Lands Administration Building
Land Administration Building | |
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File:Land Administration Building, 1901-1905.JPG
Facade of the Land Administration Building.
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Former names | Executive Building |
General information | |
Address | 142 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
Current tenants | Treasury Casino |
Construction started | 1901 |
Completed | 1905 |
Cost | £143,900[1] |
Design and construction | |
Architect | Thomas Pye |
Main contractor | Arthur Midson |
The Land Administration Building (formerly the Executive Building) is a former government office building in central Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The building is currently occupied by the Treasury Hotel, part of the Treasury Casino.
History
The Executive Building was designed under the supervision of chief government architect Thomas Pye, with plans prepared between 1898 and 1899.[1] Preparation of the site commenced in 1899 at a cost of £2,900, with construction of the building itself beginning in 1901 and completed in 1905, under a £141,000 construction contract let to Arthur Midson.[1] The building was originally occupied by the offices of the Lands and Survey Departments, the Premier of Queensland, and the Executive Council, as well as the Queensland National Art Gallery.[1][2]
In 1930 the Queensland National Art Gallery was removed from the Executive Building in order to relocate to the Exhibition Building Concert Hall the following year.[1][2]
In 1971 offices of the Executive Council and Cabinet were moved to the newly constructed Parliamentary Annexe at 100 George Street. Since then the Executive Building has been known as the Land Administration Building.[1]
Design
The principal elevation of the building is towards Queens Gardens and the elevations to George and William Streets have banded rustication on the lower two storeys. This two-storeyed base supports a colonnade of giant ionic order columns.
The building features stained glass in the entrance vestibules and elsewhere in the interior which complements the use of sculpture externally. Of particular importance is a marble tablet set into the wall of the George Street entrance inscribed with the message sent by King George V to the people of Australia on 25 April 1916, establishing the Anzac Day tradition.
Granite used as the base course and plinth was obtained from Enoggera and Mount Crosby. Brown freestone from Helidon was used to face the outer walls, and freestone from Yangan near Warwick was used on the colonnade walls. The decorative carving to the facades, completed during 1903-04, included in the north-western elevation an allegorical group representing Queensland mining and agriculture, carved by New South Wales sculptor WP MacIntosh to a design by Thomas Pye. The mantelpieces were constructed of a variety of Queensland timbers (maple, cedar, black bean and silky oak) representing the state's timber resources. Allegorical stained glass highlighted the rural nature of the Queensland economy.
Gallery
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Queens Gardens, Brisbane in Feb 2015 02.JPG
Land Administration Building, Queens Gardens facade, showing a statue of Queen Victoria
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Old-Executive-building.jpg
Land Administration Building, Queens Gardens facade
References
External links
- Queensland Heritage register
Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons
- Pages with broken file links
- Buildings and structures in Brisbane
- Government of Queensland
- History of Brisbane
- Visitor attractions in Brisbane
- Edwardian architecture
- Government buildings completed in 1905
- Landmarks in Brisbane
- Brisbane central business district
- Government buildings in Queensland
- Queensland Heritage Register
- 1905 establishments in Australia