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.

Architectural plan, ink line drawing on tracing paper, of the ground floor of Main Library (now level 2 of Duhig Building). Title block has: job title of Alterations and Additions to Main Library; Interior architect J.P. Birrell; no job number; and undated.

Architectural plan, ink line drawing on tracing paper, of the fourth floor of Main Library (now level 6 of Duhig Building). Title block has: job title of Alterations and Additions to Main Library; Interior architect J.P. Birrell; no job number; and undated.

Architectural plan, ink line drawing on tracing paper, of the fifth floor of Main Library (now level 7 of Duhig Building). Title block has: job title of Alterations and Additions to Main Library; Interior architect J.P. Birrell; no job number; and undated.

Architectural plan, ink line drawing on butter paper, wtih Proposed alterations to entrance to Main Library. Title block has: University architect J.P. Birrell; Job number A2/21; and dated June 1962.

Architectural plan, ink line drawing on tracing paper, with toilet locations in relation to stairwells for Main Library. No title block, no title, no job number and undated.

Architectural plan, ink line drawing on tracing paper. Title block: Building is Main Library, University Architect is J.P. Birrell, job number is A2/47, dated Sep 1965.

Architectural plan, ink line drawing on tracing paper. Title block: Alterations and additions to Main Library, 1st & 5th floors; University Architect is J.P. Birrell; job number is A2/46A; dated Aug 1965. It includes deletions and additions to flirst floor and additions to fifth floor.

10 plans, ink line drawings on tracing paper, for renovations to Main Building (now known as Forgan Smith Building). Stage 1 comprises 5 drawings for the Law and the Thomas Thatcher Memorial Libraries with drawing numbers A1/54 to A1/58, dated Aug to Sep 1965. The Thatcher Library, established in 1948, provided services for distance education and closed in 1993. Stage 2 comprises 3 drawings for the area between the Library and Arts entrance with drawing numbers A1/59 to A1/61. There is a plan for the Language laboratory which has no job number or details in title block. The final plan is Job A1/32 Proposed mezzanine floor to printery (Library basement): Architectural plan, ink line drawing on tracing paper, 38 x 70 cm; title block has University Architect J.P. Birrell; Job/drawing number A1/32; no date.

The Shapcott press was on the lower ground floor of Main Library. During the extension to Main Library there was discussion that the printery could be housed on the bottom floor of the Main Building. This last plan seems to reflect that idea. When Main Library was extended the Printery was moved to the Industrial Centre Building, located on the corner of Services Road and Hood Street.

Union College was built in five stages from June 1964 to March 1974. It consists of three buildings and two landscaped courtyards. It was built in five separately budgeted stages. Each stage included landscaping and an increase in facilities to common areas of the precious stages. The client for the construction was the Union College Council. The site, suggested by Birrell, was a narrow strip of vacant land on the south western corner of the St. Lucia campus bordered by Upland Road, Sir William Macgregor Drive and Oval No. 1. The site had many well established trees and Birrell's design retained almost all of them. There are 6 volumes of architectural drawings, 175 individual drawings making a total of 242 drawings for the Union College. Stage 1 was by James Birrell as University Architect and Stages 2-5 were by James Birrell & Partners.