First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane |
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First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane, 2015
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| Location | 273 North Quay, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Architect | Lucas and Cummings, Architects |
| Architectural style(s) | Modernist |
| Official name: First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane | |
| Type | state heritage |
| Designated | 11 March 2016 |
| Reference no. | 650017 |
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The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane is a special building located at 273 North Quay in Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia. It's considered a heritage site, meaning it's important to history. The building was designed by a famous architecture firm called Lucas and Cummings. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on March 11, 2016.
History of the Church Building
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane, built in 1940, is a two-story building made of stone. It stands on the western side of North Quay in the center of Brisbane. This church was built because the Christian Science faith grew a lot in the early 1900s. It still serves its community today.
The architects, Lucas and Cummings, designed this building. It's a great example of their work and of a style called Modernist design. In 1950, the church even won an award for its excellent design from the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.
North Quay's Past
In the 1800s, North Quay was a mix of homes and businesses. There were fancy houses, shops, and factories along the Brisbane River. Over time, this area changed. Many homes became boarding houses or flats. In the 1920s, the Grey Street Bridge was built nearby. This brought more traffic and changed the roads around North Quay.
The years between World War I and World War II were a time of big changes for Brisbane's city center. Even with tough economic times like the Great Depression, many new buildings were constructed. Businesses expanded into areas that used to be just for homes. The land where the First Church of Christ, Scientist now stands was bought in 1939. It used to have two large houses on it.
What is Christian Science?
Christian Science is a Christian religion that focuses on the Bible's teachings for healing. It was started in 1879 in Boston, USA, by Mary Baker Eddy. She was an important writer and teacher known for her ideas about spirituality and health.
Christian Science churches don't have traditional clergy. Each local church manages itself and chooses its own leaders. However, they all follow rules from "The Mother Church" in Boston. A group of at least 16 Christian Scientists can form a society or a Church of Christ, Scientist.
Every Church of Christ, Scientist holds Sunday services and meetings where people share their experiences. They also have a Sunday School for young people up to age 20. These churches have reading rooms where the public can learn about Christian Science. They also organize lectures. Two readers lead the church services. These activities help shape how their church buildings are designed.
Christian Science in Australia
Christian Science began to gain interest in Australia in the 1890s. The first meetings in Brisbane happened before September 1899. In 1901, meetings were held in Mrs. Helen Scott Byrne's home. Soon, the group grew too big for her house. They moved to a larger room in the Edwards Building on Adelaide Street. This new space could hold up to 100 people.
In December 1901, the Christian Science Society officially became the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane. About 60 people were attending services within a year. By 1909, they needed an even bigger space. They moved to another building on Adelaide Street. In 1915, the church became officially recognized in Queensland.
In 1917, the church bought land at North Quay and Tank Street. They started building a church there that year. The Christian Science movement kept growing throughout the 1920s. New churches opened in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne.
By 1930, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane had outgrown its North Quay building. They bought Centennial Hall on Adelaide Street, which could hold 1000 people. The Sunday School was held in a nearby cafe.
Because Christian Science was growing so much in Brisbane, a Second Church of Christ, Scientist formed in Clayfield. They built their own church in 1938. This building was also designed in a Modernist style.
By the late 1930s, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane needed a larger church again. They bought two more pieces of land on North Quay around 1939.
Church Architecture Styles
Christian Science churches have always had unique designs. They didn't always follow traditional church styles. In their early years, they often used a Neo-Classical look, like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. By the early 1900s, their churches became more creative. They always focused on excellent design and high-quality materials.
Over time, they started using Modernist ideas. This style focused on practical needs and simple forms. Famous examples include churches in California, England, and Europe.
Australian Christian Science churches followed these trends. Important architects were chosen to create high-quality buildings. In the early 1900s, Neo-Classical designs were popular. For example, Melbourne's First Church (completed 1922) looks like a temple. Sydney's First Church (opened 1927) was built in a Beaux Art style.
By the 1930s, Modernism became popular worldwide. This style focused on new technologies and simple, clean designs without much decoration. Modernist buildings often had:
- Simple shapes
- Clean lines
- Steel-framed windows
- Plain brick walls
- Flat roofs hidden behind walls (parapets)
Modern architecture showed progress and efficiency. This made it appealing after the Great Depression.
Design of the Brisbane Church
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane, opened on August 4, 1940. It cost about £20,000 to build. The architects, Lucas and Cummings, designed it to fit the unusual shape of the land.
The main entrance from North Quay leads into a large foyer. From here, you can reach all parts of the building. The church's main room, called the auditorium, is shaped like a fan. This shape helps with sound, making sure everyone can hear well. It also fits the unusual land shape. The readers' rooms are behind the platform.
The Sunday School is on the other side of the main foyer. This helps keep noise from the Sunday School from disturbing the main service. It has its own entrance from outside. The building also has committee rooms, a literature room, and a caretaker's apartment upstairs.
The outside of the church looks grand but simple. It has cream-colored bricks. The main entrance has columns made of artificial stone. Inside, the auditorium feels spacious and calm. The walls are paneled with beautiful silver silkwood timber. The pews are also made of this wood.
