spring 2013 BY DESIGN Sydney’s planning future

REVIEW Reflections on Public Sydney: Drawing The City

DRAWING ATTENTION The language of architecture

DESIGN PARRAMATTA Reinvigorating public places In the public interest Documenting, drawing and designing a city 7. Editor Laura Wise [email protected] Editorial Committee Chair Contents Shaun Carter [email protected] President’s message Editorial Committee 02 Noni Boyd [email protected]

Callantha Brigham [email protected] 03 Chapter news Matthew Chan [email protected]

Art direction and design 12. Opinion: Diversity - A building block for Jamie Carroll and Ersen Sen innovation Dr Joanne Jakovich and Anita leadinghand.com.au 06 Morandini Copy Editor Monique Pasilow Managing Editor Our biggest building project Joe Agius Roslyn Irons 07 Advertising [email protected] Subscriptions (annual) Review: Reflections on Public Sydney Andrew Five issues $60, students $40 12 Burns, Rachel Neeson and Ken Maher [email protected]

Editorial & advertising office Tusculum, 3 Manning Street Drawing the public’s attention: The Language of Potts Point NSW 2011 (02) 9246 4055 20. 16 architecture Adrian Chan, David Drinkwater and ISSN 0729 08714 Aaron Murray Published five times a year, Architecture Bulletin is the journal of the Australian Institute of Architects, James Barnet: A path through his city NSW Chapter (ACN 000 023 012). 18 Dr Peter Kohane Continuously published since 1944.

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in articles and letters published in From the Government Architect: Architecture Bulletin are the personal 19 views and opinions of the authors of Non-autonomous architecture Peter Poulet these writings and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the Institute and its officers. Material contained in this publication is general comment and is not intended as advice 20 Design Parramatta Kati Westlake on any particular matter. No reader should act or fail to act on the basis of Patrons any material herein. Readers should consult professional advisers. The Architecture Bulletin thanks Australian Institute of Architects NSW its Patrons for their support Canberra at a crossroad Brian Binning Chapter, its officers, editor, editorial 24 committee and authors expressly Gold Patron disclaim all liability to any persons Hassell in respect of acts or omissions by any such person in reliance on any of the Silver Patrons Review: Angus Hardwick and Marly Swanson Wood contents of this publication. Bates Smart share their experience of this year’s student Print and paper Cox Architecture 26 Printed by Rostone Print using Group GSA architecture congress – Nexus 2013 soy-based vegetable inks on FSC mixed source certified paper, Bronze Patrons manufactured to ISO 14 001 fjmt (Francis-Jones environmental accreditation using Review: A Country of Cities: A Manifesto for an elemental chlorine-free (ECF) pulps. Morehen Thorp) 27 Urban America (book) Richard Dinham Plates and paper offcuts from the Lend Lease Design printing process are recycled. Mirvac Design Tanner Kibble Denton Architects 28 Obituary: Ross Langdon Supporter Buzacott Architects Technical Sponsor On the cover: City icon; in 2013 Sydney Opera House Architectural Window celebrates 40 years of influencing and shaping public life. Systems Image: Brett Boardman.

Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 1 chapter news

architecture student (local or international) festival continued to build on past years with Chapter Manager’s report This year’s Sydney Architecture Festival increased and it is anticipated that by the end of or graduate of an architecture course many excellent events. Jointly run by the was in full swing across the city from 1 – 10 the year more than 4,000 architects, members undertaking ‘work’ for a practice in Australia Institute and the NSW Architects Registration This year New South Wales was fortunate to November with many of the city’s cultural and non-members, will have attended at least is considered an ‘employee’; as such there are Board, SAF’s fundamental purpose is to host the National Architecture Awards at the institutions hosting a variety of architecture one Institute event during the year. It is very statutory obligations placed on the employer, advocate the importance of good architecture Sydney Opera House to coincide with 40th and design-focused events, including talks, pleasing to see members actively interacting for instance, the obligation to pay the and built environments to the community. anniversary celebrations for Australia’s most exhibitions, workshops and tours around the with their Institute and supporting their minimum wage. These are described in the iconic building. Hundreds of people gathered in metropolitan area. Over the past six months the profession. Finally a very happy Christmas and Architects Award 2010, which also covers The public interest the Concert Hall to find out which buildings Chapter has been actively involved in New Year to everyone. , architecture students. were chosen by your peers as Australia’s best in developing more than 20 of the 60 events held president s In determining whether a student or This spring edition of Architecture Bulletin, ‘In 2013. Congratulations to all the winners and during the festival and we would like to thank Roslyn Irons graduate is undertaking ‘work’ for a practice – the Public Interest’, explores the on-going especially to those NSW members who were the many members and students who NSW Chapter Manager message and is, therefore, an employee – the Fair Work vitality of the public realm in Sydney, including recognised this year. The Institute was also generously gave their time to assist in curating Ombudsman will consider issues such as the reviews of Philip Thalis’ and Peter John involved in a one-day symposium on 25 October and staging these events. Thank you also to the State of practice purpose of the arrangement, who derives Cantrill’s epic undertaking Public Sydney: to mark the 40th anniversary of the Opera City of Sydney for their continuing support of benefit from the arrangement, the time length Drawing The City – published earlier in the year House, with Danish and Australian architects the festival and Archikidz. These events could Having had the opportunity to meet with many of the arrangement, and the expectation of to much anticipation. It is a rich story gathering to discuss the contemporary role of not happen without this support. practices over the past few months, my sense is productive and useful output for the employer. comprehensively unpacked from the present design in shaping our collective cultural It has been another very busy year for the that the state of practice in New South Wales As many practices are increasingly right back to the founding of the colony. imaginations and the cities in which they thrive. Chapter. Attendances at most events have continues to be patchy and varied. Some approached by students and graduates Much advocacy from the Institute in the practices appear particularly busy while others seeking unpaid internships I alert you to your last few months has been around the public struggle. This seems consistent across all obligations under the law in this regard, and interest, be it on contentious and important Patrons news scales of practice and applies to Sydney-based, to operate within it. Penalties for breaches sites, heritage matters, planning for Sydney’s as well as regional practice. are significant. growth or government policy directions and As a result of this heightened competitive initiatives. It is important the Institute remains environment fees are unfortunately impacted; Ongoing engagement with an active participant with government, allied in some instances to the point where the State Government professions, industry and community in all provision of a quality service to our clients and, these issues, which have a clear dimension of hence, quality built outcomes are The Institute has continued to engage with public interest. unsustainable. This is not healthy for the the State Government on the imminent new profession and collectively diminishes our planning act. I have participated in a number Joe Agius capacity to do our work well. Apart from this, of discussion forums organised by the NSW NSW Chapter President and equally concerning, is the longer-term Department of Planning and Infrastructure structural impact on our profession and its along with other industry stakeholders, the standing. Across the building and construction most recent being on the transition of SEPP Tanner Kibble Denton have completed the Mirvac Design is currently working on a Cox Richardson has made detailed industry architects are among the worst- 65 into the new act. The Institute’s position final stage of the restoration and adaptation number of exciting residential projects submissions on the State Government’s new remunerated professionals. The sustainability on this is to ensure the positive aspects of the of the nationally significant Female Orphan nationally in response to growing demand in White Paper: A New Planning System for of the profession is dependent on our policy are not lost or eroded in transition. School at the Parramatta campus of the the marketplace. These projects are in various NSW and the draft Metropolitan Strategy, collective willingness to tender fees Some proposals arising out of the SEPP 65 University of Western Sydney (pictured stages of planning, from concept design emphasising the need for longer-term appropriate to the task and service. Often review, which was carried out earlier this above), with the project officially opened by through to planning applications and strategic planning balanced by plans to during difficult periods it is those newest to the year, will be incorporated and have the the Governor-General, Her Excellency the marketing. Mirvac Design worked in improve the city. It is important that our profession that are impacted first. This brings Institute’s support. The revised bills recently Honourable Quentin Bryce AC CVO on 24 collaboration with a number of other profession advocates for the city in the me to the emotive issue of unpaid internships. tabled in the NSW Parliament have September 2013 – 200 years after the laying architectural practices on some of these public domain. confirmed briefings by the Department that of the original foundation stone in projects, which is proving to be a successful On the international front, the new Internships some of the Institute’s key recommendations September 1813. model in ensuring all-round design quality Kaohsiung Exhibition and Convention have been addressed. That is a good first step. Starting in 2001, Tanner Kibble Denton outcomes. Centre (pictured above) is now under There has been much concern among our Once the legislation is adopted, it is critical Architects delivered the adaptation and An example of this is Maestro (pictured construction in Taipei, Taiwan. When younger members at the rise of unpaid that we have a role in working with the restoration in four stages, which above), the most recent stage at Harold Park in completed it will add an important piece of internships; along with the majority of the Department in developing the regulation - encompassed the facade conservation and Sydney, which has been designed in infrastructure to the city and provide profession I share these concerns. Discussion including the details of how the new system restoration, interior adaptation and collaboration with Eeles Trelease and was employment opportunities for 2,000 people. on the issue seems largely centred on the ethics will work. landscape renewal. With the completion of recently successfully released to the market. around the benefits an architecture student or the final stage, the building is now a major In response to the increased workload, graduate derives from unpaid work, versus the Sydney Architecture Festival cultural asset for the university and the Mirvac Design has made some internal contributions of the student or graduate to the community, providing gallery and exhibition promotions including Anita Tyler and Mark productive output of a practice. An important part of the NSW Chapter’s spaces. Significantly, the final stage of the Young being promoted to senior associates This discussion belies the clarity in cultural program, the Sydney Architecture project provides a permanent home for the and Kah Heng Yep and Tanja Hodgson regard to unpaid internships in employment Festival (SAF) is slowly gathering a presence in Whitlam Institute, including the Whitlam promoted to associates. law. Under the Fair Work Act 2009, any Sydney’s cultural festival landscape. This year’s Prime Ministerial Library and archive.

2 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 3 chapter news

McBryde set up Innovarchi with Stephanie Moves and appointments Smith in Sydney in 1996. Earlier in his career, he was the local representative architect for the The directors of Tzannes Associates have Renzo Piano Building Workshop, which welcomed associate Ben Green as a new director designed and delivered Aurora Place in Sydney. of the practice. After graduating with First Class Before that, he worked with Renzo Piano in Honours from the University of Sydney in 1998, Paris, France, Genoa (Italy) and Osaka (Japan). Ben joined Tzannes in 1999, and in 2010 became He has particular strengths in commercial an associate, leading the development of the high-rise and residential projects. McBryde is practice’s design culture and its design, the Sydney representative for the international procurement and project delivery systems. He is Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. currently working on major multi and single residential projects in Sydney.

