taylor. It is a major example of his work. It also shows the great work of the architectural firm Atkinson and Conrad, especially their use of the Spanish Mission style.

Notable Residents

• Sydney Fancourt McDonald
• William N. Robertson, a surgeon and Vice Chancellor of the University of Queensland