twentieth century, technical education was absorbed into the Department of Public Instruction. During 1907 the Department investigated the establishment of a central technical college, reviewing models for similar enterprises in America and Britain. Under the Technical Instruction Act 1908 the Brisbane Technical College, South Brisbane Technical College and West End Technical College were amalgamated to form the Brisbane Central Technical College. There was strong support for technical education in Queensland and this was the only Australian state to plan and construct a complex of buildings for a technical college. Sketch plans for nine two-storey buildings grouped around a central courtyard, linked with covered ways were prepared by the Department of Public Works in 1909. Designed as a cohesive group of similar scale and materials, eight buildings are arranged in a square with three facing the main drive to Old Government House. The ninth building, the Workshops block, is set back towards the river closing off the courtyard. Following an American model for technical education, the main departments of the college were assigned a dedicated building. The construction was undertaken in two sections. A tender for from contractor James Mason was accepted in March 1911 for the six buildings included in Section One: B Block : Administration and Examination Hall E Block : Chemistry and Geology F Block : Wool-classing and Building Construction G Block : Physics and Electrical Engineering H Block : Civil and Mechanical Engineering J Block : Workshops In July 1912, James Mason successfully tendered for Section Two which included the remaining three buildings of the campus: A Block : Commercial School C Block : Art School D Block : Domestic Science Amendments were made to the original scheme during construction, including the addition of an extra storey to the Physics and Electrical Engineering building to accommodate the teaching of Biology. The covered ways to the ground and first floor levels were not built. The corridors within the buildings and the location of the building entrances reflect the circulation and physical relationships proposed in the original master plan. Building progress was hampered by strikes and materials shortages but the Brisbane Central Technical College was finally opened for classes in February 1915. In response to increased demand for technical education following both World Wars, extensions to J Block Workshops were constructed. K Block, a three-storey extension to J Block Workshops was constructed in 1919 to accommodate returned soldier retraining