West's Furniture Showroom, Heritage furniture showroom in Fortitude Valley, Australia
West's Furniture Showroom is a heritage-listed former shop at 620 Wickham Street in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, designed by Karl Langer and built from 1952 to 1953. It was commissioned by Laurence West as a purpose-designed modernist furniture showroom.
The building was designed in 1952 by architect Karl Langer, a European emigre who brought modernist ideas to Queensland. From 1956 to 1962, it served as Queensland's main outlet for Knoll furniture, a role that placed it at the center of post-war design trade in the region.
West's was the only Australian business licensed to make and sell Knoll furniture between 1956 and 1962, supplying architects with modern pieces for their buildings. The showroom also introduced Modern design to the general public in Brisbane. Its motto, "West's for the Best", appeared in advertisements from the 1930s and 1940s.
The building sits on Wickham Street in Fortitude Valley, a neighborhood that is easy to reach on foot or by public transport from central Brisbane. A daytime visit works best, as the large street-facing windows are most readable in natural light.
Between 1956 and 1962 West's was the only Australian business licensed to make and sell Knoll furniture, supplying architects with pieces for their buildings. The showroom's address, 620 Wickham Street, sits at the northeast end of the Valley, away from the cluster of furniture dealers at the southwest end of the same street.
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