DARCH NSW Country Division

NSW Country Division members have celebrated the best in regional New South Wales architecture with the Country Division Architecture Awards recently presented at the annual conference on 3 October. The most Bates Smart has commenced design prestigious honour, the James Barnet Award, development for 177 Pacific Highway, North went to Takt Studio for The Pod (pictured Sydney (pictured above) a 30-storey tower for below). A full list of winners from the awards Leighton Properties. The building will be the will feature in the Summer 2014 edition of headquarters for the Leighton Group of Architecture Bulletin. Companies, including Leighton Holdings, Leighton Properties, Leighton Contractors, John Holland and Theiss. Located on a The 2013 1:1 Project held on 20 September saw prominent corner of the Pacific Highway, the 10 teams of students and architects tower’s peripheral volumes have been cut away collaborate on a one-day design and build Kafka House, Lindfield, photographed by Phil Ward, in the early 1950s.Image: Paul Kafka Collection, Caroline Simpson Library and Research Collection, Sydney Living Museums. to minimise overshadowing of significant project of ‘micro-pavilions’ using base heritage sites and pedestrian plazas in the materials of timber pallets and plants vicinity, resulting in an iconic form that rises (pictured above). Lost modern house Reeves. Paul Kafka lived in the house until his 1930s and 40s. Kafka utilised the techniques above its North Sydney neighbours. An initiative of DARCH and SONA, with death in 1972. His widow Isle remarried and that he had learnt in Vienna but worked with At ground level a three-storey glazed the support of the team at Lochbuild and Despite a submission from the Institute she and her husband George Hocking Australian timbers such as coachwood, which podium surrounds a publicly accessible garden sponsors, the project’s pieces were built at regarding the significance of the design of the continued to live in the house. had been used as substitutes for overseas plaza that provides a weather-protected Sydney Corporate Park and shared with 1948 Kafka House by Hugo Stossel for the The Kafka House was featured in timbers during the war. Rarer timbers from year-round space for the people of North thousands of people at the BEAMS Arts furniture designer Paul Kafka, Ku-ring-gai Australian House and Garden in May 1952, Europe and Africa continued to be used as Sydney. On the upper levels a series of voids Festival in Chippendale, forming a venue for Council have approved its demolition. indicating that the functional houses designed inlays. His work contrasted with mainstream penetrate the floor plates, vertically linking the musicians. Sustainable Chippendale has since The Viennese-born furniture designer by the European-trained Modernists, and the furniture production in Australia at that time, workspace to provide connection and amenity repurposed the pieces for their initiatives, and Paul Kafka migrated to Australia with his wife elegant veneered furniture designed to fill which had long employed solid timbers such as for the tenants. so they live on. and mother in 1939. After initially working for them, was influencing taste in both cedar and Queensland maple, and is now Due for completion in 2016, the building is The first recipient of the David Lindner Newcastle Division the plywood manufacturer Ralph Symonds, architecture and interior design in Sydney in highly sought after. designed to achieve a 5 Star Green Star Office Prize, Nathan Etherington, presented his Kafka opened his own furniture factory. He the early 1950s. Stossel’s design for this Stossel’s design and Kafka’s furniture is Design and Office As Built v3 and a 5 Star research ‘Do Not Disturb: Toxic Urbanism and The winners of the UrbanGrowth NSW Lower purchased the land in Eton Road, Lindfield in modest house for the Kafka family was recognisably in the tradition of the Viennese- NABERS Energy rating. the Alexandra Canal’ on Friday 8 November at Hunter Urban Design Awards (LHUDA) were June 1948 but had been living in the area since contemporary, with the more well-known based architect and furniture designer Adolf Tusculum as part of the Sydney Architecture announced on 6 September with Crone 1944. The DA was submitted and approved in Rose Seidler House designed by Harry Seidler Loos, author of the influential essay Ornament Hassell has welcomed Festival; his corresponding essay will appear in Partners taking home the 2013 UrbanGrowth November 1948 and the house was erected for his mother. These stark geometric white and Crime and architect of the series of Ken McBryde (pictured left), the Summer 2014 edition of Architecture Bulletin. NSW Award for Excellence in Urban Design for shortly after. The modest house was designed houses contrasted with the early modernist well-known white cubic houses in his native co-founder of the noted Now in their second year, the DARCH Merewether Surfhouse, while Merewether 4 by the Hungarian-born Stossel, who had designs by Australian architects such as Czechoslovakia, as well as Vienna and Paris. design studio Innovarchi, to Horse Awards will be presented on Friday 22 Beach House by Webber Architects received the migrated to Sydney in 1938, a year before the Sydney Ancher’s 1945 Sulman Medal-winning Plans, including previous schemes, and the firm as a principal. He is November. The awards are a unique 2013 Master Builders Group Training People’s Kafkas. design for the Poyntsfeld House in Maytone photographs of Kafka House, as well as based in the Sydney studio with opportunity for architects to recognise and Choice Award. Kafka produced exclusive and elegant Avenue and Albert Hanson’s own house in furniture designed for the house, are now in a brief that extends across the celebrate outstanding contributions by Nominations for the 2014 Newcastle furniture for many of the European Killara which won the1948 Sulman Medal. the Kafka Archive held by the Historic Houses international market and will further enhance non-architects in the pursuit of a high-quality Division Architecture Awards open on Modernists who migrated to Sydney in the late Paul Kafka is probably the most well Trust of NSW, known today as Sydney Living the depth of design talent available to the built environment. For more information go to 11 November. Visit www.architecture.com.au 1930s and 1940s, including Harry Seidler, Dr known of the European cabinet and furniture Museums. practice’s clients. www.darchhorseawards.com. for more details. Henry Epstein, Hans Peter Oser and George makers who migrated to Australia during the

4 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 5 opinion

conventionally cited factors such as group possible. Our capacity to inspire a client to cohesion, motivation and satisfaction. take risks and provide them with the Diversity: Instead, collective intelligence, measured as confidence to see them through is limited by the ability of a group to solve a complex design our own constraints and risk averseness. In A building task, is correlated with: the ‘social sensitivity’ this first Sydney Salon, our group of of group members (how well group members innovators brought forward a strong agenda perceive each other’s emotions); the fair for the role of empowered governance and distribution of conversational turn-taking; the value of risk-taking, and displayed a block for 1 and the gender balance of the group. In effect, willingness to embrace complexity, an the study suggests groups can be made smarter awareness of bottom-up intelligence, a hearty innovation by increasing aspects of diversity and intolerance of so-called barriers, and an improving the ability to collaborate. Intrigued infectious enthusiasm for action. by this finding, we wanted to shine a light on Sydney Salon will continue as a Diversity is often cited in the study and explore the topic further. twice-yearly event aiming to nurture the connection to equity: equitable Although innovation, as an inherently cross-sector exchange of innovation practices gender representation, equitable collective process, could be improved with and support a move to diversity for diversity’s more focus on the human skill of collaboration sake across all commercial/business sectors. ethnic representation and equal and diversity of think-tank members, these Diversity and human-centred collaboration 1. pay. But what if diversity was initiatives are rarely the agenda of the need to be at the centre of the architecture valued intrinsically, not only as a process-oriented built environment sector. To profession’s contribution to solving the commitment to a fair society? explore innovation across all sectors of complex challenges of our urban future. The business/commerce, and to nurture timing is right and the market is ripe for this Joanne Jakovich and Anita collaboration across them in order to create shift in approach. Morandini from Sydney Salon diversity, we decided to establish a pose the question. conversation series, Sydney Salon. The salon-style forum brings together innovators Our When leading business thinkers are asked, from a variety of sectors and involves them in ‘what are the real barriers to achieving semi-structured discussions on selected innovation?’, they often refer to the core issues topics over informal dining. faced by any sector: lack of agility, lack of For the inaugural Sydney Salon we follow-through on ideas, lack of collaboration gathered 20 of Sydney’s leading innovators – Dr Joanne Jakovich and Anita Morandini across silos, lack of staff innovation, too much representing architecture, planning, Dr Joanne Jakovich is a researcher and building project red tape, and a lack of diversity in teams government, finance and education – and educator specialising in crowd-share leading to stagnation and groupthink. asked these questions: ‘how is innovation innovation and its application to urban For a city with an ad hoc planning 1. The brief – understand the client’s (i.e. the It is very different from a plan for the Although we organise in groups for efficiency achieved in your sector?’ and ‘what is the role planning, governance and business past, Sydney’s future design focus community) needs whole Sydney region, however, in that the and power, we are increasingly faced with of diversity?’. Through their answers we found innovation. She is senior lecturer in the 2. Design in context – understand the City of Sydney: complex problems that demand rethinking that diversity is realised in numerous ways: by School of Architecture at the University of must put people and quality topography and existing form as the basis • does not encompass the whole city on a how we work together to solve them. opening up collaboration with stakeholders; Technology, Sydney (UTS), and a co- design first, writes NSW Chapter for the design metropolitan scale; Conventionally we bring expert skills to by seeking advice from consumers rather than founder of the UTS u.lab. President Joe Agius. 3. Get the details right – pay attention to • can only improve Sydney’s CBD and inner the occasion and engage in a linear process of experts; by inviting dissimilar disciplines Anita Morandini is an architect with quality at street and precinct levels suburbs that are already well served by a back-and-forth interactions leading to a together to break patterns of familiar thinking; Smart Design Studio, Sydney. She is The Sydney metropolitan area comprises just 4. Work within budget – set realistic targets high-quality public domain, jobs, solution. The conundrum is that complex and so on. While we have smart workplaces currently developing an integrated urbanism 0.2 per cent of New South Wales, which itself and review them regularly. universities, etc problems are simply not that tidy. So how do and collaborative technologies, organisational service model for complex projects, focused is around 10 per cent of the Australian land The City of Sydney’s Sustainable Sydney • does not have responsibility for transport we best operate as a collective to successfully silos were seen as one of the last barriers to on delivering innovation through strategic mass. Yet its population represents 20 per 2030 Community Strategic Plan ticks all • does not control its major roads deliver innovative solutions? innovation. Cross-disciplinary collaboration practice. The views and opinions expressed cent of the Australian total and its economy these boxes: • does not build housing. Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of from within businesses is the first step here are those of Morandini and are not contributes to more than one-fifth of • it was developed through a rigorous Technology, Carnegie Mellon University and towards improved diversity and innovation. If representative of Smart Design Studio. Australia’s gross domestic product. Greater research phase balancing community input Sydney’s fatal attraction Union College in the US recently collaboration is properly nurtured using a Sydney ranks above both Singapore and Hong and concerns with studies and reports demonstrated that the capacity of a team is not human-centred approach, a new culture of Footnotes: Kong in terms of economic output. commissioned from experts Sydney’s setting is both its star attraction and the product of the intelligence of its individual openness to innovation can emerge. 1. A.W Woolley, C.F Chabris, A. Pentland, N. Hashmi and Population growth in Greater Sydney • it differentiates precincts through the ‘City its fatal flaw. Bedazzled by the beauty of its members, but instead is the result of its Within our salon we also observed a T.W Malone. Evidence for a Collective Intelligence Factor in accounted for 74 per cent of the state’s total of Villages’ concept physical setting – which attracts capital, the Performance of Human Groups, Science Express, 30 1 diversity and its ability to collaborate consensus that innovation practices are September 2010. (www.sciencexpress.org) growth in the five years to June 2012. • it is focused on the quality of the city, its expertise and more of the population – it equitably. The study analysed a group hindered by our individual acceptance of the The size and complexity of the area may parks and open spaces, sustainability, and seems we never take our eyes off the harbour performance factor known as ‘collective status quo. We operate in a field of expert appear daunting, but it is helpful to think of the development of its neighbourhoods for long enough to see the social and economic intelligence’ and found that it is not correlated expectations where we value authority and the Sydney metropolitan area as one large • it is directly accountable to its residents, disadvantage perpetuated by this fixation. with the individual intelligence of group instruction. Our experience of our profession building project subject to the same stages as building owners and stakeholders through Draw a diagonal line roughly from the members as one might expect, or with is weighted with a knowing of what is and isn’t those of architectural projects: the Lord Mayor’s annual report. Hawkesbury/Macquarie towns in the >

