Gardams Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gardams Building |
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Gardams Building, 2009
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| Location | 114 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1881 |
| Architectural style(s) | Italianate |
| Official name: Gardams, Rutter and Sons | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600137 |
| Significant period | 1881 (fabric) |
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The Gardams Building is a historic shop building located at 114 Queen Street in Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1881 and is known for its beautiful old-fashioned design. This building is officially recognized on the Queensland Heritage Register. This means it's an important part of Queensland's history and should be protected. It was once home to Rutter and Sons, a chemist, and later Gardams Silk Store. Today, it houses a Flight Centre store.
Contents
History of the Gardams Building
The Gardams Building was built in late 1881. It opened its doors for business in January 1882. Before this building, the land was part of old convict barracks. These barracks were torn down in 1880. The government then decided to sell this land.
Auguste Deleuse bought the land in September 1881. He quickly built a two-story building with a basement. He then rented it out to a jeweller named Thomas Gerrard for five years.
Changes in Ownership
In April 1888, John Ferguson bought the property. Ferguson was a politician, a building contractor, and an investor in mining. He was a Member of Parliament for Rockhampton at the time. He likely bought the building as an investment.
After Ferguson passed away in 1906, the building was managed by different trustees. They kept the property until August 1950. At that time, Gardams Silk Store Pty Ltd bought it at an auction. For many years, a chemist called Rutter and Son had been renting the building. They had been there since the end of World War I.
Building Expansions
When Gardams bought the property, it included more than just the original building. There was also another brick building at the back, facing Burnett Lane. This building had a ground floor, a mezzanine (a floor between two main floors), and two upper floors. Maps from 1913 show that a building was already there. This back building has now been joined with the main Gardams building.
Gardams continued to use the building until 1992. That's when it was officially listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. After that, Gardams moved to a new location. Since 2013, Flight Centre has used the building for their main Brisbane store.
What the Gardams Building Looks Like
The Gardams Building is a smaller commercial building from the Victorian era. It has fancy details in the Italianate style. The building has two stories made of brick covered in stucco (a type of plaster). It sits on a stone basement.
Street Level and Upper Floors
The front of the building at street level has been updated. It now has large glass shop windows and a main entrance that is set back. However, the upper part of the building looks just as it did when it was first built.
The upper floor has three window openings. These windows have round tops, like arches. The fancy decorations above these arches are supported by fluted pilasters. Pilasters are like flat columns attached to the wall. These pilasters have Corinthian tops, which are very decorative. This design makes the upper part of the building look like it has a series of arches. Inside the window openings are timber sash windows.
Decorative Features
Large, decorative keystones rise from the arches. Keystones are the wedge-shaped stones at the top of an arch. These keystones support the cornice, which is a decorative molding along the top of the wall. At each end of the upper front, more fluted pilasters also support the cornice.
The cornice itself is very detailed for a building of this size. It has large brackets (supports) and decorative dentils (small block-like shapes). Above the cornice is a parapet, which is a low protective wall. In the middle of the parapet is a triangular pediment. At the ends of the parapet are pedestals, which are like bases for statues. An open Italianate balustrade (a row of small columns) runs between these pedestals and the pediment. Three large cement urns (decorative vases) sit on top of the pedestals and the pediment.
Connections to Other Buildings
The building at the back, facing Burnett Lane, was originally separate. However, it has been joined with the front building. You can clearly see where they connected on the upper level of the back building. A connection was also made on the first floor of the front building. This allows access to the same floor of the nearby Hardy Brothers building.
The Gardams Building is a great example of a small Victorian commercial building. It is part of a group of similar old buildings on Queen Street. These buildings together make the street look very historic and beautiful.
Why the Gardams Building is Important
The Gardams Building was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it meets certain important standards.
Showing History
The Gardams Building helps us understand how Queensland's history unfolded. It shows how Queen Street developed in the early 1880s. This happened after the old convict barracks were removed and the land was sold.
Special Design
The building is a good example of a small, two-story commercial building from the Victorian era. It has many fancy details that were popular at that time.
Beautiful Appearance
The building is also important because of its beauty. It is part of a group of commercial buildings from the 1880s that still stand today. Together, these buildings add a lot to the historic look of Queen Street.
