Cyril Christian Ruwald (1895-1959) was one of several architects who designed hotels for Tooth & Co during the 1930s and 1940s. Born in Redfern, Sydney, Ruwald attended Sydney Technical College and was indentured to the architects Waterhouse and Lake. In 1917 Ruwald enlisted in the Field Artillery Brigade and sailed for France, where he served during 1918.

During the 1920s Ruwald worked with Reg Prevost, a noted patron of young architects including Sydney Ancher, before spending time in Europe during the 1930s Depression. On his return Ruwald established his own practice and was instrumental in adapting the streamlined horizontal look of European modernism to hotel design. His Cross Keys Hotel, Newcastle set the pattern for many others including the Canterbury, Vauxhall, Woollahra and Premier hotels. The Beach Hotel, Merewether is perhaps the most intact of Ruwald's numerous 'modern' hotels. Ruwald also designed the Greengate (Killara) and Bull and Bush (Baulkham Hills) hotels, notable exercises in historic pastiche.

As well as hotels, Ruwald's practice encompassed apartment buildings (notably Selsdon, Macleay Street, Potts Point), banks (for the Bank of NSW) and numerous residences. A champion golfer, Ruwald designed club houses for Cammeray Golf Club and other sporting clubs. He also designed alternations to two significant Sydney buildings: the City Mutual Building, Hunter Street and the former Grand Central Hotel, York Street.

The print was produced by Cyril C Ruwald in 9 Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 7 September 1937.

Diazo print, ground floor and basement plan Acklands Hotel Woollahra, paper / ink, Cyril Ruwald, 9 Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 7 September 1937

A diazo print depicting the 'GROUND FLOOR PLAN' and the 'BASEMENT PLAN' for the Acklands Hotel, on the corner of Queen and Moncur Streets, Woollahra. The outline of each plan is in brown and details coloured in orange, yellow, red and green. There is a rectangular border around the print and the title of the print can be seen within the border below the drawing. Annotations handwritten in red ink can be seen down the left hand side of the print.

Made: Ruwald, Cyril; Sydney; 07/09/1937

The title of the plan reads 'PROPOSED REBUILDING ACKLANDS HOTEL / CORNER MONCUR & QUEEN STREETS WOOLLAHRA / FOR MESSRS TOOTH & COMPANY LTD / SCALE ONE INCH EQUALS EIGHT FEET'.
The signature next to the title reads 'Cyril C Ruwald / FRIBA FRAH / Architect / 9 Martin Place Sydney / 7th Sept 1937'.
Notation handwritten in red ink 'This is one of the Drawings referred to in the General Conditions / of Contract made out between the undermentioned parties / and signed this ninth day of November 1937'. Below this is a stamp 'For Tooth & Co Limited / [illegible signature] / General Manager' followed by the signatures of the proprietors, contractors and two witnesses.
'SHEET 2' is printed in the top right corner.

90/317-13

07/09/1937

455 mm

690 mm