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The Quadrangle

Gallery: 1850s to now

The following is a selection of photos of the University of Sydney Quadrangle from the 1850s to the present.

1850s - 60s / 1870s - 90s / 1900s / 1910s / 1920s / 1950s and 60s / 2000s

Information is taken from the University Overview History in the Grounds Conservation Plan 2002.

1850s - 60s

While Edmund Blacket, Colonial Architect, envisaged that an enclosed Quadrangle would eventually be built, the initial phase constructed to his designs comprised the Great Hall and East Wing, built between 1855 and 1863. During 1855 the walls of the Great Hall were completed to a height of 21 feet.

By the end of 1856 work had commenced on the whole of the eastern front, comprising five compartments: the Great Hall; the compartment between the Hall and centre tower; the tower; the compartment on the other side of the tower; and the compartment containing the laboratory at the south eastern corner of the building.

These were completed and brought into use between 1857 and 1862, with the Great Hall officially opened to the public on 18 July 1859.

Above: Construction of the Clocktower, c1850s, photo taken by Professor John Smith, University of Sydney Archives.

Photo by Professor John Smith of the Quadrangle

Above: Photo by Professor John Smith c1850s, courtesy of the University of Sydney Archives, of the front section of the Main Building on its completion, taken from the left hand side, with the Great Hall on the right.

Above: Photo by Professor John Smith c1850s, courtesy, University Archives, of the Great Hall showing the carving of the angel on top, which was removed in 1874 because it was unstable.

1870s - 90s

Main buildings taken from Victoria Park in 1870

Above: The front of the Main Building in 1870, photo, courtesy University Archives, with the Great Hall on the right, taken from Victoria Park.

Above: The front of the Main building c1870, photo, courtesy University Archives, with the Great Hall on the right and Parramatta Road in the foreground.

Main Buildings in around 1870 taken from RPAH

Above: The rear of the Main Building c1870, photo, courtesy University Archives, with the Great Hall on the left, taken from RPAH.

Above: Victoria Park and Lake Northam, 1891-2, photo, courtesy University Archives.

Above: At the front of the Quadrangle in 1902 (with the Anderson Stuart Building at the far left), a guard of honour formed by the University returned soldiers, under the command of Brigadier General I. G. Mackay, C.M.G., awaiting the arrival of the Prince of Wales, photo, courtesy University Archives.

1900s

Built between 1902 and 1909, the Fisher Library occupied part of the south side of what was to become the Quadrangle.

Above: Construction of Fisher Library c1900s, photo, Library website.

Above: View of the rear of the original Fisher Library which was opened on 20 September 1909, designed to form a corner to the Quadrangle, photo, courtesy University Archives. The reading room of the Library is now MacLaurin Hall.

1910s

In 1913 building began on the south range of the main Quadrangle, i.e. the section now known as the Professorial Boardroom, with cloisters running from the eastern tower, round the south range to the north end of the book stack. Although schemes have been prepared by various architects including Leslie Wilkinson to complete the cloister, this work has not been undertaken.

Above: View from behind the Main Building in 1912, with the original Fisher Library on the right, photo, courtesy University Archives.

1920s

Between 1919 and 1924, Professor Leslie Wilkinson designed additions along the Western Tower wing and the Administration building in the north-west corner (between the site of the proposed western tower and the west end of the Great Hall).

Work proceeded in 1926 to complete the gap between the book stack and the north-west corner to provide three floors for book stacks and accommodation in the attic level for the Faculty of Architecture.

The War Memorial Carillon was installed in the tower and was inaugurated on Anzac Day 1928.

The building was stuccoed in the Mediterranean style, creating a neoclassical style frontage to Science Road. A terracotta roof was added and a new porch, to the north-west of the tower formed an entry from Science Road.

Main buildings taken from Parramatta Road in 1920

Above: The front of the Main buildings in 1920 with the Great Hall on the right and Parramatta Road in the foreground, photo, courtesy University Archives.

Above: View of construction of the Administration wing of the Quadrangle building, 1923, taken from Science Road, photo, courtesy University Archives.

Above: Manning Road c1925 showing the rear of the Quadrangle - the original Fisher Library - on the left, with the Anderson Stuart Building in the distance on the right, photo, courtesy University Archives.

Above: Photo of the Quadrangle by Harold Cazneaux, 1927, photo, courtesy University Archives.

Above: The carillon bells for the Clocktower at the dock - they had been shipped from England to Sydney in early 1928, photo, courtesy University Archives.

Above: Opening of the Carillon, 1928, photo, courtesy University Archives.

1950s and 60s

The War Memorial Arch over Science Road between the Quadrangle and the Botany building was begun in 1956 and completed in 1958 to a modified Wilkinson design. There are two distinctly different facades - one reflects the sandstone Gothic Revival buildings of the main precinct and the other reflects the Mediterranean character that Wilkinson intended for Science Road.

In 1958 the former Organic Chemistry wing was remodelled to accommodate Administration.

In 1963 work began on completion of the Western Tower of the Quadrangle and the extension of the cloisters up to the tower. While the tower had been constructed in the 1920s, only the west face had been completed due to insufficient funds.

Above: View of the Western Tower in August 1952, Sydney Morning Herald photo, copies held by the University of Sydney Archives.

Above: Completion of the Western Tower in 1969, photo, courtesy, University Archives.

2000s

The re-establishment of the historic vista from the Quadrangle Clocktower to the University's original entrance on City Road was achieved by 2008, including:
— new heritage stairs linking Victoria Park and the University (2002), as part of the University's Sesquicentenary celebrations ... more.
— moving the Victoria Park gates back to their original position, on their original footings directly in line with the University's quadrangle clock tower (2008). The sandstone pillars and iron gates had marked the entrance to the University since 1870 but were relocated further along City Road in the 1940s ... more.

A green buffer of grass was constructed directly in front of the Quadrangle, between the Quadrangle and the new paving, to provide a visual border to the building as well as protect the sandstone walls, and disabled access to the Great Hall was completed in 2009 ... more.

Extensive facade conservation work for MacLaurin Hall was completed in 2009 ... more.

Above: On 13 October 2002, the Vice-Chancellor and the Deputy Chancellor joined the Mayor of South Sydney Council in a ribbon cutting ceremony to declare "open" the new heritage stairs linking Victoria Park and the University, photo, courtesy ZOOM Productions.

Professor Gavin Brown and Lord Mayor Clover Moore

Above: On 18 March 2008, the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore MP and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gavin Brown rededicated the gates which stand again at the site of University's original entrance, leading through Victoria Park up to the quadrangle, photo, courtesy University Media Office.