Old Senate
Following up on the panorama of the Old House of Representatives that I posted a couple of days ago, here's a six-frame panorama of the Old Senate.
Like the House of Representatives, the chamber is a large internal space, with ceilings considerably higher than that of King's Hall. Both chambers are the same size, despite the requirement of section 24 of the Australian Constitution that the House of Representatives should have, as nearly as practicable, twice the number of members as the Senate.
It is lined with timber panelling, again representative of the architect John Smith Murdoch's simplified classical style, with furnishings in a similar style to that of the House of Representatives.
The timber used in the wall panelling, the desks, seats and tables is all Australian black bean wood and Tasmanian blackwood. The hand-woven carpets have a pattern of eucalyptus leaves and wattle blossom.
The Senate is characterised by the predominance of the colour red, in both the carpet and the red leather of the seating and desks. This reflects its role as the upper house and as a deliberative house like the House of Lords at Westminster.
The seating is in a horse-shoe pattern, around a central table. With more room than the House of Reprentatives, each senator had a seat and a desk, including those sitting on the front benches (i.e., ministers). At the end of the table is a desk for the clerks and behind them a large chair for the president. Behind it are two thrones, to be used by the monarch and consort or, in their stead, the Governor-General and spouse, at official occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament. The furnishings conform to Murdoch's simplified classical style.
The gallery above the throne was reserved for the press, with others used by the guests of senators, members of the House of Representatives and the general public.
The room is in the Old Parliament Building, where Australia's Parliament sat from 1927 to 1988. It is now generally open as a museum for the public to visit.
Old Senate
Following up on the panorama of the Old House of Representatives that I posted a couple of days ago, here's a six-frame panorama of the Old Senate.
Like the House of Representatives, the chamber is a large internal space, with ceilings considerably higher than that of King's Hall. Both chambers are the same size, despite the requirement of section 24 of the Australian Constitution that the House of Representatives should have, as nearly as practicable, twice the number of members as the Senate.
It is lined with timber panelling, again representative of the architect John Smith Murdoch's simplified classical style, with furnishings in a similar style to that of the House of Representatives.
The timber used in the wall panelling, the desks, seats and tables is all Australian black bean wood and Tasmanian blackwood. The hand-woven carpets have a pattern of eucalyptus leaves and wattle blossom.
The Senate is characterised by the predominance of the colour red, in both the carpet and the red leather of the seating and desks. This reflects its role as the upper house and as a deliberative house like the House of Lords at Westminster.
The seating is in a horse-shoe pattern, around a central table. With more room than the House of Reprentatives, each senator had a seat and a desk, including those sitting on the front benches (i.e., ministers). At the end of the table is a desk for the clerks and behind them a large chair for the president. Behind it are two thrones, to be used by the monarch and consort or, in their stead, the Governor-General and spouse, at official occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament. The furnishings conform to Murdoch's simplified classical style.
The gallery above the throne was reserved for the press, with others used by the guests of senators, members of the House of Representatives and the general public.
The room is in the Old Parliament Building, where Australia's Parliament sat from 1927 to 1988. It is now generally open as a museum for the public to visit.