The church has a special ventilation system that brings in filtered air. It also has soft, artificial lighting. A pipe organ, built by B. B. Whitehouse and Co. Ltd, is hidden behind a screen above the readers' platform. Most of the materials and labor used to build the church were from Queensland. The new building even included a cornerstone from the church's earlier building.
The Architects
Frederick Bruce Lucas and Robert Percy Cummings were very important architects in Queensland. They liked the Modernist style. Their buildings were known for their careful details. This made them perfect for designing the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane. Cummings had already designed the Second Church of Christ, Scientist in Clayfield.
Lucas and Cummings helped the architecture profession grow. They taught at the University of Queensland and were leaders in the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. They worked together starting in 1936. Even with challenges like the Great Depression and World War II, they created many new and important buildings. Some of their designs won awards.
Recognition and Current Use
In 1950, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane, won an award for its excellent design. Since then, it has been recognized as an important cultural heritage site. It's on the Brisbane City Council Heritage Register and the Australian Heritage Places Inventory. The church has also participated in the Brisbane Open House event, allowing the public to visit.
The building is still very much like it was when it was built. Only small changes have been made in over 70 years. For example, a cloakroom became a children's nursery, and the caretaker's flat is now used for storage. The roof has been replaced, and some windows were fixed after a storm.
As of 2025, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane is still the largest Christian Science church in Queensland. It continues to be a place of worship, teaching, and meetings for its community.
Description of the Building
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The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane, is located at the western end of Brisbane's city center. It looks out over the Brisbane River, between the William Jolly Bridge and the Kurilpa Bridge. The building is made of simple, block-like shapes, covered in light-colored bricks. It has concrete walls at the top (parapets) and continuous window covers. Its unique shape fits the irregular land it's built on. Low brick walls define the property lines.
The church sits higher than North Quay. You reach the main entrance by walking up a short, wide set of stairs. The entrance is grand but simple, with three doors and artificial stone lining. Inside, another short set of stairs leads to a large foyer. From here, you can go to the auditorium, the Sunday School, offices, and other rooms. There's also a second entrance with a ramp from May Street at the back. Upstairs, there are committee rooms, a boardroom, and other offices.
The Auditorium
The main room of the church is the auditorium. It's calm, well-proportioned, and full of light. It's a large space with tall windows high on the walls. The lower part of the walls is covered with beautiful Queensland Maple wood panels. There isn't much decoration. Its beauty comes from its good proportions and the high quality of its materials.
The auditorium is shaped like a fan, and the floor slopes down towards the front. This helps everyone focus on the readers' platform. Acoustic panels on the back wall also help with sound. The platform has two pulpits. Biblical quotes are written in metal letters high on the walls. An organ is hidden behind a screen above the platform. The seating includes five sections of pews, which get longer as they go back to fit the fan shape of the room.
An interesting feature is the old mechanical ventilation system, which still works. Wooden vents in the walls draw air up from the basement. This air then goes out through special ceiling beams and vents in the eastern wall.
Behind the readers' platform are more rooms for the readers, soloist, and organist. A hallway runs along the side of the auditorium. This passage helps block outside noise from North Quay.
The Sunday School
The Sunday School is on the eastern side of the foyer. It has its own main entrance from North Quay. The Sunday School has a large hall with three classrooms. There are also restrooms and a platform for the superintendent. Behind the platform are the superintendent's room and the library.
First Floor Details
The stairs from the foyer lead to the first floor. Here you'll find committee rooms and a literature distribution room. There's also a caretaker's apartment above the Sunday School. Above the main entrance, there's an administrative area with a boardroom, clerk's room, and treasurer's room.
Building Features
All the details in the church are well-made. This includes steel-framed windows and railings. The window sills, restroom partitions, and floors in the entrance and stairs are made of terrazzo. Many original fixtures, furniture, and signs are still in the building. The inside walls are painted in light colors.
Why is it Heritage Listed?
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane, was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on March 11, 2016. This means it's important for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history changed: This church shows how the Christian Science faith grew in Queensland during the 1900s. It's a great example of a Christian Science church from that time. It also shows how Modernist architecture became popular in Queensland.
- It shows what a Christian Science church is like: The building has all the main features of a Christian Science church from the early 1900s. It has a grand outside and a calm, comfortable inside. It has a large foyer for people to gather, and a bright auditorium designed for good sound. It also has a Sunday School and offices, but no traditional church symbols. The building is still very original, showing off its Modernist design with simple shapes, clean lines, and brick walls.
- It's beautiful and well-designed: The church is a bold Modernist design. Its simple, rectangular shapes and clean lines make it visually appealing. The design is refined, with careful details and high-quality materials.
- It shows great creative skill: The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Brisbane, shows amazing architectural skill. In 1950, the architects Lucas and Cummings won an award for this building. Architects still recognize its creative achievement today.
- It's important to a community: Since 1940, this church has been a special place for the Christian Science community in Queensland. It's where the largest group of Christian Scientists in the state worship, learn, and meet.
