{{Short description|Australian architectural firm}} {{use dmy dates|date=February 2026}} {{use Australian English|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox architectural practice | name = Spain & Cosh | logo = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | caption = | firm_type = | architects = | partners = | founders = {{unbulleted list|Alfred Spain|Thomas Frame Cosh}} | employees = | city = Sydney | coordinates = <!-- Use {{coord}} --> | affiliations = | founded = {{Start date|1904}} | dissolved = c.1940?<!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} --> | awards = | significant_buildings = Culwulla Chambers (1911)<br/> Mercantile Hotel (1914)<br/>Many fire stations around New South Wales | significant_projects = | significant_design = | website = }} '''Spain & Cosh''' were an architectural practice formed in Sydney, Australia, in 1904 by Alfred Spain and Thomas Frame Cosh. From 1910 until 1912 they were '''Spain, Cosh & Minett''', and from 1914 until 1920, '''Spain, Cosh & Dods'''. They were responsible for the design of many commercial buildings in Sydney, including Culwulla Chambers in Castlereagh Street (1911) and Mercantile Hotel in George Street (1914).
==History== ===Spain=== Alfred Spain (1868–1954) was born in Sydney.<ref name=adbspain>{{cite web |last=Spearritt |first=Peter |website=Australian Dictionary of Biography | title= Alfred Spain (1868–1954) |date= 1990 |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/spain-alfred-8594 |access-date=11 February 2026 |quote = This article was published: in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, 1990; online in 2006.}}</ref> He was articled to Thomas Rowe of Rowe & Green in 1884, when he commenced studies at Sydney Technical College. He graduated in 1890 and won a Bronze Medal by the South Kensington School of Science and Art for his design of a town hall.<ref name=orr>{{cite book |title= The Encyclopedia of Australian Architecture| publisher =Cambridge University Press| date=2011| chapter=Spain & Cosh|chapter-url=https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/32953/1/Orr_2010006271_Francis-Jones.pdf | pages=644–645| first =Kirsten |last=Orr | editor1-first= Philip| editor1-last= Goad | editor2-first= Julie | editor2-last= Willis| isbn = 9780521888578 |access-date=11 February 2026}}</ref> Spain first became a partner in Rowe, Campbell & Spain in 1893, which became Rowe & Spain in 1895, and closed after Rowe's death in 1899. Spain continued to practise on his own until 1904.<ref name=orr/>
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1917. He also had a distinguished career in the New South Wales and Commonwealth military forces.<ref name="orr" />
===Cosh=== Thomas Frame Cosh (1868–1946) was born in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu). His father, James Cosh, was a Scottish Presbyterian missionary.<ref name=slnsw>{{cite web |title=Cosh family further papers, 1866-1998 |website= State Library of New South Wales |date=|url=https://archival.sl.nsw.gov.au/Details/archive/110064234 |access-date=13 February 2026}}</ref> Thomas was educated at Sydney Grammar School.<ref name=obitcosh>{{cite web |title=Thomas Frame Cosh |website=Obituaries Australia |date=13 December 1947 |url=https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/cosh-thomas-frame-14009 |access-date=11 February 2026}}</ref> He also attended Sydney Technical College, and in addition later attended two courses in architecture and building construction run by John Sulman in the Engineering School at the University of Sydney.<ref name=orr/><ref name=bldg1910/> In 1885 he was articled to Ellis & Slatyer,{{efn|Charles Slatyer - see Ingleholme.}} which became Slatyer & Cosh from 1893 until 1904.<ref name=orr/><ref name=dict>{{cite web |title=Spain & Cosh |website=The Dictionary of Sydney |date= |url=https://dictionaryofsydney.org/organisation/spain_cosh |access-date=11 February 2026}}</ref>
Cosh was a foundation member of the Sydney Architectural Association, and later influential in the NSW Institute of Architects.<ref name="orr" /> In January 1933 he was honoured by a gathering at Ushers Hotel, the guests including Sir James Murdoch, Sir Hal Colebatch, and B. J. Waterhouse, president of the Architects Registration Board).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16943024 |title=An architect honoured. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=29,642 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=4 January 1933 |access-date=11 February 2026 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref> The papers of the Cosh family are held at the State Library of New South Wales.<ref name="slnsw" />
===In practice together=== Spain & Cosh went into practice together in 1904, and in the same year, Spain moved to England to train in the military, later being recalled for active service during World War I.<ref name=orr/>
In 1910, Rupert V. Minett joined the practice, which was renamed Spain, Cosh & Minett until 1912.<ref name=orr/><ref name=dict/> Spain, Cosh & Minnett was responsible for the New Zealand Insurance Company's offices in Pitt Street as well as Culwulla Chambers (1911). The latter, which fronted King and Castlereagh Streets became Australia's tallest building, at {{cvt|178 |ft}}. This resulted in public controversy, leading to the ''Height of Buildings Act 1912'', which henceforth limited the height of future buildings to {{cvt|150| ft}}.<ref name=adbspain/> This height restriction was subsequently removed in 1955.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Report on Oceania| first =Henry J. |last= Cowan|url=https://global.ctbuh.org/resources/papers/download/1679-a-report-on-oceania.pdf#page=2| page=735-737| date=2001| series=Conference proceedings, CTBUH 2001 6th World Congress, Melbourne| publisher = Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat }}</ref>
