Page 513 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 19 February 2020
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he influenced and oversaw the initial design of both the inner north and inner south of Canberra.
Despite not all of Griffin’s designs coming to fruition, his impact is still deeply evident in the Canberra we know today. The parliamentary triangle and major arteries radiating out of State Circle remain the heart of the city’s design. The light rail along Northbourne Avenue reflects his original plans for Canberra. Similarly, the various districts with their own town centres can be seen across Canberra, sympathetic to Griffin’s original design. Griffin acknowledged the need for urban planning and was flexible to meet the changes in growth and demand over time.
Griffin designed several heritage-listed institutions in the ACT, such as Canberra’s grave for Major General Sir William Bridges on Mount Pleasant and Canberra’s garbage incinerator. His designs often focused on natural features, with vistas and suburbs engulfed in green and native vegetation. Griffin created the commonwealth heritage-listed Pialligo redwood forest, which remains Australia's largest stand of mature redwood species.
Not only have Griffin’s designs had a major impact on the unique Canberra lifestyle we enjoy today but he was largely influential in the design of other buildings and towns around Australia. He is credited with providing plans for large elements of the towns of Leeton and Griffith in New South Wales as well as the suburbs of Eaglemont and Castlecrag. Griffin also designed several prominent buildings across Australia, such as the such as the Capitol Theatre in Melbourne and numerous residential estates along the Sydney Harbour headlands.
The impact of Walter Burley Griffin’s original plan and his impact on the overall development of the city can still be seen today. That impact is profoundly positive. Just last week, Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited Australia. As part of his visit, he met with Sally Barnes, the head of the National Capital Authority, to discuss Canberra’s origins. Indonesia is currently in the process of moving its capital city from Jakarta to East Kalimantan province. As part of this move, the Indonesian government is investigating cities all over the world for inspiration. The President was particularly impressed with Canberra and was very interested in sustainability and modernisation, looking to Canberra as a model. I can understand this feeling, as when I first came to Canberra I fell in love with this city and its people. I was only posted here for three months, and now I have been living here for 20 years.
Mr Griffin worked alongside his wife, Marion Mahony Griffin, and it would be impossible to speak about Walter Burley Griffin without also recognising the role that Marion played in his career. Mrs Griffin was a wonderful architect in her own right. Growing up in Chicago, she was surrounded by strong women fighting for women’s liberation, education and labour reforms. She became just the second woman to graduate with a degree in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After graduating, she produced several drawings for Frank Lloyd Wright that would assist him in establishing his career. After marrying Walter, Mrs Griffin is credited with pushing him to enter his Canberra designs and was the person who drew the eventual plan of Canberra city. Many believe that her drawings swayed the judges in their decision to award the design prize to her husband.
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