The Quadrangle

Building the Quadrangle

Stage 3: 1913 - c1920

The main phases of the Quadrangle's construction were between 1854 and 1966. This webpage covers stage 3 - the period 1913 to c1920.

The images below are courtesy of the University Archives unless otherwise indicated.

• The South range: linking Fisher Library to the East range, 1913 - c1920
• Organic Chemistry building, 1915-1917

— View Stage 1: 1854 - 1862
— View Stage 2: 1901 - 1909
— View Stage 4: 1920s
— View Stage 5: 1950s
— View Stage 6: 1960s

The South range: linking Fisher Library to the East range, 1913 - c1920

Architect: George McRae, Government Architect
Style: Tudor Gothic, influenced by the Picaresque style

The next stage was between 1913 and c1920 when the South range (now the Professorial Board Room) was constructed. It linked the East range and Fisher Library and included the Nicholson Gateway and Vestibule, and cloisters.

Features included the following:

• the South range was cut into the original East range.
• cloisters ran from the eastern Tower and round the South range joining the cloisters which reached the north end of the book stack.
• the new Library periodicals room (now the Professorial Board Room) continued the style of the main reading room, in simpler form.
• carvings and other decorations were a memorial of World War I and the contribution of the University to the fighting forces.
• the south face of the Nicholson Gateway, at the time the only main entrance to the Quadrangle other than that in the East range, was elaborately decorated.

— Find out more about the Nicholson Gateway and Vestibule.
— Find out more about the Professorial Board Room.
— Find out more about the cloisters.

Construction of the South range and cloister to link the Main Building and the new Fisher Library c.1915.	View of a fete in aid of the War Chest held on 13 September 1916, with construction of the South range visible in the background, photo, courtesy of the Macleay Museum, University of Sydney - enlargement.

The completed South range and cloister linking the Main Building and the Fisher Library in the early 1920s - enlargement.

Organic Chemistry building, 1915-1917

Architect: George McRae, Government Architect
Style: Gothic, influenced by the Picaresque style

A building of two main floors with attic to provide laboratories for Organic and Applied Chemistry was designed by the Government Architect and constructed between 1915 and 1917 on Science Road, to the north-east of the Chemistry laboratory (now Pharmacy) which had been built in the 1890s.

It was intended as part of a master plan for a new science complex on Science Road in Gothic style which had been drawn up by the Government Architect earlier.

However, the building was the only part to be built before the plan was abandoned following the appointment of Leslie Wilkinson.

The front of the Organic Chemistry building as completed in 1917 viewed from Science Road with the Great Hall in the distance on the left of the photo - enlargement.	The rear of the Organic Chemistry building (with Science Road and Macleay Museum on the right) prior to remodelling by Wilkinson and linking to the Great Hall in the 1920s - enlargement.

The previous stage

View Stage 2: 1901 - 1909

The next stage

View Stage 4: 1920s