6 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 7 north-west to Botany Bay in the south-east; of Sydney and its Suburbs in 1908–09 – particularly the utilities and the Housing and the Central Coast has been excluded from east of the line are the areas of relative examined four key areas: traffic, housing, Commission – to ignore the plan and do what consideration. advantage, west are those that are missing out. growth and beautification. But, in an eerie they wanted. The Institute believes a regional strategic We’re in thrall to the attractions of the foretaste of our present malaise, “the whole Twenty years later, the 1968 Sydney Region plan for Sydney needs to: harbour, the city and the northern and eastern exercise was primarily a means for an urban Outline Plan reframed the debate on Sydney’s • manage growth suburbs, and we keep on redeveloping them to growth machine mobilised by elites to growth by including Newcastle and • deliver physical improvement of the built the virtual exclusion of everywhere else. As influence government policy towards Wollongong, and their respective rail links, as environment through place making, Hugh Stretton said so persuasively in his removing impediments to efficiency and part of Greater Sydney. transport, and infrastructure groundbreaking 1970s study, “being desperately facilitating greater business opportunities”.4 • use a 30–40 year time frame short of a good city, we must continuously The celebrated 1948 County of A new strategy • base its strategies and targets on publicly destroy the very best city we’ve got”.2 The Cumberland Planning Scheme had its own available data and evidence Darling Harbour redevelopment project is problems. While it made admirable The NSW Government’s draft Metropolitan • include planning for transport, land use and symptomatic of this continuum of similar recommendations for decentralised Strategy for Sydney (metro strategy) released infrastructure in the one document. wasteful makeovers. employment, ring roads linking suburbs, open earlier this year falls short of the ambitions of Although the draft metro strategy was Nature’s bounty is Sydney’s gift; lacklustre space and a green belt, the pressure from previous plans. Its time period is only 18 years, published first, it must ultimately respond to planning and mediocre design its all too developers encouraged the key state agencies compared with the 32-year forecast in 1968, the requirements specified in the planning frequent response. As Matthew Pullinger and white paper: ‘A New Planning System for Ken Maher wrote in Architecture Bulletin Nov/ NSW’: “The Regional Growth Plans will be Dec 2009, “With rare exceptions, our built underpinned by a detailed evidence base, environment reflects a misplaced second-hand which will demonstrate the proposed response to culture and climate. Our pragmatic solutions and outline any competing interests culture and benign climate have contributed to between objectives for community design neglect, at times even a culture of consideration”.5 anti-design. Like many cities, Sydney In its current form, the metro strategy experiences forces that diminish its quality: a does not comply with these requirements. retreat from public values to private interests, a Much of the strategy describes what already corresponding decline in civic pride by exists, without showing what is planned for government and private enterprise, and an the future. It is too vague and diagrammatic; acceptance of the city as a commodity for and fails to present the necessary evidence. short-term investment.”3 The strategy does not ask the fundamental If anything, the change of NSW question: “where do we want to go?”. It does Government in 2011 has only exacerbated not provide options for alternative visions for these negative trends; the O’Farrell Sydney in 2031. This is counter to the white Government’s withdrawal from participation paper, which quite rightly proposes that the in the master planning of public land has community be actively involved at the accelerated to the point that there is no public strategic planning stage. If the community is role in the future of Darling Harbour beyond to be engaged as participants in the strategic handing its planning and redevelopment to planning process, choices need to be provided one commercial organisation. On the other with clear scenarios indicating what needs to side of the harbour, James Packer’s casino has happen if each choice is implemented. taken over land at Barangaroo Central Having failed to articulate alternative previously designated for public recreation; all visions for the future, the strategy then fails without any call for tenders or even a to provide alternative pathways to the development application. destination. It is a strategy, not a plan, which The entry of the new planning bills into provides a single pathway to a predetermined State Parliament late this year and the new destination. draft of the Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney There is repeated reference in the strategy to be released in early 2014 provide the to the State Infrastructure Strategy and opportunity to look beyond these disturbing Transport Master Plan, but because the actual trends at the future growth and design of the content of these plans is not included in the whole Sydney metropolitan area. strategy, it is not possible to see how these three documents support each other. There Sydney’s planning saga 3. should be one document that overlays the 1. Go west - Parramatta lies at the heart of Sydney’s planning future. Image: Parramatta City Council. three strategies so readers can see how The history of Sydney’s planning schemes is a 2. The great divide - Census figures reveal the disproportion between east and west Sydney.Image: ABS Social Atlas, 2001. infrastructure investment will support this 3. The Functional Plan from the County of Cumberland Planning Scheme Report produced by the Cumberland County Council, story of lost opportunities. The Royal 1948. Image: Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter) Digital Archive. strategy and how it ties into the transport Commission for the Improvement of the City 2. planned for the strategy’s time frame. >

8 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 9 While it is positive that employment is 4. value and importance of the public domain Its government agency, the Urban The detail is based on comprehensive data. now a major element in planning (unlike the increases with greater density, its Redevelopment Authority (URA) houses the They also focus on physical improvement of strategy’s previous iteration three years ago) enhancement and improvement can only be Singapore City Gallery, which contains 3-D the public domain. the new strategy lacks detail and is again not a achieved with long-range strategic planning. models of the city and engages school students At the next scale down are county and city plan, but rather only the beginnings of one. It is, therefore, imperative that a regional and the community in developing plans for new plans; these are more concerned with projects, Sydney needs a plan that is strategic, not a growth plan for the Sydney metropolitan area and conjectural developments, such as the such as transport projects, open space and strategy that is not a plan. Hopefully the new – which the metro strategy claims to be, but is re-use of the abandoned heavy rail corridor. public domain, as well as new development. draft of the strategy will correct these faults. not – includes both growth and urban Reclaimed from the sea from the 1970s to Metropolitan New York is creating great improvement. They are the two sides of the provide room for the long-term expansion of places that add open space, create new Alternative strategic plans ‘productive city’ coin. This cannot be left to the city, Marina Bay has been planned by the connections and open up new opportunities local plans. URA as a new growth area adjacent to the for renewal. Stage 3 of the High Line will open Fortunately, our profession has within its Sydney has been described as a city in existing city centre. The development parcels up the Hudson Rail Yards. Rather than a ranks a number of experts who are able to “which enthusiasm for expanding the at Marina Bay are based on an urban grid monorail to move people, this highly marry an understanding of demographics and metropolis exceeded interest in improving pattern and extend from the existing city grid successful recycled railway line is a place to infrastructure with ‘vision’. Tim Williams’s it”.7 We should ask ourselves whether we have network to ensure good connectivity. Sites in move people – it has improved the place. Super Sydney project, supported by the moved very far from this thinking. Marina Bay are zoned ‘white site’ to allow Chicago is also relevant with its CBD Institute, has led an invigorating bottom-up Our plans are filled with growth targets developers greater autonomy and flexibility in located on the edge of the metropolitan area. discussion, conducted primarily through the that we are not meeting. In the 20th century we deciding the most appropriate mix of uses for Chicago has consistently planned for internet, as to the kind of city Sydney should planned for growth by literally growing and each site, including housing, offices, shops, improvement since its visionary plan of 1909 become via the direct input of residents. He spreading. It worked very well in many hotels, recreation facilities and community by the architect Daniel Burnham. Its brought to this project his experiences with respects; the productivity of the city continued spaces. This increases the potential for formalised regional park system started in French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s Le Grand to improve, while the growth of the road mixed-use developments and encourages 1903 culminating in the building of Paris, an innovative design-based exploration network and the near universal use of cars live-work-play communities. Millennium Park in 2004. of the Paris of the future, a project that provided incredible mobility. The design professions must be involved The planning for Sydney’s future must provides a model for imaginative top-down This is no longer the case. Sydney cannot in planning the future of Sydney. There are begin by withdrawing from our fix on the planning by expert design teams. remain a world-class city if the status quo is hopeful signs. Darling Quarter, the inaugural harbour and the east and focusing instead on Taking the symbiotic relationship of the allowed to continue. We have both expanded winner of the City of Sydney Lord Mayor’s the west. We need to plan for the region as a city of London and England’s south-east and infilled housing at relatively low densities, Prize at this year’s NSW Architecture Awards, whole and for quality at all levels: street, region as his point of reference, Bob Meyer6 increasingly further from their occupants’ demonstrates the urbanity that can be precinct, suburb and city centre. 4. One ring to bind them: the range of employment, recreation has suggested that the decentralisation of education and health opportunities available to 700,000 people places of work. Congestion has increased and achieved in an urban precinct when design population growth to cities within a one-hour living within a a few hundred metres of the ‘the ring’ by 2030 the costs of trying to continue to connect leads the way. The same principle applies to Joe Agius without using a car. Image: Rod Simpson, Urban Design fast train commute could help to solve some of Program, University of Sydney. places are not affordable. the Chatswood Concourse and the Rouse Hill NSW Chapter President Sydney’s future housing and transport Even the NSW Government has Town Centre. The challenge is to apply these problems. He points out that in the UK, recognised the problem that the City of principles on the broad scale of the Author’s note: I acknowledge the substantial industry has followed the workforce outside Sydney has been trying to tackle in recent metropolitan region. contribution of Philip Graus and Rod the city of London, resulting in a Governance is critical Open slather for developers is as undesirable years. The recently released Sydney City Simpson to this article, which has drawn complementary commute of 300,000 as feral NIMBYism. Centre Access Strategy recognises that Sydney’s planning future heavily on a suite of advocacy publications Londoners travelling to work outside the city, The O’Farrell Government has made a good Just as planning to manage growth for its replacing car parking spaces with cycle lanes currently being developed by the NSW while 800,000 travel into the city from their start with public transport. It appears to have own sake is a sell-out to the ‘economic growth can actually improve traffic flow. Recognising We are not the only city in the world that is Chapter for release in 2014. These homes in regional cities. improved its relationship with Sydney Lord at all costs’ lobby, so the NSW Government’s the congestion problem, however, is not the growing. Metropolitan New York will grow by publications will outline the Institute’s Rod Simpson’s strategy is to create a ring Mayor Clover Moore; the Government’s apparent lack of regard for the public interest same as solving it. one million people by 2030 – quite similar to position with regard to policy development of opportunity linking Sydney back to Sydney City Centre Access Strategy and its relegates the role of government to that of an The bigger question is how to increase us. The San Francisco Bay region will grow by at all levels of government and advocate for Parramatta through Rydalmere and commitment to the George Street light rail observer, encouraging an orderly market, density and at the same time improve the public some two million over a similar period. the public interest to remain at the core of Chatswood in the north, and Burwood and project reveal a capacity to support good ideas, without interference, or even advocacy. amenity of the city. Building more apartments Chicago is also growing. design and planning in New South Wales. Olympic Park in the south via the WestConnex whatever the political affiliation of their on brownfield sites is not going to work if the So how do they deal with this? Quite (see image above). In a sense this is an sources. Design quality surrounding streets are clogged with cars, and simply they plan to grow and improve. These extension of the metro strategy’s global The effectiveness of the new planning public transport does not keep pace with cities have greater regional plans; plans that Footnotes: 1. Australian Bureau of Statistics. economic corridor, which sweeps broadly legislation will be critical to the NSW The best cities in the world plan to improve population growth. Nor if there are no local are strategic, rather than strategies that are 2. Hugh Stretton. Ideas for Australian Cities, 1970, p. 246. from Parramatta/Castle Hill through Government’s future success in achieving and grow. World’s best practice demands that shops and supermarkets, or parks where dogs not plans. They are strategic and cover the 3. Matthew Pullinger and Ken Maher. ‘City vision’, Macquarie Park and the city to the airport. The good metropolitan planning for Sydney. Super areas that intensify also improve, especially if can be walked and children can play. same sort of large geographical areas as our Architecture Bulletin, Nov/Dec 2009, p. 12-13. strength of Simpson’s vision is that it Sydney and similar processes such as Design they are to attract high-value jobs. Growth Strategic planning must focus equally on metropolitan strategy. 4. R. Freestone. Designing Australia’s Cities, UNSW Press, refocuses economic activity west of Sydney. Parramatta provide new ways of engaging and needs intervention, not planning and zoning. the quality of the built environment and its What is the difference between a strategy 2007, p. 132. 5. NSW Government, White Paper: A New Planning System for What is common to all three visions is that gaining the participation of people across the Density is the end result of growth and spatial organisation. That’s what our and a strategic plan? Quite a lot, really. A plan NSW, April 2013, p. 73. infrastructure is the key, particularly social spectrum. The legislation needs to innovation, not its driver. competitor cities are doing. Singapore’s has to commit, even on a regional scale. The 6. Bob Meyer. ‘Population Forecasting and Long Term transport. It is the skeleton on which to create achieve a balance between public participation But the community does not accept the economic output may not be as great as greater regional plans link the cities and their Strategic Planning’ in New Planner, Planning Institute of Australia, September 2013. the body of the city, its internal organs, its on one hand, and reliable and coherent intensification of urban development without Sydney’s, but that hasn’t stopped it from regions by transport, natural systems and 7. P. Spearritt. Sydney Since the Twenties, Hale and limbs, its features, its personality, its soul. development approval processes on the other. corresponding urban improvement. While the becoming a regional leader in urban planning. open space. They form a cohesive framework. Iremonger, 1978.