Also in 1911, the firm designed a brewery administration building for Tooth & Co. at 10B Ultimo in Federation Free Style, a building considered "a prestigious and elaborate example of the firm's brewery work".<ref name=orr/>
In 1914, Robin Dods joined the firm which was renamed Spain, Cosh & Dods until 1920. James A. Cosh (nephew of Thomas Cosh) joined in 1930, and Reginald A. Stewart in 1938, when it became Spain, Cosh & Stewart.<ref name=orr/><ref name=obitcosh/><ref name=dict/>
Various other architects were associated with the firm, including Alex Virtue, Harold Ruskin Rowe (son of Thomas Rowe), Edward Green, and C. Bruce Dellit.<ref name=orr/> The firm as Rowe & Spain designed 29 fire stations for the NSW Board of Fire Commissioners, including Ashfield, Manly, and Maroubra.<ref name=orr/>
==Style== The firm was a commercial architectural firm that mainly designed buildings in current styles. Its pre-World War I buildings were mostly Federation style, and they used American Romanesque style for their warehouse designs. Between the wars, they did mostly commercial work in classical styles. However it became known for using new technologies and building materials, setting trends which continued in Sydney construction.<ref name=orr/>
==Notable works== ===Commercial and public buildings=== * St Clement's Church, Marrickville (1899 and 1907)<ref name=orr/> * Singleton District Hospital, Singleton (1907)<ref name=orr/><ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5045501|Singleton District Hospital|hr=00833|access-date=12 February 2026}}</ref> * Stoddart House (1908, originally premises for Bundock)<ref name=orr/> * Gardiner & Co., York Street, Sydney<ref name=bldg1910/> * Grace Bros warehouse<ref name=bldg1910/> * Trades Hall, Goulburn Street<ref name=bldg1910/> * Edwards, Dunlop & Co. warehouse, Brisbane<ref name=bldg1910/> * Blashki Building (1909) in Hunter Street, Sydney<ref name=orr/><ref name=bldg1910>{{Cite journal | author1=Federated Builders' Association of Australia. | author2=Master Builders' Federation of Australia. |series=The Future of Australian Architecture — III | title= A Review of the Work of Architects Spain, Cosh & Minnett, of Sydney|journal=Building: The Magazine for the Architect, Builder, Property Owner and Merchant |volume= 3 | issue=31 |date =12 March 1910 | location=Sydney | publisher=Building Publishing Co. | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-263891126 | id=nla.obj-263891126 | access-date=13 February 2026 | via=Trove}} </ref> * Hooper & Harrison (1909), later RTA House<ref name=orr/> * Culwulla Chambers (1911) in Castlereagh Street, then Sydney's tallest building at 12 storeys<ref name=orr/> * Tooth & Co., Brewery administration building at Ultimo (1911)<ref name=orr/> * Quarryman's Hotel (1912)<ref name=dict/> * Sydney Trades Hall additions (1912 and 1916)<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5045314|Sydney Trades Hall|hr=00322|fn=S90/04157/001 & HC 32648|access-date=11 February 2026}}</ref> * Marcus Clark Building (1913 and 1928),<ref name=dict/> TAFE, Railway Square * Dunkirk Hotel (1914)<ref name=dict/> * Mercantile Hotel (1914) in George Street<ref name=orr/> * Accountants House (1914), 117-119 Harrington Street, The Rocks<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5053136|Accountants House|hr=01521|access-date=11 February 2026}}</ref> * Manufacturers House, Newcastle (1920)<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5045379|Manufacturers House|hr=00314|fn=S90/05392 & HC 32854|access-date=11 February 2026}}</ref> * Australian Drug Company Building (1923) at Wynyard Square, one of the first reinforced concrete-framed buildings in the country<ref name=orr/> * T & G Mutual Life Assurance Building (1923), 45 Hunter Street, Newcastle originally Scottish House, built for McIlwraith, McEacharn & Co<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139610720 |title=Scottish House|newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald & Miners' Advocate |issue=14,264 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 October 1923 |access-date=12 February 2026 |page=5}}</ref><ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5045337|T & G Mutual Life Assurance Building|hr=00316|fn=S90/05380 & HC 32837 |access-date=12 February 2026}}</ref> * Lincoln House (1924) in Pitt Street<ref name=dict/> * Evening News Building (1925), later ACP offices<ref name=orr/> * Scottish House (1925 and 1927), Bridge Street, Sydney, later Singapore Airlines House<ref name=orr/> * Sailors' Home (1927 wing) in The Rocks<ref name=mh>{{cite web |title=Former Sydney Sailors' Home |website=Museums of History NSW | publisher = NSW Government |date=18 September 2023 |url=https://www.sydneyopen.com.au/program/building/former-sydney-sailors-home |access-date=11 February 2026}}</ref><ref name=dict/> * Shell House (1938), later Menzies Hotel<ref name=orr/> ===Fire stations=== * 29 fire stations, after Spain, Cosh & Minnett were appointed as architects to the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW, including Marrickville, Ashfield, and Mosman<ref name=orr/><ref name=bldg1910/> ===Residences=== * Several residences in Ku-Ring-Gai Avenue, Turramurra (1899–1908; Slatyer and Cosh; Cosh; Spain & Cosh){{efn|See also Ingleholme and Cossington, Turramurra.}}<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5045077|Ingleholme & Garage|hr=00071|fn=S90/06269 & HC 32004|access-date=12 February 2026 }}</ref> * Addition to ''Hollowforth'', Kurraba Point (1913)<ref>{{cite NSW SHR|5045553|Hollowforth|hr=00450|fn=S90/05338 & HC 32895|accessdate=1 June 2018}}</ref>
==Footnotes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==Further reading== *{{cite book |last=Fayad |first=Edward |title=The Architectural Practice of Spain and Cosh |publisher=University of New South Wales |date=1986 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UTm3twAACAAJ }}
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Category:20th-century Australian architects Category:Architecture of Sydney