Phoenix House

Phoenix House is a circa 1869 office building designed by Parnell for the Royal Insurance Company. Constructed of sandstone ashlar with a Welsh slate roof, it occupies a curved corner site. The building has a basement and four storeys, presenting six bays to Sandhill, three bays to the curved corner, and five bays to the left return on Queen Street. The ground floor features Tuscan pilasters and an entablature, with a corner entrance framed by Gothic attached columns flanked by tall Tuscan columns. A carved panel above the door displays the emblems of the Phoenix Insurance Company. A Giant Corinthian Order extends above the ground floor, incorporating windows within architraves; the top corners of the second floor are rounded, and a prominent cornice runs along the upper facade. The top floor is characterized by a Palladian arcade beneath the cornice. Parapets with carved shaped panels and acroteria are present on the corner and end bays, while a parapet and blocking course complete the roofline.