10 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 11 interpreted as a determined move to reflect additions? Peculiar rules make for memorable this skill set. It would appear that David the casual quality of the society as it moved cities; consider the double height colonnades Chipperfield educated himself through his Reflections on Public Sydney towards its own identity rather than its of central Bologna, Italy, and the stepped oversight of the reconstruction of the Neues antipodean origins? forms of New York City in the US. In the Museum in Berlin, Germany. Caruso St John The publication this year of Public submission to the identity of the city, as distinct House. The building first emerged in 1845 as an The next major work undertaken on the absence of authoritarian government, such has demonstrated a capacity to interpret from tabula rasa, personal interest or banal site austere, two-storey sandstone form without structure was near on a century later in the bespoke planning rules may perhaps be one of historical form and respond appropriately, as Sydney: Drawing The City by analysis. Philip Thalis and Peter John Cantrill’s ornamentation, vertically oriented windows recognisable additions of Tonkin Zulaikha the few available techniques to create cities of evidenced in their interventions to the Sir Philip Thalis and Peter John Public Sydney: Drawing The City is both an set plainly within the mass. The project was and Jackson, Teece, Chesterman and Willis particular spatial character. It’s a more exciting John Soane’s Museum, leading to such Cantrill not only marks a invitation to such a voluntary code and a typical of Colonial Architect Mortimer Lewis’s (JTCW) in 1995–1997. They inserted internal idea than contextual politeness. commissions as interior works to Tate Britain. monumental moment in resource to support its formulation. Stories of approach; a direct architecture for a city not glazing and an elegant skillion roof form, set The Australian Museum presents a further This presents a fresh, confident approach to the city are held within the plan geometries, yet able to afford itself florid expression. In back from the boundaries and crowning the example of the problem of untouchable interventions in historic form, favouring reflecting upon the history of diligently collected by student collaborators 1887, James Barnet was engaged to enlarge the building. This gesture, whether intended heritage fabric. The original building form, continuity over distinction. built Sydney, but provides an over a 10 year period under the guidance of the structure, adding a third floor and expanding or not, claims a conclusion to the building again by Lewis, was set awkwardly within the In Public Sydney we see practical wisdom invaluable reference for the city’s authors. the footprint in all directions, dropping an form, preventing further upward extrusion site boundaries and presented a double height applied in early building forms. The staging of future designers. Andrew Burns Truth resides in the geometry; in that way elegant patio in the front of the building with as had been the original pattern of expansion loggia entry towards William Street. The Barnet’s General Post Office (Stage 1 in 1874, an almost scientific document is provided, free Lewis’s original front wall forming the rear of of the building. This hints at an orthodox building was officially opened in 1857, enjoying and Stage 2 in 1887) preserves symmetry at any examines the rich tapestry of past of interpretation and able to challenge certain this new space, softened by the columns and position within contemporary architecture; large crowd volumes and 10,000 patrons in the point in time. This means the second stage and future design at the heart of orthodoxies. Rather than provide a critical awning; the revised composition anchored by a view that asserts Modernism as a break first week. It was redundant from day one, effectively created a double symmetry, with the landmark publication, while review, which has been so effectively done by wings projecting front and back. Following the with the past, meaning that as contemporary underestimating the cultural aspiration of the mirrored emphasis at the quarter points of the others, in this article I seek to respond to Public common practice of altering late 19th century architects we are no longer directly connected colony. Again, enter Barnet, who would facade. However simple, this is an elegant Rachel Neeson and Ken Maher Sydney: Drawing The City as a generative text. It public buildings, Walter Liberty Vernon to those earlier works. Strict heritage and propose substantial additions, resulting in the solution for preserving institutional presence tell the personal stories behind it. is far more than an archive and resource; but shortly thereafter (1896–1903), removed the high Modernism are two sides of the same construction of the western wing that exerts despite the necessity of staging. There is much rather a living document in city making, capable pediment from Barnet’s previous additions, coin, each reliant upon the complementary such a dominant presence on College Street. to learn from this direct approach. he city is an aggregation of structures, in of stimulating ideas. I feel the work is best extruded the form a further two floors and arguments of the other. Hence, this orthodoxy To my interpretation, the centre of this large, In viewing the plans through a response to a set of conditions, in a honoured by raising the ideas that it has absorbed the large clock face seamlessly into a suggests, additions to ‘heritage’ building forms symmetrically proportioned form, fronting contemporary lens, surprising qualities T particular physicality. Conscious stimulated personally, in the hope that it will line of windows. As was his tendency, Vernon should be clearly discernable as additions onto the level gradient of College Street and emerge. The ensemble of buildings around relational approaches by the participating encourage such responses in others. These sought to introduce a domestic quality into the and reversible. Viewed in this way, masonry addressing Hyde Park, presents the natural Sydney Square – St Andrew’s Cathedral and designers offer the possibility of a cohesiveness ideas are reliant on the knowledge presented in structure, favouring smaller windows and fabric inevitably becomes considered as location for the entry to the institution, rather Sydney Town Hall – contain an almost that may not otherwise be achieved through the text. removing the classically inspired parapet simply a nuanced base on which to insert a than the northern frontage, compromised by field-like geometry in plan; almost as though planning structures. This voluntary code is a To begin, we may consider Customs treatment of his predecessor. Can this be contrasting structure. What would it mean if the relatively steep gradient and arterial the Great Mosque of Cordoba was transposed this continuity was intact? Imagine if Tonkin presence of William Street. onto the site. However, in spatial reality this Zulaikha had simply extruded the form by an A project presents itself in the remodelling continuity disappears and the opaque edges of additional level, creating a new base for later of this College Street frontage, opening the each structure that surrounds the square extrusion by Lacoste + Stevenson, each layer grand order columns of the central bay to prevent any continuity between interior and progressing towards lightness and a framed create an elevated entry/belvedere, set above exterior. Could this perimeter fabric be quality, caused by structural necessity, but street level and enjoying a clear view across opened to enable these continuities and the pursuing the plasticity of stone as a device College Street and through the green plane of creation of active edges and penetrating views to enable continuity. The fact that such a Hyde Park, framed by new columns matching to the interior, conversely absorbing the wedding-cake urbanism is almost unthinkable the pilasters of the existing form. With square as a continuity of the interiors? points to the persistence of the idea that we are sophisticated geometry, large stone stairs This extraordinary publication allows for not connected to that past, yet subject to the could sweep up from the frontage to enter the rich thought about the presence and future of Modernism/heritage construct. Interestingly, sides of this belvedere. This would give the the city. The telling of stories held within the the Scots Church redevelopment, also by institution the front door and sense of entry very geometry of the city is a generous act by the Tonkin Zulaikha Greer, contradicts this that it deserves (and for the purpose of authors. Their affection for the city is clear, argument and begins to explore this approach. financial viability, needs), and the internal never more so than in Cantrill’s description of It does, however, provide a clear distinction spatial planning can resolve itself from there, the early urban form: “The city shone golden in between the original sandstone form and gallery spaces flanking a central linear atrium. light when viewed from the Cumberland Plain”. the zinc-clad upper volume rather than an However, again heritage orthodoxy prevents This golden city is well served by Public ambiguous continuity akin to that employed such possibilities. It is almost unthinkable to Sydney: Drawing The City. by Vernon in his numerous alterations of so-intrusively remodel the sandstone form, Barnet’s structures. our hands are tied and orthodoxy removes a Andrew Burns Would it not be a fascinating concept for a potential future. These orthodoxies have also Andrew Burns Architects city, where each new building, built to the caused the absence of a skill set to remodel 1. Customs House, Sydney c1870-1900. extent of the site boundaries, selectively masonry building forms, pursuing a fulsome Image: Henry King - as eroded for urban effect and amenity, had to be continuity and smoothness rather than published in Public Sydney: Drawing The City, 2013. built with the structural capacity and contrast and predictable shadow line. 1. durability to serve as the foundation for future Internationally, some architects do possess

