Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1965?-1966? (Creation)
Level of description
File
Extent and medium
1 volume (7 architectural drawings) + 11 architectural drawings.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
James Peter Birrell was born in Melbourne on the 24 October 1928. He was educated at the Melbourne Technical College (1945-1949) while working for the Victorian State Works Department (1947), for R.G. Warren (1948) and the Commonwealth Works Department (1948-1950). He transferred into a fourth year course in the School of Architecture at the University of Melbourne. Following his graduation in 1950, he returned to the Commonwealth Works Department and worked for them in Melbourne, Canberra and Darwin. He was appointed Architect in charge of the Architectural Branch in the Brisbane City Council (1955-1961). He resigned to become Staff Architect to the University of Queensland (1961-1966). He commenced his own practice in 1966, with offices at various times in Brisbane, Townsville, Port Moresby, and Maroochydore with various partners (including Lorant Kulley, Philip Conn, Richard Stringer and Lindsay Mack). He died on 20 September 2019, aged 90.
Name of creator
Administrative history
Brothers, Frederick Abraham Scorer (1907-1966) and Nelson Charlton Scorer (1908-?), formed the firm Scorer and Scorer. From 1960 Nelson Scorer was registered at a different address to the firm and in 1964 his registered address was the Department of Works. Fred Scorer had a traffic accident in 1966 and asked Birrell to oversea his practice until he recovered but he died six weeks later. Upon the death of Fred Scorer, the firm was purchased by James Birrell and the was renamed as James Birrell & Partners.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
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.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright applies.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Oversize folder 28
Note
Previously housed in Folder 32 as A16.01-13. Scorer and Scorer drawings were unnumbered in Folder 32.
Alternative identifier(s)
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Description control area
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Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Final
Level of detail
Minimal
Dates of creation revision deletion
Created, Linda Justo, 19-Feb-2021.