Collection: Timber-and-Tin

‘Timber-and-Tin’ showcases the evolution of the ordinary Brisbane family home from the 1870s to 1960. The Brisbane I grew up in has changed. The big country town of wooden houses and big back yards seems almost gone, replaced by streets filled with glass and steel, high fences and busy people. From this observation came the inspiration to document the houses ordinary Brisbane families called home; to celebrate our urban architectural history and to confirm that it still is alive and kicking in today’s Brisbane suburban streets. The panels Our city architects (1) divide Brisbane housing styles into three periods. • Late Colonial and Federation 1870s-1910s • Interwar period 1920s-1930s and • Post-war period 1940s-1960s Each period had many styles, distinguished by their roof lines, wall construction and verandah shape. Light-built from local materials, the designs give a substantial nod to our subtropical lifestyle – verandahs to beat the heat, often built high for the breezes. These functional timber-and-tin homes served us well in providing Brisbane families with affordable and practical homes. And while many other imported housing styles have come in and out of fashion, these wooden beauties still prevail (2); loved, repaired, renovated (albeit sometimes badly) and cherished by Brisbane families today. From left to right, each panel represents one of these periods and reveals top to bottom how roof lines and verandahs evolved during the period. Left to right: Image 1. 1870s – 1910 Late Colonial and Federation. Image 2. 1920s -1930s Interwar period. Image 3. 1940 – 1960 Post-war period.