12 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 13 ike many architects, I treasure my a way thinking, via drawing. Through the history through an overlays plan view. It builds architectural library and can rarely think overlay of lot grants, subdivision lines and knowledge and looks for the physical markings L of a good reason not to acquire a new emergent street layouts over contours, we of projects upon place through time. This book if it has any appeal or relevance. But there operated like urban detectives across an array of approach to urban history is well established are some books within that collection that case studies. We painstakingly trawled through in Europe. I witnessed it in my time in have a special gravitas. They are actual pieces Water Board surveys and orthophoto Barcelona, Peter-John saw it in Venice, and of culture. Public Sydney: Drawing The City, a topographic maps from the Lands Department Philip saw it in Paris explicitly through his careful record, an invaluable reference, a to make our `discoveries’, in what was well and work with Bruno Fortier and contribution to curated collective effort, and a celebrated truly a pre-Google Map era. the Atlas of Paris. In my practice, history is achievement by my dear friends, holds such a I was Philip’s first employee, or certainly considered as much a component of site as its status. one of the early ones. We practised the same urban context, its microclimate, its As young tutors at the University of Sydney, investigative drawing technique through the orientation, its views. Philip Thalis and Peter John Cantrill were urban projects in the office. And so I honed my principled and impassioned about architecture skills and expanded my knowledge via a Tracing and the city. I am not sure how we met as I had methodology that became so familiar, as to somehow missed them as design tutors, but I profoundly shape my own approach to The art of hand tracing is meticulous and time would occasionally invite myself to their Friday architecture. As I reflect upon this process and consuming. Perhaps its contemporary morning coffee meetings in the city. It was its resonance, I am drawn to four fundamentals. equivalent is the adjusting of line weights and through this emergent architectural friendship deleting of superfluous drawing elements Public Sydney: Drawing The City that Philip and I came to work on what I History needed to prepare good base drawing files, Authors Philip Thalis and Peter John consider to be our first project together – my often just as meticulous and time consuming a Cantrill final year thesis. It was entitled Sydney Bedrock The first is a view of the city as an evolutionary task. Whether digital or by hand, the agency lies Publisher Thames and Hudson 3. and premised an elemental relationship continuum. It requires, by definition, an in observation. By drawing what is there and RRP $99 Members $89.10 2. Sydney’s Customs House as it stands today. Image: Paul Gosney. 3. Drawing of the Department of Lands building, James Barnet between topography and urban pattern, and its understanding of how a place has come to be. what was there, before we jump to what might Colonial Architect - taken from Public Sydney: Drawing The City, 2013. Image: Aaron Murray/Hill Thalis. www.architext.com.au potential for architectural space making. Philip There is nothing nostalgic about this, rather, it be there, we start to actively look at a place. was a supervisor. Philip guided a way of looking, is quite analytical, looking at the trajectory of Selection ritic Michael Sorkin is quoted conviction has been central to their teaching The challenges for Sydney, now and in the advocating the defence of public space: – steadfastly holding to the Corbusian view of coming decade, are immense. The realisation Investigative drawing is selective, focusing on C “the physical arenas of collective drawing “to fix ideas…to have ideas” as well of much neglected transport infrastructure, specific aspects of an urban setting in interaction – the streets, squares, parks, and as mapping the city at scale – at a time when the integration of urban density, the making isolation; for instance, the contours and street plazas of the city – are the guarantors of this focus and sharp discipline is sadly of new public spaces and places (particularly layouts in Sydney Bedrock, or the exterior and democracy”. Public Sydney: Drawing The City evaporating from teaching programs in our in the west), the projection of social inclusion interior public space in Public Sydney: Drawing cuts to the heart of this worthy proposition. schools of architecture. and cohesion, the sustenance of the city’s The City. Rather than simply drawing Furthermore the significance of this work When combining this passion for the ecology and landscape are all necessary in the everything that exists, investigative drawing is as a talisman of a deep commitment and value of drawing with the discipline of densifying and maturing city. In an era of introduces an editing that allows patterns to contribution by its two authors to the culture scholarship and investigating writings on the governance that too readily values the become evident and to be read. I consider this of architecture in Sydney. To understand this history and meaning of architecture and the individual over the collective, the private over editing as part of the design process and these we must look behind the work to its genesis. city, Philip and Peter John have inspired the public, the material over the spiritual, all drawings as potentially generative of design. My connection with Philip and Peter John many students at the University of Sydney, of us involved in the making of the city have began when Philip joined my practice as a the University of Technology, Sydney, and the much to reflect on in the values and messages Scale young graduate prior to his studies at Paris University of New South Wales to contribute that underpin this book. Belleville. At that early time, Philip’s interests to an enduring body of work now made Lifelong dedication, rare talent, and Comparison at a common scale, particularly of in understanding and analysing the city were evident with their publication. steadfast sustenance of the value of public life like building types, is elemental to urban and evident. His calm clarity and design talents So evident is this in the authors, their and public places have allowed these two architectural analysis. Not only revealing, it is a made him a joy to collaborate with as we worked teaching of a generation of students will surely architects to exert considerable influence on meaningful way to engage with precedent, and on projects and competitions. At that time I have an effect on the creative intelligence the culture of Sydney architecture as an art is part of what makes Public Sydney: Drawing also got to know Peter John, and had previously applied to making this city (and others) and a science well beyond the pragmatic. The City so very valuable. engaged with both of them when teaching through a process of osmosis beyond that also The scholarship, design insight and A unique resource indeed, Public Sydney: design studios at the University of Sydney. generated by the book itself. optimism of this work provides a legacy and Drawing The City is a thoroughly documented Their interest in the value of drawing has More remarkable is the influence of creates a challenge. As the authors express so compendium of significant buildings and been unwavering since; but not drawing for their teaching, as well as their investigation cogently, yet modestly “Forming ‘public’ spaces. It is also a documented approach to drawing’s sake, rather drawing as discipline of the city, through individual work in their Sydney is an elaborate work that must thinking about our city, which, in my view, is and interpretation. As they explain in the practices. This contribution to informed continue with fresh optimism”. potentially its great power. book’s introduction it is about: “Drawing’s urban design strategies, studies and plans multiple values: aiding conception, triggering has been significant in the city, as has been Ken Maher Rachel Neeson imagination, and as an analytical tool, the making of intelligent and responsive Hassell/Faculty of Built Environment, Neeson Murcutt Architects evidence and finite representation”. This urban architecture. University of New South Wales

14 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 15 1. Every element around a building, whether it is them. By analysing these aspects, the drawing Drawing architecture with clarity and big or small, from a street kerb and a footpath, can be presented with a purpose and clarity purpose requires thought and an to a tree and street furniture, provides a point that has inherent richness. understanding of the embedded meaning of of reference and sense of place within a wider The principles used to define a drawing – the line and how a drawing should be setting. In architectural terms, a stand-alone scale, line weight and composition – enable it constructed. Technical drawings have depth, a drawing is void of context; it is most successful to show intricate detail or large urban scale thickness that shows general arrangement and when referenced and read in conjunction with detail simultaneously. A sound understanding scope with composition and detail other drawings. This narrative lies in the form of the fundamentals of drawing opens up simultaneously; they are distinct from images of the composition of drawings. opportunities to extend the techniques used that are composed of elements and graphics. Drawing composition sets the scale and and ensures the continued evolution of the Each line has an inherent relationship to one emphasis of the drawings. Precincts in Public language of drawing. another, a set-out point, an alignment, or an Sydney: Drawing The City are like chapters in a anchor point for being – it is not just a random book; within each chapter the rhythm of the Design and documentation mark on a page. Line drawings represent narrative is set by text and drawings complex systems comprising many individual alternating. The full-bleed urban plans are Quality drawings are the embodiment of components and dissimilar materials that are like pauses or breaks; they give a sense of quality architecture. The more carefully choreographed into a unified whole: calm to the overwhelming complexity of comprehensively a building is designed and the basis for architecture to come to fruition. Drawing the public’s attention: drawing a city. documented, the easier it is to discover, As a profession, a technical drawing understand and analyse the ideas of the methodology underpins the principal tool Faithful representation building. The intent is to be able to build the used to enable the lead building contractor to The language of architecture drawing, having the built form transcend the deliver a building and the architect to create Prior to the existence of a built form, the technical documentation to create the design/ architecture. Drawing is a skill that enables architecture to be read and understood both on paper and in its built form. beauty of a building can only be assessed vision of the author. David Drinkwater, Aaron Murray and Adrian Chan outline the key principles of drawing, and discuss through scale drawings or a physical model. To With the advancement of BIM software Education how these were utilised in Public Sydney: Drawing The City. faithfully draw something is to be honest in its the industry is adapting to modelling a whole portrayal. Faithful representation asks that building as you would construct it. BIM gives Unfortunately, the current school of thought buildings be evaluated critically when you nowhere to hide; it is no longer a snapshot in architectural education is to focus on the The culmination of many years of study, which a building is designed, but as architects understanding of the diversity of public selecting the ideas that comprise them, which in time where you can choose what to draw image, the object, the blob. There is a worrying research and collation of material, Public and designers we need to intimately architecture in the city. in turn determines how best to communicate and what not to draw. lack of training in the area of drawing skills, Sydney: Drawing The City demanded skilful understand human scale and ergonomics. methodology and the meaning of the line. stewardship to bring it into being. Using What size does a step need to be for a person to Line weight Drawing and drafting are treated as a lesser large urban plans, detail plans, sections and comfortably access a building? What is the form of knowledge, the technical mechanics of elevations over time, Public Sydney: Drawing optimum door width and height for people to It is critical in the drawing process to architecture; an attitude that flippantly The City illustrates the evolution of Sydney’s pass through easily? What is the minimum size continually assess and refine line weight in overlooks drawing as a powerful educational public and urban architecture. Because the a bedroom can be in order to fit a double bed? order to allow drawings to be viewed at various tool in its own right. consolidated volume of drawn architecture This understanding was especially chosen scales while maintaining the detail and To undervalue or disregard drawing is to was produced using multiple contributors, it important when cataloguing the historic graphical continuity across a page. The chosen undermine the value of architecture. To draw was of critical importance to adopt a buildings of Sydney where there was very weight of a line also dictates the language in something is to endeavour to understand it, it methodology to produce the drawings and limited information to go on. Sometimes which the drawing is to be read; a concept is like visiting a visual playground of thoughts ensure consistent quality across the book. knowing the scale of a building component, similar to that of using a particular font or bold to test, develop and understand ideas. A The following are the key principles of this like a brick, was all that was needed to check text to provide emphasis to a word. drawing can be broken down into simpler methodology of drawing – scale, line weight, the building had been drawn to the correct Graphic intent of how a page is to be read parts, converting them into diagrams and composition and faithful representation. size and scale. will determine the line weight hierarchy. In symbols commonly used to understand For an audience to understand a project in Public Sydney: Drawing The City, fine line complex things and concepts at a glance. Scale its entirety, the author requires them to weights were chosen allowing the greatest Drawing is a skill that enables architecture to understand the overall concept (macro) before level of detail to be shown over different scales be read and understood both on paper and in Scale is a tool used by architects and engaging in the details (micro). In Public without the page appearing overwhelmed with its built form. A skill so fundamental to our cartographers to represent a life-size space Sydney: Drawing The City, a hierarchy of scales information. profession that it should be taught by schools on a sheet of paper. It allows the author to be were chosen to link the large urban city plan of architecture. selective with the level of detail to be shown, (macro: 1:10,000) to the monuments (micro: Composition helping the audience understand the project. 1:400). This allowed the authors to guide the Adrian Chan, Hill Thalis Before the author can determine the scale in audience through a journey to understand the White space or negative space provides the Aaron Murray, Hill Thalis which a space should be drawn, they must evolution of Sydney and its public buildings. canvas on which a drawing can exist, and it can 1. Detail drawing of Sydney Opera David Drinkwater, Graham Bell Bowman House (West elevation). first understand the scale of the actual space The cataloguing of buildings and urban spaces be represented differently depending whether Image: David Drinkwater. Architects itself. In the case of a public building, scale is at a consistent scale also allowed them to be it is a plan, section or elevation. It also exists as 2. Detail of the sails of Sydney Opera House. Image: Brett related to the user, us, the human scale. directly compared to each other in a way that a separator between drawings allowing the Boardman. Most people take for granted the scale in would not normally be possible, giving a greater viewer to distinguish clearly between them. 2.

