Bruce Wolfe LFRAIA and Conrad Gargett Life Fellow recalls William (Bill) Conrad, FRAIA (1930 – 2024)
Bill Conrad was a gentleman of principle and great integrity, qualities that he brought to his large, Queensland-based architectural practice, Conrad and Gargett Architects.
Born in New Farm, Brisbane in 1930, Bill was the son of the prominent Brisbane architect, Arnold Henry Conrad (1887-1979), who was in partnership with Henry Atkinson at that time.
He grew up in Hamilton, in a residence designed by his father.
In 1952, alongside fellow architect Ronald Purssey, Bill received his RAAF ‘Wings’ (awarded to pilots upon successful completion of their course) from AVM (Air Vice Marshal) George Jones at Archerfield while serving with the No. 23 (City of Brisbane) Squadron Citizen Air Force.
After graduating in Architecture from the University of Queensland, he subsequently joined his father’s practice, then known as AH Conrad & TBF Gargett, in 1956.
He became a director of Conrad & Gargett Architects in 1965.
Following his father’s retirement in 1974, and the death of Bren Gargett in 1975, Bill, together with Bren’s son Peter, assumed second generation leadership of the practice.
During his tenure as Director and Chairman, Bill oversaw the growth of Conrad & Gargett to become one of Queensland’s most notable practices, with a leading role in the field of health care facility design. The practice was also designing many of the early Brisbane commercial high-rise buildings, providing significant contributions to the CBD skylines of the 1960s, 70s & 80s. However, there were also turbulent periods of building industry booms and economic recessions through which he had to steer the firm.
Bill was a strong advocate of the collegiate approach to business, bringing both poise and a calm disposition to the often hectic pace of the building industry.
With his principal architectural interest being hospital and health care design, Bill undertook study tours to Europe and the UK in order to keep Conrad & Gargett at the forefront of international health planning design trends and developments. The practice designed many of Queensland’s major hospital facilities throughout his time at the helm. He was significantly involved with the Royal Brisbane Hospital Block 7 and Gold Coast Hospital Vale Hamish Bill Conrad Tower Block projects during the 1970s.
Bill believed that technological innovation was a key to the practice’s survival and oversaw the early introduction of computers and computer aided drafting in the early 1980s with Conrad and Gargett being an industry leader in this field.
In 1990, as Conrad & Gargett chairman, he presided over events celebrating the centenary of the practice founded by Atkinson in 1890. Conrad Gargett has recently merged with Architectus and continues to thrive to this day.
Bill demonstrated a quiet leadership through which many young members of our profession learned the true value of architecture and the importance of business and personal integrity.
A long-time member of the Brisbane Club, he also served as Club President (1978 – 1979). He retired from architectural practice in 1994 and enjoyed his passions for gardening, playing golf and art collecting. A great family man, he also enjoyed travelling with his lifelong partner and wife Janet Conrad. Janet worked alongside Bill at Conrad & Gargett for many years as a Landscape Architect.
He is survived by his sons, Richard, Bruce and Michael and their families, including four grandchildren. Janet predeceased him.
He is fondly remembered by the architectural practice that he led for a generation.
