Commercial practice
Like the earlier practice of John Hall, the Hall & Dods’ partnership relied on a staple of commercial clients for its survival. Many of the commissions were from repeat clients that had long-established allegiances to the firm. Robin Dods was able, through his connections, to introduce others and in excess of 150 commercial projects have been identified. Of these commissions about 70 were reasonably substantial buildings.
Hall & Dods, Proposed premises, Roma Street for the
International Harvester Co. of America (1/8” plans, sections and elevations) November 1904, John Oxley Library State Library of Queensland 27671/95
Today, the work within Brisbane’s city centre has been decimated with only two buildings and one fragment surviving, out of about 30 projects tendered. In Fortitude Valley, more have survived but most have been altered to their detriment. Dods was able to introduce a refinement in the use of well considered and widely sourced stylistic motifs of all kinds, to give integrity to what were quite modest compositions. There was evident in all, an inventiveness and control of proportion which set the buildings apart from those of their competitors.
International Harvester Co. of America building
The design of this commercial warehouse showed how Dods could introduce a powerful pattern to the facade of a fairly prosaic, yet well-proportioned structure through the use of bold stripes and carefully placed lettering. The pattern was produced with coloured bricks laid to a precise flush pattern, anticipating his later work of rendered flush stripes, which required less skill in setting out.
Last updated: 14th December 2011
Creatively engaging people with information, knowledge and community