16 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 17 government architect James Barnet: A path through his city Non-autonomous architecture

A curated walk through the Street. Hurrying on, relief from the congestion arrival in Macquarie Place and Martin Place, NSW Government Architect published in various architectural journals is reformulation of architectural practice. streets of Sydney’s CBD is sought. One is therefore pleased to look their breadth appropriate for viewing the to see an artificially constructed environment Contingency should be seen as an opportunity ahead through the deep shadows and, on a fine public architecture. Peter Poulet believes often devoid of people. When people are seen not a threat...architecture has to work highlights three open squares day, identify in the distance the sunlit While these places, and the one connected understanding and incorporating they are props or secondary to the building or (socially, spatially) by coping with the flux and and the historic public buildings north-east corner of the second stage to the to Customs House, are enjoyed by the the public interest is fundamental space described, caricaturing the everyday, the vagaries of everyday life.”1 that address them. Dr Peter General Post Office (1887). individual moving through the city, they can to the future of architecture. reality we live with yet deny publicly in our This discourse raises the prospect of Kohane is your guide. Holding our attention, it draws us forward, also be valued in terms of the pleasure people work. This does not assist us to be seen as architects engaged with their community in a with the extensive facade gradually coming derive from appearing in public. The buildings, In the Nov/Dec 2012 issue of Architecture people who understand and empathise with collaborative and equal relationship. This is Cities have marvellous paths along which into view, along with the space it addresses, streets and squares provide settings for Bulletin, I wrote of the need for architects to others and can design and build socially certainly the expectation of most people and many of us daily make our way. Perhaps the the western section of Martin Place. The first citizens to learn about themselves through engage better with politics, communities and responsible and appropriate architecture. At an opportunity for architects and finest in Sydney extends from Circular Quay two stages, both by James Barnet, were engagement with others. all the other players that make up a rich and worst it is seen as elitist and self-serving. architecture to play a much more meaningful to Martin Place by way of interconnected originally characterised by a striking contrast The three open squares are especially varied society. My primary rationale was that it The study of biological systems leads us to and relevant role. sunlit public spaces and shaded streets. I between horizontal elements, including the important. Within each, the Customs House, would be good for architects, and our society an understanding of our world as The urgency of this change to ‘how we do will describe this thoroughfare, along with arcade and the cornice, and the vertical tower: the Department of Lands or the General Post more widely, to become thought leaders and interdependent and contingent. Furthermore, business’ is compounded by the three major public structures, to argue the former heightens the perceived ascent of Office is a resplendent sunlit sandstone influencers because we bring particular skills understanding of our natural world as a closed democratisation of information knowledge that it exemplifies an ideal of decorum in the latter. The purity of the composition, facade. An individual admires the building, and capabilities to the table. system with finite resources has led to a and opinion. The world of ‘experts’ is in classically derived architecture and urbanism. however, was compromised by the later while seeing other citizens in front of, or Today I hold even more closely to this philosophy of preservation, recycling and decline, everyone is connected, everyone has The buildings are: Customs House, the addition of an attic; with its all too visible within, grand entrances and colonnades, premise as I have now spent 18 months in the renewable resources. While this has driven our an opinion, and everyone is heard. This reality Department of Lands and the General Post mansard roof and large windows imparting a loggias or arcades; and these people are often role of Government Architect and see clearly architecture in a particular way, our capacity to further widens the divide between how we Office. The Colonial Architect James Barnet sense of movement at odds with what had to looking back. One has entered a special the opportunity for creative people (read understand complex systems and speak among ourselves, how we define our was one of several government appointed remain the capping of the building, the domain where the building, functioning as a architects) to improve the processes and dependencies, as our training suggests, has profession and what the public expects of us architects who over time extended Customs overhanging cornice. theatrical facade, promotes reciprocity of outcomes of engagement and creative been truncated because of a deeply ingrained and how we actually practice our profession. House. However, he was the primary designer The space in front of the General Post gazes. Whether looking to or from the endeavour. focus on the pursuit of purity and singularity. This disjuncture will persist and grow until we for the two other schemes. Office is set apart from the rest of Martin Place building, people are caught up in a social event, However, to truly capitalise on our ‘need to Our capacity as integrators and enablers is recognise that our very existence is dependent The square in front of Customs House is that, rising to Macquarie Street, has a more the performance of which creates the public do things differently’, which potentially eroded by our doggedness. We are yet to truly on things outside of architecture. the place to begin. The space has an urbanity commercial character, serving as the home for realm. The three buildings connected to open centres creative people and industries as engage with sustainability or people in an “Despite the claims of autonomy, purity derived from the main facade of Customs banks and office buildings. Although the spaces and intermediary streets comprise a drivers of growth in the Western world, we integrated or humanistic way. We need to and control that architects like to make about House on the southern edge. In my view this General Post Office is now the front to a bank discrete ensemble within the larger city. need to let go of some of our purist understand and work with our context to their practice, architecture is buffeted by facade is grand but ungainly; the result of an and hotel, the memory of its role as a major 19th predispositions and immerse ourselves in the regain our standing, and shape the future of uncertainty and contingency. Circumstances extensive early 20th century scheme that century civic institution remains. The building Dr Peter Kohane current everyday world to be nourished and the discourse and the future of our places. invariably intervene to upset the architect’s destroyed the fine proportions of Barnet’s was constructed prior to the urban setting it Faculty of the Built Environment inspired. “The everyday world is a disordered mess best-laid plans – at every stage in the process, additions. addresses. This space, which was later University of New South Wales For too long, architects have been from which architecture has retreated,” and from design through construction to With Barnet’s classically inspired design in extended across Pitt Street to create the entire marginalised because of our obsession with this retreat, says Jeremy Till, is deluded. occupancy. Architects, however, tend to deny mind, one can move to the west side of Martin Place, has a unique meaning. The purity, order and aesthetics, and our “Architecture must engage with the this, fearing contingency and preferring to Customs House, walking up Loftus Street to backdrop is the majestic General Post Office detachment from the complexities of the inescapable reality of the world; in that pursue perfection. Architecture must move enter triangular Macquarie Place. Although and the ground is level, two factors everyday. To look at many of the photographs engagement is the potential for a from a reliance on the impulsive imagination landscaped, it is another urban space with encouraging citizens to gather. This public of lone genius to a confidence in the buildings on all three sides. The Department presence was reinforced in 1927, when the collaborative ethical imagination, from of Lands (begun in 1876) is the only public Cenotaph was located on an axis with the “The world of ‘experts’ is in decline, clinging to notions of total control to an edifice and appropriately forms the entire building’s tower and entrance. I believe Martin intentional acceptance of letting go”.2 southern boundary, making a forceful Place is Sydney’s finest civic precinct, and its everyone is connected, everyone has statement by delimiting space and closing the western end is an appropriate culmination to an opinion, and everyone is heard. view ahead. This front is enriched by the the journey that began at Circular Quay. Peter Poulet magnificent public entrance and four loggias I have isolated this path for its aesthetic This reality further widens the divide NSW Government on the first and second levels, three of which qualities and contribution to public life. Its between how we speak among ourselves, Architect have unfortunately been glazed in. The sequential, even rhythmic, expansion and how we define our profession and building also has a clock tower that is visible contraction of spaces imbued with different from the north but set within the overall qualities of light and sound seems to have been what the public expects of us and how Footnotes building to close the vistas along Spring and orchestrated for the observer, who delights in we actually practice our profession”. 1. Jeremy Till. Architecture Depends, The MIT Press. Bent Streets. the constantly shifting perspectives. No street Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2009. When leaving Macquarie Place by the is axially aligned with the centre of an open 2. Ibid. steps to Bridge Street, one must turn to the left space and its building. Indeed, a tangential and or right and proceed to bustling, noisy Pitt picturesque approach enhances the sense of

18 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 19 Parramatta Parramatta’s streets, parks and public spaces are the location for the city’s social and civic life; the Design Parramatta project aimed to inspire and coordinate their forthcoming reinvigoration. The project defined a unique character and potential for each of these public spaces and simultaneously created an enduring structure for the city through a city-wide Public Domain Framework Plan, as Project Leader Kati Westlake explains.

