Headquarters Brisbane, Australia Founded 1890, Brisbane, Australia | Founder Henry Wallace Atkinson | |
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Firm type Architecture
Landscape architecture
Interior design
Urban design Founders Henry Wallace Atkinson
Charles McLay (1907)
Arnold Conrad (1918)
Sydney Ancher (1946)
Bryce Mortlock (1946)
Ken Woolley (1946)
Robert Riddel (1982) Location Brisbane, studios in Sydney, Townsville Profiles | ||
Conrad Gargett is an Australian architectural practice, founded in Brisbane in 1890 and is one of Queensland's oldest architectural firms.
Contents
The practice operates out of studios in Brisbane, Sydney and Townsville.
Establishment
Conrad Gargett Architecture was established as HW Atkinson in 1890 by Henry Wallace Atkinson with the winning design for the new Brisbane Head Fire Station. Charles McLay joined Atkinson to form the partnership HW Atkinson & Chas McLay in 1907. The practice subsequently assumed the position of Diocesan Architect to the Anglican Church, designing a number of schools and churches in South East Queensland. Following the death of McLay in 1918 the practice was renamed Atkinson & Conrad when Arnold Conrad became a partner. The new firm was noted for its use of the distinctive Spanish Mission style in many of its projects. The practice was also appointed to the position of Hospital Architect by various Hospital's Boards and played a large role in the design of hospitals in Queensland between 1920–80, including extensive projects at the Royal Brisbane Hospital, South Brisbane Auxiliary Hospital (now Princess Alexandra Hospital), Prince Charles Hospital and Gold Coast Hospital.
During the post-war era, the practice, now called AH Conrad & TBF Gargett, became a prominent designer of commercial office towers in the Brisbane CBD. Most notable of these were the SGIO Building and Theatre (now Suncorp Metway Plaza) and head offices for three of the big four banks. The MLC building, designed in 1955 with Bates Smart, was one of the first commercial office buildings to be built in the undecorated, modern style in Brisbane.
Growth
Conrad Gargett formed after Conrad Gargett Architecture undertook a series of mergers with Riddel Architecture (2012) and Ancher Mortlock Woolley (2013). The contemporary firm is a multi-disciplinary practice, which specialises in health, education, heritage and defence.
Riddel Architecture was established in 1982 by Robert Riddel.
The Brisbane-based practice focused on heritage, conservation and adaptive reuse projects. Notable works by the firm include the restoration and adaptive re-use of Brisbane's Customs House, the former Wests Furniture Showroom and the former Queensland National Bank at 308 Queen Street (in association with Donovan Hill).
Ancher Mortlock Woolley, initially called Ancher Mortlock & Murray, was established in 1946 by Sydney Ancher, Bryce Mortlock and Stuart Murray. The Sydney-based practice was later joined by Ken Woolley in 1964.
The practice designed modern structures, winning both the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture and the Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture. Notable projects by the practice include Town Hall House and Sydney Square (1977) and more recently, the Royal Agricultural Showground Exhibition Halls and restoration of the State Library of Victoria.
Notable works
Conrad Gargett has designed some of Australia's landmark buildings predominately in Queensland, including the following major architectural projects: