Qantas House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Qantas House |
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Qantas House, 68-96 Hunter Street, Sydney, New South Wales
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| Location | 68-96 Hunter Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Founded | 28 October 1957 |
| Built | 1955–1957 |
| Architect | Rudder, Littlemore & Rudder |
| Architectural style(s) | International |
| Official name: Qantas House (No. 1 Chifley Square) | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 25 May 2001 |
| Reference no. | 1512 |
| Type | Commercial Office/Building |
| Category | Commercial |
| Builders | Concrete Constructions Pty Ltd |
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Qantas House is a special office building in Sydney, Australia. It's located at 68-96 Hunter Street, Sydney. This building was designed by Rudder, Littlemore & Rudder. It was built between 1955 and 1957 by Concrete Constructions Pty Ltd. You might also hear it called No. 1 Chifley Square. Because of its importance, Qantas House was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on May 25, 2001.
The Story of Qantas House
Why Qantas Needed a New Home
After World War II, the airline Qantas grew very quickly. It became a major airline around the world. Qantas House was built to show how much Australia was growing in aviation. It also showed Qantas Airways' exciting future. Building it during this time showed how important international travel was becoming. More and more Australians could afford to travel.
Opening Day and Special Materials
The building officially opened on October 28, 1957. The Prime Minister of Australia at the time, Robert Menzies, was there. Qantas wanted their new headquarters to look modern and forward-thinking. They used the newest building technology from other countries. But they also used many Australian materials.
For example, Qantas House was the first office building to use black granite from Adelong. It also used green granite from the Yass area. Marble came from Mudgee and the Wombeyan Caves area. Inside, they used a lot of Queensland maple wood. Other woods like walnut, mahogany, and sycamore were also used. Using local materials helped save money and showed off Australian resources.
A Unique Design for Its Time
In the 1950s, most office buildings didn't really show off Australian style inside. Qantas House was different. It used Australian materials to create a special look. The building's design followed the "International Style." This style focused on clear lines, being practical, and using new technology.
Qantas House was one of the first buildings in Australia to use a "curtain wall." This is a special outer wall made mostly of glass. It doesn't hold up the building, but acts like a skin. This new technology came from America. Qantas House was finished in 1957. It was an early example of this modern style in Australia. It also fit within the height limits for buildings in Sydney at that time.
Most buildings built in the late 1950s were simple and not very tall. They often had flat fronts. But Qantas House stood out! Its curved shape was very unusual. It helped define Chifley Square, a public space. Its sweeping glass wall and a large awning (which is now gone) made it look very modern.
Awards and Recognition
In 1959, Qantas House was recognized as a top building. The Royal Institute of British Architects judged it the best new building in the British Commonwealth. It was awarded the Bronze medal.
What Qantas House Looks Like
Qantas House is easy to spot because of its elegant, curved front, called a facade. This facade is 46 meters tall. It's made of a double-layered glass curtain wall. The glass is green, and there are blue-green steel panels below the windows, called spandrel panels.
The building is on the western side of Chifley Square in Sydney. Its curved shape matches the original plan for Chifley Square from 1908. Qantas House is still a key part of Chifley Square. Its curve also creates a nice open area for people walking by.
The building's design follows the "Post-War International Style." You can see different parts of the building by how its facade changes.
The Base, Middle, and Top
The bottom part of the building has a tall entrance area, called a foyer. It also has a mezzanine level, which is a floor between two main floors. This area looks different from the upper floors. It uses dark green and black polished granite stone. It also has large, clear glass panels set in bronze frames.
The middle part of the building has eleven floors. These floors have many smaller, repeated panels. These panels are part of the curtain wall, with aluminum frames. They have small awning windows at the top. Below these are fixed glass panels and the colored steel spandrel panels.
At the northern end of the building, there's a tall wall covered in sandstone. Originally, a "Qantas Airways" sign was placed vertically on this wall. The sandstone also forms a long band at the very top of the building. This creates a striking line against the sky. Above this, the roof has staff areas and a recreation space.
Inside the Building
The main structure of the building is made of reinforced concrete. The way the building is planned is clever. The service areas (like elevators and stairs) are placed off to the sides. This allows for a "light well" at the back. This light well helps natural light reach deep inside the building. It also means the curved shape of the building against the sky isn't broken up by tall service towers in the middle.
The building was designed to use as much space as possible. It reached the maximum size and height allowed by building rules at the time.
Qantas House connects well with the nearby City Mutual Life Building, built in 1936. The granite at the base of Qantas House matches the older building. The window sizes also look similar.
Qantas House also looks great when you look north along Elizabeth Street. It forms an elegant end to that view. The outside of the building still looks mostly the same as it did originally. The main changes are that the original entrance awning and outdoor signs are gone. A new entrance to the lifts was also added at the northern end. Inside, the tall foyer space is still there, but some changes have been made. The original curtains are gone. The interior used to feature Australian timbers like sycamore, mahogany, and walnut.