By 2050 there will be more people living west The Sydney Spaces project, coordinated by whole city”. Initially it was suggested that a of Auburn than east, all needing access to Helen Lochhead in 1996, was the main urban single design consultancy should be engaged interesting jobs, education, culture and design strategy underpinning Sydney’s most to develop Parramatta’s Public Domain 1. entertainment; in short a good city centre. recent wave of revitalisation. In this project, Framework Plan. Having been involved with 1. Parramatta’s River Square re-imagined by JAAA, Environmental Partnerships, Turf Design Studio, Roberts Day, Equatica and Electrolight. Image: Parramatta City Council. Parramatta is in the process of stepping up to various design teams were charged with the Sydney Spaces project I saw firsthand how become the Western CBD. Parramatta City generating a concept for identified streets, it generated the revitalisation of many of Council, which to date has primarily focused parks and public spaces, and the projects were Sydney’s best public spaces, and created a on managing a large local government area, published as an ensemble. This process stronger design culture at the city’s council; I must now also champion and help deliver a ensured that the individual projects gained was keen to use a similar process for “Premium public Parramatta sites. Multidisciplinary teams of framework plan and projects were illustrated centre with the complexity, range of jobs and gravitas by being presented as integral parts of Parramatta. Due to Helen Lochhead’s prior designers and artists were invited to compete by perspective images to help communicate lifestyle that people expect of a modern city. a larger network; it also meant that a plausible involvement, and the limited resourcing at spaces, with their to be selected to participate. A website was with councillors and the community, engage Just as the revitalisation of Melbourne and future context was developed and documented Parramatta, we engaged the Government diversity of functions, developed with an interactive component to them in the ongoing design development, and Sydney’s public spaces and streets have that subsequent projects and design Architect’s Office (GAO) to assist. Callantha publicise the project and to act as a reference also to assist with lobbying for funds. The become tangible evidence of these cities’ development would be able to respond to. Not Brigham from GAO was a key team member multitude of people, library and facilitate designers sharing work in combined Public Domain Framework Plan was progress and sophistication, the least, Sydney Spaces showed how a vibrant city who helped evolve the project in detail. fine views and fresh progress. Consistent background material and presented to Parramatta City Council for transformation of Parramatta will be public domain could be generated by a Design Parramatta differed from Sydney air obviously have resources were collated and 16 targeted briefs adoption to ensure the projects would be supported by public space improvements. community of designers and design thinking; Spaces in some areas, especially in the were written and provided to all successful afforded ongoing budgets allowing for In colonised Australia’s early years big and micro, formal and funky, design and art, program structure, which invited the sharing something to offer teams to ensure an informed approach. All-day construction. The teams’ submissions were Parramatta was equal in size to Sydney, but landscape and engineering and the interplay of ideas to generate a design discussion about that is in great demand workshops were facilitated where teams edited for publication in the Design dwindled into second gear after the railway between them. Most projects in Sydney Spaces the city. Design discussion was created presented to a panel and interested council Parramatta document. and freeway networks created alternative subsequently became sites in the Priority through group presentations, panel feedback, in society today.” officers, and received feedback and A general project structure existed at the transport connections, and the farms became Design projects that were designed and built in invited discussion, a website and a Jan Gehl, Public Spaces information about related sites. A film was beginning, however, Design Parramatta took low-density suburbs. Its being in second gear the late 1990s, and today nearly all of them have documentary film. commissioned to document the process, on a life of its own, generated in part by the meant that Parramatta did not experience the been implemented contributing to a much While the actual design and workshop Public Life. different approaches to site, design, teamwork enthusiasm of each new participant and their successive layers of design, or testing of a improved and livelier Sydney. component of Design Parramatta lasted six and placemaking. creative contributions. Eighty-two range of potential projects that accompanied It was both exciting and unprecedented weeks, the whole project took nearly a year to At completion, the individual concept multidisciplinary teams of architects, urban the ongoing densification of Sydney. Design when Parramatta City Council CEO, Dr Rob set up and run. designs, including text and images, were designers, landscape architects and artists initiatives that have benefited Sydney City Lang’s response to a proposal for a large and There were a number of phases to this combined to form The Parramatta City Centre applied to be part of the project, from which include: the 1909 Royal Commission, coordinated streetscape design project for process. Places (sites) were sorted into Public Domain Framework Plan that would the final 19 project teams were selected. In Bradfield’s transport proposals and the Sydney George Street, Parramatta was to say, “Why ‘typical’ and ‘special’ streets and public places, guide future public domain designs in addition, Urban Design students from the Spaces and Priority Design projects. stop at George? We need a master plan for the and special places were included as Design Parramatta over the next 20 years. The University of Sydney undertook the project as >

20 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 21 2. Now the Framework Plan has been adopted, the next steps for Design Parramatta will involve engaging with the community and councillors for their response to prioritised projects to further develop them. Design Parramatta was intended as a game-changer for Parramatta, and its ultimate success will only be known over time. It felt as though the project contributed new energy to the city and allowed many designers to

become more aware of this part of Sydney and 3-4. The Lot propose to reawaken Freemason’s Arms Lane for use as its particular issues and opportunities. The theatre for the city. Images: The Lot (Heidi Axelsen, Hugo Moline and Adriano Pupilli). Framework Plan, created through discourse 3. by many, is more truly reflective of a democratic and growing city. It can be used with confidence, combining as it does the ideas and expertise of so many professionals. Further, the process of developing meaningful urban strategy has been reframed from being a slightly arcane process of narrow professional concern into an inspiring creative process of more general interest by Doppio’s poppy graphics and Carli Leimbach’s film. To provide security and confidence to the community that their affairs are being prudently managed, councils are generally slow and steady operations; this can make them less likely to be innovative or support creative approaches. However, creative teamwork was implicit in Design Parramatta, and we were lucky to be able to host it. The project could not have been realised without many individuals working together and going 4. the extra mile to make something new. In particular the incredible design work and Project Team collaboration undertaken by the Design A Place in the Sun Nuala Collins, Kelly Doley, Nadia Wagner and Charlotte Karlsson 2. The Design Parramatta Parramatta project teams was intrinsic. sites. Image: Parramatta A Space for Urban Follies Old Eyes New Eyes City Council. Design Parramatta also fostered creative Artworks for Lonely Laneways Studio Damien Butler partnerships within Parramatta City Council Barrack Lane Group of Like Minded Designers and between council and other stakeholders, Batman Walk Andrew Burns and Brook Andrew and these will assist in designing and building Charles Street Square Context Landscape Design, Zoe Spiegal, CM+ and Urban Art Projects a design studio and Professors James Weirick unexpected revelations of Design Parramatta. could be transformed by the local Parramatta into the city it aspires to be. Church Street Mall JMD Design, Lacoste + Stevenson, Daryl Jackson Robin Dyke, Toko and Pamela See and Rod Simpson provided reviews at the For example: community, providing a much stronger Clay Cliff Creek Parklands GAO Landscape, Parramatta City Council landscape, Equatica and Lightwell workshops. • The George Street Team proposed a revised resonance than a simple civic upgrade Design Parramatta Core Project Team Erby Place and Lane 13 DRAW, Tyrell Studio, Dr L. Stickells and Dr Z. Begg The individual schemes that resulted all built form as well as a grand sequence of undertaken by the city Freemason’s Arms Lane The Lot (Heidi Axelson, Hugo Moline and Adriano Pupilli) have merit as a proposition for their particular public spaces to reinterpret George Street’s • A four kilometre green parkland loop Kati Westlake, Urban Design, George Street Hill Thalis Architecture+ Urban Projects, Jane Irwin Landscape Architecture site. They will provide both a springboard for original alignment that will inform comprising existing and new parks and Parramatta City Council and Turpin Crawford Studio the next design stage and provide an initial Parramatta’s Development Control Plan tree-lined avenues, which could become a Andrew Tam, Urban Design, Horwood Avenue Civic Link Gallagher Ridenour, Redshift and Equatica vision that can be used to canvas community • The Ring Road Team used film and urban valuable lung and recreation focus for the Parramatta City Council Macquarie Street Cox Richardson Architects and Planners, Occulus and Parsons Brinkerhoff input. Together these projects form a matrix of mapping to canvas community views about city, was proposed by the Clay Cliff Steve Ellis, Place Services, Parramatta City Ring Road Terroir, Aspect Studio, U. Lab, and Richard Goodwin the future context that will be referenced as Parramatta, identify a whole new city Parklands Team Parramatta City Council Parranet Mulloway Studio and Ernest Edmonds any single design or nearby building is neighbourhood, and turned a large barrier • The ‘second city’ was a generally agreed Callantha Brigham, Architect, Phillip Street Hassell subsequently developed. Some teams also road into a potential stitching element proposition that many teams developed to Government Architect’s Office River Square JAAA, Environmental Partnerships, Turf Design Studio, Roberts Day, proposed concepts that went well beyond the • The Freemason’s Arms Lanes Team, showed describe the network of car-park lanes and Equatica and Electrolight scope of the original brief and these, plus the how by coordinating waste storage, alleyways, which helped develop a richer Smith and Station Streets Nobbs Radford Architects, Carmichael Studios and Suzie Idiens general level of debate about the city and referencing existing arts programs and spatial typology for the city and layering of Wentworth Avenue Carpark BKK Architects, Glas Urban Design and Landscape Architecture, incredible richness of design ideas, were the combining leftover spaces, a small lane character. and Lanes Electrolyte and Renew Australia

22 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 23 now undergoing a somersault, with very rapid momentum toward re-centralisation, only to re-centralisation of employment being driven slide backwards to a position where Canberra at a crossroad by a reversion to normal market forces. Thus congestion, pollution, and high user costs are Centred on a lake, and surrounded by hills, Canberra’s layout remains far, both Commonwealth and Territory tolerated. That would ultimately create the Governments acknowledge the problem in obverse outcome, in which a new round of highly constrained by historical elements of the Griffin Plan. It now principle, but have shown little appreciation of decentralisation becomes self-generating, but finds itself facing a new crossroad, as Brian Binning explains. the relative speeds and dimensions at which at high cost to the general public. That is the different phenomena are driving urban unfortunate choice so often made by other change. Increases in centralised employment state governments. Shortly after the new National Capital Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh. By bringing are already taking place at a far faster rate than A column by Angela Shanahan in The Development Commission (NCDC) was together modernist planning and architecture, are changes to the transport infrastructure. Australian (13 November 2010) coincidentally established in 1958, it needed to modify Walter the NCDC realised a postwar dream: Canberra There is insufficient recognition of the high characterised Canberra’s “planning morass” Burley Griffin’s founding plan for Canberra. became the completely commodious ‘Bush public and monetary costs involved, and of for bringing it to a crossroad, criticising a This was a consequence of the rapid growth of Capital’. how these might be met. Earlier generations of betrayal of the suburban dreams of ordinary population and employment fuelled by the town planners have always accepted the logic folk by “coffee-crazed sophisticates desperate decision to consolidate Commonwealth The dilemma: the emergence of market of forging a nexus between broad land-use to ‘transform’ Canberra”. Yet it is clear that the functions in the new capital city. These demand for re-centralisation transport strategies and critical sub-areas. lifestyles and needs of Canberra have shifted; initiatives coincided with postwar Even the American ‘supermarket’ urban and in this respect, the concepts that underlie Modernism, characterised by increased In 1988, the life of the NCDC was terminated structure plans of the 1960s usually included a postmodern urbanism represent more than provision of social welfare, along with the because the task of developing the city to a program for their centres, and the US Federal simply a passing fashion. Indeed, if used need for additional physical infrastructure and critical mass was seen as complete. Already, Government often covered implementation pragmatically, they can be used to repair the culturally supportive settings. Especially for the Commonwealth no longer built its own costs. For Canberra, evaluating the merits of leftover spaces inherited from NCDC’s Canberra, this was a period of benign statism. offices, and had relegated their construction to alternative solutions to subsidiary areas within Modernism, and might allow Griffin’s vision to The NCDC could draw freely on the public the private sector. So at the same time that the its central area can only be carried out by grow to sensible adulthood. land acquired for the capital to plan and build ACT Government assumed control, a much evaluating local options against the needs of schools, health facilities, parklands and garden higher proportion of investors in new office that area as a whole. In this context, the Brian Binning holds an M. Arch in Urban suburbs with their mix of public and private construction sought to maximise their current proposal to proceed with separate Design from Illinois State University, was a housing. To these ends, it pioneered advanced financial returns by taking up vacant sites in local master plans is redundant. director in Colin Buchanan and Partners, and program management, sophisticated land-use the centre of the city. Central employment was played a senior role in the National Capital transport planning, and high-quality 45,000 in 1984, and the NCDC proposed to The challenge of reconciling tensions in Development Commission before becoming architecture. It used eminent consulting limit this to 64,000–69,000 when the Peter Harrison’s Approach to the planning and managing change head of Strategic Planning and Urban Design Metropolitan Plan of Canberra resources, and assembled a highly skilled staff. metropolitan population reached 400,000. from Architecture in Australia, for the National Capital Authority. Now The resulting planning and architecture took Canberra’s population reached 365,000 in August 1968. Image: Australian To accommodate a more centralised and retired, he is a former Fellow of the Planning Institute of Architects (NSW on similar modernist forms. 2011. By then the total employment within an Chapter) Digital Archive. market-oriented city of Canberra, both the Institute of Australia. The centre of the capital was to be kept extended centre, which includes developments Commonwealth and Territory Governments free of congestion by directing in-migrating around the airport, had risen to approximately will need to make significant investment in

