Inchcolm, Spring Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Inchcolm |
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Inchcolm, 2015
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| Location | 73 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919–1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1930 |
| Architect | Eric P Trewern |
| Architectural style(s) | Georgian |
| Official name: Inchcolm | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 23 March 1998 |
| Reference no. | 600170 |
| Significant period | 1930 (fabric) 1920s-1930s (historical) |
| Builders | J I Green & Son |
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Inchcolm is a historic building in Spring Hill, Brisbane, Australia. It was designed by Eric P Trewern and built in 1930. This building was first used as offices for doctors. Later, in 1998, it became a hotel. It was updated in 2014 and is now known as Ovolo Inchcolm. The building is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its important history and design.
A Look Back: Inchcolm's History
The land where Inchcolm stands has been linked to doctors since the 1880s. The very first building called Inchcolm was set up by Dr. John Thomson. It was his home and also where he saw patients. Later, in the 1910s and 1920s, it became a private hospital.
In 1925, a church bought the first Inchcolm building. They wanted to build a new church there. But then, the church decided they needed a spot closer to the city center. So, they sold Inchcolm in 1929.
A group of doctors, led by George Douglas, bought part of the land. They formed a company called Inchcolm Ltd. They hired a famous Brisbane architect, Eric Percival Trewern, to design a new building for doctors' offices. This new building is the Inchcolm we see today. Another part of the land was sold to a different group who built the next-door building, Lister House.
Builders J I Green & Son finished Inchcolm in 1930. Inchcolm was one of many new medical buildings built on Wickham Terrace between World War I and World War II. Other buildings like Brisbane Clinic (Lister House), Ballow Chambers, Wickham House, and Craigston were also built around this time. This showed that Wickham Terrace was becoming a major area for specialist doctors in Queensland.
Inchcolm stopped being medical offices in 1998 and was turned into a hotel. It was updated again in 2014 and now operates as Ovolo Inchcolm.
What Inchcolm Looks Like
Inchcolm is at the eastern end of Wickham Terrace. It looks out over the city center. This area has many buildings used by doctors and other health professionals.
The building has four main floors, plus a basement and another floor hidden above the roofline.
The front of the building, called the facade, is designed in a Georgian-style. It uses red bricks laid in a special pattern called "English bond." Some parts are covered in a smooth plaster finish for decoration. The ground floor looks like it's made of large stone blocks. The small entrance sticks out and has an arch over it.
Inside, the building was divided into many small offices for doctors. A narrow hallway on each floor connects these offices.
The main lobby on the ground floor has fancy entrance doors with glass that has angled edges. The walls are covered in dark wood panels made of silky oak up to picture-rail height. The ceiling has decorative plaster panels. The floor in front of the lift has a border made of terrazzo, which is a mix of stone chips and cement.
The lift is in the middle of the building. It was designed to be big enough for patients on a stretcher. A staircase wraps around the lift, going up to all floors. The walls of the stairwell look like stone.
Even though some offices have been changed, the public areas inside still look much like they did in the 1930s.
Why Inchcolm is Important
Inchcolm was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 23 March 1998. This means it's considered a very important place for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history changed. Inchcolm helps us understand how Wickham Terrace became a major area for specialist doctors in Brisbane between the two World Wars. It also shows how medical care changed in Queensland.
- It's a great example of its kind. Inchcolm is a well-built and mostly original building. It shows what a medical office building from the 1930s looked like. Its simple design also showed how important and respected specialist doctors were.
- It's beautiful to look at. Inchcolm, along with other similar buildings like Lister House next door, makes Wickham Terrace look very nice. People in the community value its classic design.
- It's connected to an important person. The building is a good example of the work of Brisbane architect Eric P Trewern.
