Brisbane is home to a rich architectural heritage, including buildings dating back to the 1820s. The Old Windmill in Wickham Park, constructed by convict labour in 1824, is the city’s oldest surviving structure. The Commissariat Store on William Street, built in 1828 and originally a grain house, now houses the Royal Historical Society of Brisbane and a museum. Other notable 19th and early 20th-century buildings include the Treasury Building, City Hall, Customs House, Land Administration Building, MacArthur Chambers, The Mansions, the National Australia Bank Building, the Old Museum Building, and the Federation-style People’s Palace on Edward Street.

Religious architecture is also significant. The Brisbane Synagogue on Margaret Street, established in 1866, is one of Queensland’s oldest synagogues. Designed in the Neo-Moorish (Byzantine) style by architect Arthur Morry, with some attributions to Andrea Stombuco, it remains a centerpiece of Brisbane’s Jewish community.

Traditional residential architecture is exemplified by the Queenslander-style house, common throughout Brisbane. These timber homes feature large verandahs, gabled corrugated iron roofs, high ceilings, and are elevated on stumps to aid ventilation and cooling. Historically, the availability of timber and block size regulations influenced the city’s predominantly low-density residential development, with miniature Queenslander-style houses common in inner-city suburbs.

Brisbane’s skyline has evolved significantly with modern high-rises. All skyscrapers over 150 m (490 ft) are located in the CBD, though inner suburbs also contain high-density buildings. Torbreck was Queensland’s first high-rise mixed-use residential development, while City Hall, at 91 m, remained Brisbane’s tallest building for decades after its completion in 1930. Today, Brisbane Skytower, at 270 m (890 ft), is the tallest building in the city. Architecturally notable skyscrapers include Riparian Plaza, designed by Harry Seidler; One One One Eagle Street, featuring LED lighting inspired by Moreton Bay fig roots; and 1 William Street, headquarters of the Queensland Government.

From historic convict-era structures to elegant Queenslander homes and modern skyscrapers, Brisbane’s architecture showcases the city’s growth, diversity, and blending of tradition with contemporary design.