MacArthur Chambers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids MacArthur Chambers |
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MacArthur Chambers, 2021
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| Location | 229 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919 - 1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1931 - 1934 |
| Architect | Francis Richard Hall |
| Owner | Precision Group |
| Official name: MacArthur Chambers, AMP Building | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600147 |
| Significant period | 1931-1934 (fabric) 1934-1978, 1942-1945 (historical) |
| Significant components | banking chamber, furniture/fittings |
| Builders | George Alexander Stronach |
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The MacArthur Chambers building is a historic former office building. It stands at 229 Queen Street in Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia. This building was designed by Francis Richard Hall and built between 1931 and 1934. It was originally known as the AMP Building.
Today, MacArthur Chambers is part of the MacArthur Central shopping mall. It houses the MacArthur Chambers Apartment Hotel, the MacArthur Museum, and an Apple Store. The building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992.
History of MacArthur Chambers
Building the AMP Headquarters
This important building was constructed from 1931 to 1934. It served as the main office in Queensland for the Australian Mutual Provident Society (AMP). The new building replaced two older AMP buildings that stood on the same spot.
The AMP Society was started in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1848-1849. It was one of many groups set up to help people in Australia. AMP mainly offered life insurance to make sure families were not left without money if a main earner died.
The first AMP office in Queensland opened in Brisbane in 1875. The company grew very successful. It was able to build this large new headquarters even during the tough years of the 1930s depression.
Design and Construction Details
The building was designed by Brisbane architects Francis Richard Hall and Harold M Cook. George A Stronach was the main builder. The project cost about £255,000, which was a lot of money at the time.
The builders used high-quality Australian materials. For example, the marble came from New South Wales. The outside of the building was covered with Helidon freestone. The granite at the base was tested and found to be very strong.
A Queensland company, Evans Deakin & Co. Ltd, made the 1,150 tons of steelwork. The large steel beams on the ground floor were 43 feet long and weighed 24 tons each. Using bolts instead of rivets for the steel frame was a new and clever idea in Brisbane in 1932.
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Symbolic Statues and Interior Spaces
Above the main entrance on Queen Street, you can see special statues. These were carved by Fred Gowan from Sicily. The statues show the AMP Society's motto: Amicus certus in re incerta. This means "a certain friend in uncertain times."
The statues show a woman holding a cornucopia (a symbol of plenty) and a palm of victory. Beside her are a seated woman and child, and a seated man. This artwork was a common feature on AMP buildings. Even when AMP moved out in 1978, these statues stayed on the building.
The ground floor of the building had a large banking hall and the manager's office. The eighth floor had a board room with a special floor made of Queensland timbers. Other floors were rented out to different businesses.
A Landmark in Brisbane
The AMP building was one of several tall buildings built in Queen Street during the 1920s and early 1930s. These buildings helped shape the look of Brisbane's city center. The Queensland Governor, Sir Leslie Orme Wilson, officially opened the AMP building on March 2, 1934.
World War II Headquarters
Because of its strong reinforced concrete roof and central location, the building played a key role in Second World War. From 1942 to 1945, it became the headquarters for the Allied Forces in the South-West Pacific.
All the businesses renting space had to move out. General Douglas MacArthur, the Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces, used the board room. His staff worked in the rest of the building. The AMP Society kept only the basement and part of the ground floor.
Post-War Changes and New Name
After the war, the building went back to being the AMP's Queensland headquarters. In 1978, AMP moved to a new building. In 1979, the ground and mezzanine floors were updated and rented out as shops and offices.
The building was then renamed MacArthur Chambers. This was done to honor General MacArthur and its important role in World War II. In 1990, the Brisbane City Council bought the building.
In the late 1990s, MacArthur Chambers and nearby sites were redeveloped. This created the MacArthur Central shopping mall. Today, the building is owned by the Precision Group.
Description of MacArthur Chambers
MacArthur Chambers is a commercial building from the time between the two World Wars. It has nine floors, plus an attic and a basement. The building has a steel frame covered in concrete. Its outside is made of a granite base and Helidon freestone.
Exterior Features
The parts of the building facing the street are designed to be balanced. The openings on the ground floor are all arched. The stone on the first two floors has horizontal bands that look like they spread out from the arches. These bands continue up the sides of the building.
The middle sections of the building, from the second to the seventh floor, have smooth stonework. Above the seventh floor, the three central sections have Corinthian columns. There are decorative lines and balusters (small pillars) on different levels.
The Edward Street side of the building is longer but also balanced. The middle window sections are framed by rough-looking stone bands. The entry on Edward Street has pilasters (flat columns) over three bays.
On both the Queen Street and Edward Street sides, the windows on the first floor have decorative tops called pediments. The main entrance on Queen Street has an archway with the special statues mentioned earlier. The whole building sits on a polished grey granite base with stairs leading to the entrances.
Inside the Building
Inside, the main banking hall still has many of its original plaster details, now painted cream. The entrance area to this space has a vaulted ceiling with square patterns.
The Edward Street entrance still has its original doors. Most of the original lobby remains, including a marble staircase that goes up to the top floor. The windows inside the building are mostly the original ones. On the eighth floor, a part of the building has been turned into a museum. This museum remembers General MacArthur's time there.
Heritage Significance
MacArthur Chambers was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992. This means it is a very important historical place.
- A Key Part of Queensland's History: The building played a major role in Australian and Queensland history. It was the headquarters for the Allied Forces in the South-West Pacific during World War II.
- A Great Example of its Type: MacArthur Chambers is a fine example of a commercial building from the interwar period. It has a classic look on the outside but used advanced building methods inside.
- Beautiful Design and Craftsmanship: The building is important for its beautiful design and its location on a prominent corner. The quality of its details, materials, and how it was built are also highly valued.
- Creative and Technical Achievement: It shows a high level of creative and technical skill from its time. It combined a traditional look with modern building techniques.
- Connected to Important Groups: The building has a strong link to the important AMP Society. It shows their success in Queensland and their work to help people in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
