The Western Arts Building was designed to be geometrically related to the existing surrounding buildings forming a visual relation across Mill Road. It was to sit back from the western end of Main Building (Forgan Smith), linked by a cloister. The pilot plan for the proposed Western Arts Building designed by Birrell was submitted to the Australian Universities Commission (A.U.C.) in 1965 and rejected. Birrell's design was a break from the original design by Hennessy and Hennessy who were eventually commissioned as architects for the Western Arts building (Mitchie Building) on 16 March 1967.

This file consists of 35 plans for proposed New Western Arts building on the St. Lucia campus. Includes: site plans and presentation sketches for floor plans and perspectives.

Five sketch plans, dated Jul 1964, title block with University of Queensland and James Birrell as University Architect.

Proposed Dental School pilot plan only : relations of rooms are tentative, Title block client name is The University of Queensland, Architect is J.P. Birrell (University Architect), ink line drawings on tracing paper, Nov 1963: [Item 1] Lower ground floor ; [Item 2] Ground floor ; [Item 3] First floor ; [Item 4] Second floor ; [Item 5] Third floor.

Proposed Dental School pilot plan only : pilot plan only - layout as arranged by Professor of Dentistry, Title block client name is The University of Queensland, Architect is J.P. Birrell (University Architect), ink line drawings on tracing paper, Feb 1964: [Item 1] Lower ground floor ; [Item 2] Ground floor ; [Item 3] First floor ; [Item 4] Second floor ; [Item 5] Third floor.

Drawings for stage 2. 8 ink line drawings of tracing paper, 38 x 48 cm, titled Proposed completion - J.D. Story Administration Building for Social Science, no University of Queensland title block with building, client and architect details : [Item 1] Lower ground floor, pencil annotations, (Previously numbered A10.190) ; [Item 2] Ground floor, pencil annotations, (Previously numbered A10.191) ; [Item 3] [First floor], pencil annotations, (Previously numbered A10.192) ; [Item 4] [Second floor], pencil annotations, (Previously numbered A10.193) ; [Item 5] [Third floor], pencil annotations, (Previously numbered A10.194) ; [Item 6] [Fourth floor], pencil annotations, (Previously numbered A10.195) ; [Item 7] [Fifth floor], pencil annotations, (Previously numbered A10.196) ; and [Item 8] Fifth floor, pencil annotations, (Previously numbered A10.197). [Item 9] Proposed completion - J.D. Story Administration Building for Social Science, badly damaged and torn, ink line drawing on tracing paper, approx. 49 x 100 cm, University of Queensland title block, no drawing number, undated, creator not identified, looks to be two plans pasted together (previous numbered has been torn off). [Item 10] Perspective of the J.D. Administration Building, includes stages 1 and 2 with Senate House, ink line drawing on tracing paper, 50 x 76 cm, dated Feb 1965 (previously numbered A10.06).

Incoming and outgoing correspondence, accounts and notes relating to the Preventative Medicine Laboratory at Moggill Farm (now Pinjara Hills). Decanted from larger binder in two folders.

This file has the initial drawings by James Birrell and Partners for the Agriculture and Entomology Building.

[Items 1-20] Twenty drawings for the proposed new Agriculture and Entomology Building, ink line drawings on tracing paper, various sizes, some undated, others dated Aug to Sep 1966 (previously numbered A16.14-34).

[Items 21-26] Sketch plans for the Proposed Agriculture and Entomology Building, ink line drawings on tracing paper, dated Oct 1966, 76 x 103 cm (previously numbered A16.90-94, and one unnumbered).

This file has the initial drawings James Birrell designed while University Architect and those by Scorer and Scorer when given the initial commission in 1966. Birrell designed several pilot plans that were very different to the final built proposal. The sketch plans Birrell presented to the Buildings and Ground committee were approved for submission to Australian Universities Commission (A.U.C.), who approved the plans on 24 January 1967.

In this file there are preliminary plans for the proposed Agriculture and Entomology Building, designed by Birrell while University Architect. Drawings:
[Item 1] 1 set of 7 colour architectural drawings with 'Preliminary' written in red ink on bottom right hand corner of each plan, ink line drawings (with colour) on paper, consisting of 2 pages of elevations and 1 plan for each floor (lower ground floor, ground floor and floors 1 to 3), originally stapled together as one volume, possibly a presentation volume, 70 x 99cm (Previously treated as 7 separtate items numbered A16.01-07).
[Items 2-3] Copies of the two elevations preliminary drawings, ink line drawings on tracing paper, no title block, sticky taped together across middle (previously numbered A16.08-09).
[Items 4-7] Copies of the floor plans from the Prelimary set of drawings (lower ground floor is missing), ink line drawings on tracing paper, title block for the University of Queensland and University Architect J. P. Birrell (previously numbered as A16.10-13).

Scorer and Scorer were initially given the commission by the Co-ordinator General of Public Works for the Agriculture and Entomology Building. With the death of Fred Scorer in 1966, James Birrell purchased his firm and with it came the commission for the Agriculture and Entomology Building. These five drawings by Scorer and Score are: [Items 8-12] ink line drawings on tracing paper, with pencil annotations, and include a Master Plan, Site usage, and Massing 1-3.

5 folders of incoming and outgoing personal correspondence, some on business letterhead or written as University Architect. This file includes notes, architectural drawings, handwritten architectural table of works Birrell was involved in, photographs, reports, school results, itineraries, blueprints, taxation and medical correspondence. Most likely professional or business material in these folders has been retained as they have been regarded as more personal in nature. Decanted from large folders. Colour postcard of Centenary Pool is in first folder.

New Dental School, Title block client name is Co-ordinator-General's Department St. Lucia University, ink line drawing on paper, 15 Jan 1964: [Item 1] Site plan, drawing number DH3; and attached to plan [Item 2] Letter to the Registrar of the University of Queensland from the Secretary of the Dept. of the Co-ordinator-General of Public Works, 17 Jan 1964.