James Peter Birrell papers

James Birrell was born in Victoria and attended Essendon High School. He graduated from Melbourne University with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1951. He was appointed Brisbane City Council Architect in 1955. During this time he designed and oversaw many projects, including the Toowong Library, the Centenary Pool and the Car Park on Wickham Terrace. In 1961, he became University of Queensland Staff Architect. He designed the J.D. Story Administration Building and the Union College Building at Queensland University and designed the campus plan at James Cook University in Townsville. He later went into private practice in Queensland and New Guinea and became a planning consultant to the Indonesian Government. He wrote a noted biography of Walter Burley Griffin in 1964.