Changes Over Time
- 1964-1965: Changes were made, including new bathrooms on the ground floor.
- 1966-1967: A storeroom was added on the fourth floor, and the building was extended.
- 1982-1983: The building was updated by Stephenson and Turner, Architects. A separate entrance for the office floors was created. The outside of the building was repaired and restored.
- 1988-1989: Changes were made to the ground floor and mezzanine.
- 1992: The ceiling, a fire stair, and the basement were modified. A revolving door was installed. The original large entrance awning was replaced with a different one.
- Signage: The original "Qantas Airways" sign on the sandstone wall was removed. The neon sign from the rooftop was also taken down.
Why Qantas House is a Heritage Site
Qantas House is a very important building in New South Wales. It was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on May 25, 2001. Here's why:
A Special Part of History
Qantas House is a landmark in how modern office buildings developed in Australia. It was one of the first buildings to use the "curtain wall" technology. It was also one of the last tall buildings designed before new height rules came in 1957. It helped lead the way for the taller buildings of the 1960s.
This building was the first main headquarters built just for Qantas Empire Airways. At that time, Qantas was Australia's only international airline, and it was owned by the government. The building shows how fast Qantas grew after the war. It also shows how much air travel grew in general. Qantas House shows the confidence and modern spirit of Australia in the 1950s. Its design, use of local materials, and new technologies show how positive and forward-looking Australian society was.
The building also helped complete a big plan for improving Sydney's city layout. It set the pattern for how Chifley Square would eventually look. This shows how complex city planning can be, involving different levels of government and people. Qantas House has always been used as a commercial office building. The ground floor has always been open to the public, often for travel services. It reminds us of a time when air travel started from city terminals before going to Sydney Airport.
Connected to Important People and Groups
Qantas House is strongly linked to Qantas Airways, a famous Australian company known worldwide. Qantas built it as their first main headquarters and stayed there for 25 years. Even now, Qantas leases the ground and mezzanine floors and the building is still named after them.
The building is also important because it was used by air travelers. It was a place where people could book flights and get information for Qantas and other airlines. Qantas House was designed by the well-known architectural firm Rudder Littlemore & Rudder. Many believe it's their most important building.
A Beautiful and Clever Design
Qantas House is a masterpiece of architectural design. Its unique, graceful curved shape is loved by both the public and architects. The way its facade is put together is very organized. The curtain wall has special fin-shaped parts that look like airplane wings. This links the building to Qantas. The building also has shiny teal-colored panels and green-tinted glass.
It's an early and clever example of a post-war office building in Australia. It was one of the first to use curtain wall technology. It was also designed to show off Australian building materials. It even had new air conditioning systems. Architects praised it when it was built, and it won the Royal Institute of British Architects Bronze Medal in 1959.
Qantas House fits perfectly into its city surroundings. Its relationship with Chifley Square, which it helps to shape, reflects older plans for the area. The wide footpath in front of the building creates a welcoming space for the public entrance. The building also creates a beautiful view when looking north along Elizabeth Street. The outside of Qantas House still looks very much like it did originally.
Loved by the Community
Many people in New South Wales see Qantas House as culturally important. They love its beauty and how it fits into the city. This was true when it was built, and it's still true today. When people thought the building might be changed, there was a lot of media attention.
Architects and conservation groups also highly value Qantas House. It's on the Royal Australian Institute of Architects Register of Twentieth Century Buildings of Significance. It's also likely important to current and former Qantas employees. It was their headquarters for 25 years and is still a Qantas booking office.
A Rare and Special Building
Qantas House is a rare and outstanding example of high-quality architecture in Australia. It comes from the first period of post-war commercial building construction (before 1960). It's unique in Australia for its curved shape and curtain wall from that time. The facade still has its original aluminum-framed curtain wall. This early technology is becoming rare as buildings are updated.
Qantas House is one of only a few "non-high-rise" multi-story buildings in Sydney from before 1960 that are still standing. It's considered one of the finest examples from this period. It's also part of a small group of buildings built by companies that wanted their buildings to show off their public image. Qantas House is a rare example of the International Style with an expressive, unique shape. It shows great care for its surroundings and city design. It's a key part of the Chifley Square area, which was part of a long-standing city plan for Sydney.
A Great Example of Its Kind
Qantas House is a good example of the intact Post-War International Style. It's one of only a few similar buildings in Sydney and Australia that are still in good condition. It's a fine example of early curtain wall technology in Australia, with its unusual curved design. It's also one of the few post-war, multi-story office buildings in NSW whose design came before the 1957 height law changes. Qantas House is also a good example of buildings in Sydney linked to travel, with public booking halls on the ground floor. It shows the excellent work of the architectural firm Rudder Littlemore and Rudder.
