signs of the times


The Brisbane Powerhouse building was formally used to run the now defunct Brisbane tram system from 1928 until being decommissioned in 1971. Following this, the building lay derelict for almost thirty years, appearing to be abandoned during this time. It wasn’t however. Homeless people and street kids found refuge in the many empty rooms, photographers and filmmakers used the site to create artistic works and the army even used the site for a period of time for target practice and other army exercises. During the 1990s the Brisbane City Council identified the building as being culturally significant, so the concept of the Brisbane Powerhouse as an arts centre was born and the BCC took it on as its millennium project. The design philosophy aimed to preserve the history of the building, both as an industrial site, and from the 1970s as a place where people found refuge, staged parties and left their marks. Existing fixtures were maintained and much of the graffiti remains preserved on the beautiful old raw textured walls. The heritage-listed Brisbane Powerhouse opened as an arts venue in the year 2000 and continues to present some of the most innovative theatre, live music, visual arts, festivals, film, and comedy in this country.


If arriving via the Brisbane River on a City Cat you'd likely enter the building from this side


If arriving in your own car or via a stroll through New Farm Park you'd likely enter this side


Here's a sample of a graffiti-preserved wall. I love the gorgeous wall textures throughout the building. If you wander around outside you'll find a bunch of cool signs erected in the carpark and surrounding areas.





See you again on Sunday. For the Shadow Shot Sunday birthday celebration! Enjoy the rest of the week.

Comments

picciolo said…
hehe I love that last sign the best!
: )
myan said…
great shots! i love the dancer sign! :)
Those sigans are great!! How wonderful. I always love it when old things, including buildings, are given new life. Meaningful and important in so many ways. When I make it to Brisbane you can bet the PowerHouse will be on my must see list! Thanks for sharing it with us:D
keiren said…
Perfect use for that old building. Wish I could visit it! Those signs are great, Brisbane sounds like a fun place!
SimoneT said…
I've visited the Powerhouse so many times and I have never noticed those cool signs before!!!
Unknown said…
Those signs are just too cool. They make you smile!
Linda said…
heehee! Private Poetry ... that one cracks me up!
Martha said…
Excellent! Great series of images :-)
Catherine said…
love the signs...especially the theatre one..I know a lot of people who feel like that...but I am a theatre addict..
Unknown said…
I LOVE those signs T, makes me smile and happy looking at them!!! Wish we had such signs here..and SSS is one year old! OMG, times flew faster than the jumbo jet..I remembered clearly the fist time I joined..and with a few others and see how it has grown, pretty amazing huh :P Can't wait to see your anniversary shadow shot...big hugs for the week..well, weekend's almost here..once it's thursday, I am super happy...muah muah!!
Joanna said…
This is just so cool! How forward thinking of your city to use the building in this way.
keiren said…
I moved from Brisbane to Sydney last year and I miss the Powerhouse so much! Do they still have the free bands play every Sunday arvo? Saw some great local bands there!
keiren said…
I moved from Brisbane to Sydney last year and I miss the Powerhouse so much! Do they still have the free bands play every Sunday arvo? Saw some great local bands there!
Great post Harriet! I have been following your blog for a while now and I just set up my photoblog today. I'm going to join your Shadow Shot Sunday this week. Can't wait! See you then!
Rinkly Rimes said…
That graffiti shot is truly a work of art!
Love the graffiti... and I WANT that Dancer sign :0)
donat said…
looking at the two different sides of the building one would never guess it is the same building! i like the view from the carpark side best!
LillyShayStyle said…
That's just amazing that they left this building for so long and then put it to use, yay for preservation!
And I love the signs, especially the NOTICE!
HAHA!!! I love these!!!
Chubby Chieque said…
Peeking you although, ain't Sunday...

Have a wonderful Thursday, Down Under.
Chrisy said…
Yes love that powerhouse building...a great place for photos...and those signs!...particularly the last one...thanks for capturing them for us!
ZenDotStudio said…
love those signs. also love your blog! so I'm passing along 2 awards that were given to me. One is the Honest Scrap Award and the second is the Lemonade Award. They are yours, should you choose to accept them. I have nominated you as one of the 7 blogs I find brilliant! Details and post below:

http://zendotstudio.blogspot.com/2009/05/honest-scrap-award-washed-down-with.html
dianasfaria.com said…
Hi Tracy! I love these signs!
Tracy said…
Those signs are great...that last on is hilarious! Happy Day :o)
Janis said…
What a delightful post! I love the building -- what character! And the signs are too cool. I agree the last one is tops!

Have a wonderful week!
→lisa said…
Hilarious signs, love them!
Maggie May said…
private poetry!!! i love it
sunnymama said…
The signs are so funny! Great pictures :)

also, thank you so much for including my picture in the shadow shot sunday #51 collages. I was so pleased to see it included, I'm honoured, thank you :)
Sam said…
The signs are awesome fun! I really like that grafitti too actually - it reminds me of H. R. Gieger (the chap who did "Aliens").
Bec said…
Wow, I really need to start paying more attention. I've been to the Powerhouse so many times and not once have I noticed these signs. So cool!!!!
Anonymous said…
Those signs are so funny! I'm sure they do go unnoticed, especially the last one. That's my favourite ;)

Have a great weekend and happy SSS. I'm off to Noosa now YAY!
Great post! I love the spray art and those signs!
XUE said…
I love it that you noticed that last extremely noticeable sign! Happy weekend!
Little Mary Moo said…
What a great post, I didn't know any of those things about the powerhouse. Thanks Tracy.
Margaret Gosden said…
I thought the graffiti looked unusually beautiful, well done. The signs are wonderful, too. What a great place.
GalleryJuana said…
Clever signs. I love the Dancer sign! I like how the city preserved the human elements of the building's historical past.
Unknown said…
that last sign is great ... I love the powerhouse.
Brandi said…
I love all the signs! Too funny! I think my favorite one is the Notice sign. Please note that I noticed it!