Looking for something to do this weekend in Brisbane? Open House is on and there are plenty of architectural gems open to visit. Rachel Heywood puts together some top picks for ADR.

Queensland Art Gallery
Architects: Robin Gibson and Partners
The Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) is a prestigious institution located on Brisbane’s South Bank. Since the establishment of gallery in 1982, it has become one of the leading institutions for the contemporary art of Australia, Asia and the Pacific. The gallery holds a collection of over 17,000 works of historical, modern and contemporary art, and stages a dynamic program of Australian and International exhibitions. It is a family friendly environment that provides children with interactive artworks from artists around the world. The gallery is also home to the Australian Cinémathéque, the only dedicated cinema facility in an Australian art museum.

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Queensland Maritime Museum
The Queensland Maritime Museum is a unique way to experience the heritage of Queensland. The museum is located in South Brisbane and is a rare artefact that illustrates the contemporary engineering of William Nisbet from the 19th century. The dock closed in1973 and was a vital piece of infrastructure for the trade sector in Queensland. The dry dock also played an important role during World War II because it acted as one of the operating bases for US submarines. After closure, the museum was established by volunteers who took possession of the dry dock.

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Peters Ice Cream Factory
Architect: Eric Hawksley Boden
Peters-Arctic Delicacy Co was an Australian business from 1928 to 1996. For nearly seven decades, it provided employment for hundreds of Queenslanders. Peters produced a wide range of products including cakes, ice-cream fruits and Neapolitan bricks. When the factory closed in 1996 the site was used for warehousing and office space, studios and various events. In 2013, the Ice Cream Factory suffered damages from a fire. Since then, Peters Ice Cream Factory was restored to its former glory and became the centrepiece of the new West Village development by Sekisui House Australia. The Bromley Room was an added feature to the development of the factory. It is a unique gallery and event space curated by David Bromley.

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Parliament House
Architects: Charles Tiffin
Parliament House is an influential building in Queensland. It was first built in 1865 and was Queensland’s first purpose-built parliamentary building. Parliament House is classified as a World Heritage site where visitors can explore the chambers and rooms occupied by members of Parliament. The building is located at the corner of George and Alice Streets in the Brisbane CBD and is surrounded by the City Botanic Gardens and the Brisbane River. The layout of the building is intact with a three-storey sandstone structure in the Renaissance Revival style. The George Street wing contains the double-height Legislative Chambers, the original libraries and the councils chamber, which has not been used since the abolition in 1922. The Alice Street wing contains offices and members’ facilities.

Parliament House, Brisbane. Photo by Gillian Everett.

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Cottee Parker Studio
Architects: Cottee Parker Architects: 2017 Refurbishment
Cottee Parker Studio is a national practice built and designed in 2000. The organisation was founded in 1989, combining intellect and creativity with a skilful, sensitive approach to design. As an architecture firm, it has capitalised on a great opportunity to renovate its own premises, inserting mezzanine floors and adding extra meeting rooms. The redesigned building is space efficient, accommodating for staff and flexible.

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ML Design Studio
With a long history of playing host to create endeavours, The ML Design studio moved into the Spring Hill space in 2014. This office was originally a Trading Bank when it sat on the ‘city fringe’, since then it has been home to Easton Pearson’s boutique and sewing room, it has housed the Brisbane School of Photography and was once the studio of Donovan Hill.

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See the full list of projects over on the Open House Brisbane website.