This large collection records a practice which specialised in working with historic buildings and was perhaps only the second such practice in Australia to do so.
In the early years there was little awareness of conservation in Queensland and the practice relied largely upon grants from the Commonwealth Government through the newly established Australian Heritage Commission. Of necessity the practice did not confine itself to conservation work and carried out a range of residential, commercial and government work. Indeed the first architectural award received by the practice was in the early 1980s for a new Shire Hall at Birdsville.
Illustration of the Rockhampton Roundhouse from the Allom Lovell Architects collection
Heritage legislation was not introduced in Queensland until 1992. The legislation coincided with the peak of public and community interest in heritage and enabled the practice to focus more directly on its core skills from that time. At its peak Allom Lovell in Brisbane employed more than 18 staff.
Illustration of the Barcaldine Shire Hall and Office from the Allom Lovell Architects collection
This is a marvelous archive of material documenting the activities of this firm in regard to the preservation of Queensland’s heritage.
Patricia Parr – Retrospective Collecting Coordinator, State Library of Queensland