Shell House, Brisbane facts for kids
Shell House is a special old building in Brisbane city. It's located at 301 Ann Street. This building is important because it's listed as a heritage site, meaning it's protected for its history and unique design. It was added to the Register of the National Estate in 1995, when it was known as the CPS Credit Society Centre.
Contents
The Story of Shell House
Building a Landmark
Shell House was designed by famous Brisbane architects Hall & Phillips. It first opened its doors in 1933. It was built as an office for the Shell company, which sells fuel and other products. At that time, Shell was building many new offices across Australia. Other Shell buildings opened in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney around the same time.
Unique Design and Neighbors
Shell House has many cool Art Deco features. Art Deco was a popular style in the 1920s and 1930s, known for its sleek lines and geometric shapes. Next to Shell House, you can see the Masonic Temple (built in 1930), which has a neoclassical style, like ancient Greek and Roman buildings. On the other side is St Andrew's Uniting Church (built in 1905), which looks like old Roman buildings. Before Shell House was built, a stonemason worked on this spot.
Inside Shell House
The building has seven floors and a basement. It had three lifts and even a special mail chute for sending letters down quickly. The Deputy Premier of Queensland and Lands Minister, Percy Pease, officially opened the building. MLA Hugh M. Russell, who was the head of the Brisbane Chamber of Commerce, was also there.
The outside of Shell House is made from local granite and a special material called Benedict stone. Benedict stone is a mix of cement and Brisbane tuff, a type of rock. It was made nearby in Bowen Hills.
The Art Deco style is everywhere inside Shell House. You can see shell shapes on the outside of the building. Inside the main entrance, there are marble walls and tall, decorative columns called pilasters. The staircase is very fancy with a wrought iron balustrade (the railing). The ceiling has beautiful patterns, and the lift doors have colorful glass with a cool zigzag, or chevron, design.
From Offices to Hotel
In 1997, Shell House changed its purpose. It was turned into a hotel and apartment building called Rothbury on Ann. It has about 60 suites, which are like small apartments with one or two bedrooms. The Ultiqa group manages the hotel today.
For a short time in 1989, another building at 159 Coronation Drive in Milton was also called Shell House.