Commonwealth departments to locate in 130,000. The new ACT 2012 Planning Strategy changes have increased congestion in the metropolitan centres. Area cordons, road planning and infrastructure. To maintain Postmodern Urbanism buildings built by the NCDC in the centres of a does not limit further development. As only centre, a situation the Y-Plan sought to avoid; pricing, costly commuter parking and better Canberra’s reputation for excellence in series of dispersed new towns. Many new about 16 per cent of central Canberra jobs are the NCDC had previously planned to continue public transport have all played a part in this planning, one approach to quickly “For Ellin, Postmodern Urbanism is defined relative to the previous Modernism by: first, a return to residents were able to live close to their place filled by locals, this means there has already decentralisation into further new towns until change. Yet Canberra – with one of the highest investigating the opportunities presented by historicism and a renewed search for urbanity; of work. For others, the wider metropolitan been a significant rise in the volumes of the population reached 500,000. Ironically, levels of car ownership in Australia, with its the new ACT 2012 Planning Strategy could be second, a new emphasis on contextualism, area was easily accessed by parkways sited in workers commuting into the centre. these changes have triggered the need for a rising use of the car for commuting, and a for the Commonwealth and Territory regionalism, site/place, pluralism, and the search for character and populism; third, the renewed use of the open spaces that framed the Y-shaped The NCDC’s ‘Y-Plan’ envisaged further faster transition to a more sustainable declining level of public transport use Governments to involve the private sector and decoration, ornamentation, symbolism, humour, metropolis. decentralisation to additional new towns in postmodern metropolis, along with the (currently only 8 per cent) – has failed to professions by jointly sponsoring invited collage, and human scale (among others); and The extensive centre of the capital was New South Wales, but the new Territory dilemma of both confronting and paying for adequately detail initiatives that would change submissions in an international competition fourth, a humble and anti-utopian apoliticism that no longer seeks ideal solutions on a large scale with dominated by its lake and surrounding Government preferred to increase its income the high cost of making this change. this trend. Any postmodern reassertion of for a new central area plan. A competition associated characteristics of small-scale, legible, landscaping, broken only by a carefully from the sale of Territory land, which it now Reflecting the postmodern agendas of Griffin’s plan structure immediately heightens could develop innovative models for private neo-traditional projects that cater to consumer orchestrated assemblage of modern landmark controlled. Ignoring the NCDC’s open-space respect for context and sustainability, the the clash between a car-oriented city and one sector involvement in development, such as tastes and involve citizen participation (to name a buildings: the High Court, the National settings, the Territory Government then internal character of the urban form is also that seeks to achieve the benefits of a denser wholly or partly privatised public transport few of its key elements).” Nan Ellin. Postmodern Urbanism, Library of Australia, the National Gallery of consistently adopted a more circular (as changing, undergoing consolidation – most city without compromising its heritage. supported by increased pricing on access to Princeton Architectural Press, 1996. Australia, and the Department of Defence opposed to lineal) metropolitan pattern of evident in the town centres. There, mixed-use the central area by car. complex. These were linked by bridge settlements, developing a new town for 80,000 and apartment developments are successfully The need: a return to holistic planning that Urban economists have traditionally taken crossings and formal avenues, which remained people to the west of central Canberra. Yet the replacing tracts of surface parking. accommodates market demands the view that metropolitan decentralisation uncongested. While Griffin’s centre combined bulk of new employment had developed to the Encouraging similar change in the results from congestion of the urban core. beaux arts symbolism with the naturalistic east, along the axis reaching from Civic to the metropolitan centre is far more problematic. Canberra’s history of state-directed NCDC countered this. Governments will urbanism of the Prarie School, the NCDC airport, Fyshwick, Department of Defence Historic cities, developed over many decentralisation, allied to underdevelopment always be tempted to avoid issues of cost and consciously followed the model provided by facilities, and into New South Wales. These centuries, already have densely built-up of the central area, as favoured by NCDC is acceptability that arise from market-driven

24 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 25 review

Book review My first response to the title was that it was proving the arguments, led by evidence that the about the dissolution of boundaries, to allow, City of Chicago’s productivity is demonstrably Nexus 2013 as David Suzuki said in Sydney in September, greater than those of 40 US states. nature to take its course, as it would, heedless The keys to success focus on incentives, This year’s Nexus 2013 Australia divergence with a projected national identity. groups and develop a sense of ‘social place’ of artificial lines; a country of cities as well as the mandate to support density and New Zealand Student Tonkin explored the nation’s capital, within the dense framework of Paris. interconnecting across boundaries and with infrastructure; broadening this to Canberra, expressing his future hopes for “a Significant projects like ‘Ecobox’ (now in its borders. Unfortunately the book doesn’t go include social systems in an ‘infrastructure of Architecture Congress, hosted real city…urbanity at last”. third location and entirely run by its users), that far, but it does present a strong manifesto opportunity’ is an important step forward for by the University of Newcastle, We were also privileged to have Marcel use urban agriculture (in itself not a new or for intensity of density; pulling the exurban planning. Issues of affordability and finance enlightened all participants Acosta from the National Capital Planning particularly groundbreaking idea) and into hyper-dense cities and arguing this as the are met head on and the manifesto concludes to the reality that architects Commission in the US present to elaborate on community plots as a catalyst for addressing panacea to the problems of the nation with a call to arms – “...transformation... a “emerging national identities in [capital] cities community concerns and generating dialogue (America, that is). However, there are lessons voice that speaks outside of politics...the must significantly broaden steeped in political iconography”. Acosta took between members of the community. for all, best summed up in a foreword by ‘hand on heart’ spirit continues... we can their disciplinary horizons, as the position that the relevance of nationalism Mr ‘Renew Newcastle/Renew Australia’, Norman Foster in terms of “we have to build build... we must...” – and while this is rallying, Marly Swanson Wood and becomes somewhat diminished over time; Marcus Westbury, championed to higher densities...we must create it demonstrates a frustration to be heard and “memorials lose meaning” as the local city non-government, individual-driven ideas as neighbourhoods that combine workplaces some naivety. Angus Hardwick discovered. envelopes the federal and symbolic urban the most productive way of addressing with housing and where transport It is a primer worthy of the planning and agenda. This shift in paradigm, Acosta common economic and social concerns. connections...and amenities are within urban design schools, strategic planners in ompensating for a flux in technological believes, is due to an “emerging generational On the opposing side, the governmental walking or cycling distance...”. The author practice, those involved in deciding the course advancement, architects and designers mindset through youth movement”. Acosta planning perspective – as presented by Marcel rails against the subsidies that produce an of a city’s future, and those in the treasuries of C are attempting to reinterpret the forces left us with the empowering proclamation, Acosta of the National Capital Planning A Country of Cities: A Manifesto inefficient suburbia that “fuels an economy of our governments to understand the benefits of globalisation and soothe the subsequent “your actions, your plans and what you do will Commission (US), David Gordon of Queen’s for an Urban America highways, houses and hedges” and paints of a new paradigm to increase productivity, identity crises of many cities around the world. affect your city”. University (Canada), and Pedro Junqueira Author Vishaan Chakrabarti clearly the productivity of densification in “a sustainability and community wellbeing. Peter Tonkin (Tonkin Zulaikha Greer) opened Vilela from the Brazilian Federal District Publisher Metropolis Books country of cities, of trains, towers and trees”. his talk with the advice that students should Marly Swanson Wood Government – uncovered an uncomfortable RRP $39.95 Members $35.95 City protagonists, Jane Jacobs and Edward Richard Dinham “acquire soft skills in being a good politician” Master of Architecture, dilemma where people are pushed out of their www.architext.com.au Glaeser are well referenced, as is the data LFRAIA to successfully navigate the treacherous University of Newcastle cities by sweeping urban changes assigned socio-political waters of our trade in a new era. from above. Speakers addressed the overarching issue The tradition of students launching of ‘future practice’ through their chosen he congress and its speakers reflect a thought-provoking and topical inquiries is design language. Of these conceptual and time and issue of concern to the alive and well. pragmatic processes, one solution to our 20th T creative directors. Nexus 2013 focused century problems came as a surprise: the on cities and how they develop; a critical issue Angus Hardwick AGSU Australia’s leading proposition from Jan van Schaik (Minifie van for Newcastle. I saw this expressed in the SONA Vice-President, graduate school of urban Schaik) that “sometimes nothing is the best tensions between top-down governmental Bachelor of Architectural Studies (Honours), policy and design research thing to do”. adjustments to a city’s fabric, and the University of New South Wales AGSU A contemporary take on the architectural bottom-up approaches where projects emerge is pleased to announce a hubris was eloquently made by Rory Hyde. In from the complex relationships between Australian series of new post-professional his quest to overturn the inherited people and technological concerns. Graduate School and research-based assumptions of design professions, Hyde Hedwig Heinsman, from the Amsterdam masters degrees. plunged into provocative rhetoric that practice DUS Architects, presented projects of Urbanism prompted the audience to question not only that were driven by an aspiration to change the the future of the architectural profession, but rules of a city or neighbourhood by designing - Master of Urban Policy & Strategy whether we ourselves may adopt one of the the ‘script’ or process. These included a new - Master of Philosophy conceived personas that Hyde predicts will open-source project DUS have been developing Public private partnerships and the embody future practice: the civic that aims to print a 3-D copy of a traditional provision of infrastructure entrepreneur; the double agent; or the Amsterdam canal house. They have built - Master of Philosophy Housing Policy strategic designer. themselves a giant 3-D printer called the During the congress, metaphoric KamerMaker, put it outside in a park, opened it - Master of Philosophy Writing the City conceptualisation extended to the city itself. up to the people, and started work. - Master of Philosophy Both Richard Francis-Jones (FJMT) and Peter The DIY theme continued with French Never Design Research Built Environment Tonkin unfurled their categorical duo Constantin Petcou and Doina Petrescu Stand Still understanding of the city as having various from Atelier d’architecture autogérée (Studio states of being, “city as utopia…as for self-managed architecture). Their Scholarships are available. assemblage…as nest”, describing how a city emergent, bottom-up ‘projects’, explore the Nexus Q&A with guest speakers (r-l) Timothy Moore, Hedwig Heinsman and Rory Hyde. Image: Australian For more information visit: begins to project paradoxical nuances as an potential agencies that architectural Institute of Architects. individual’s ‘lifeworld’ may develop in interventions can adopt to engage social be.unsw.edu.au/agsu

26 Architecture Bulletin Spring 2013 CRICOS 00098G Untitled-2 1 29/11/2012 11:36:26 AM

obituary When Quality Matters... Model-Tech 3D specialises in the highest quality models for the University of Sydney with first class Sited on the edge of Queen Elizabeth presentation, marketing honours and a university medal. He first National Park in South West Uganda, the C and DA. We utilise

worked for architect Sam Marshall and Kyambura Lodge inventively repurposes M advanced techniques, established a successful ongoing collaboration everyday objects and recycled materials to colour and texture Y with Drew Heath. In 2005 he was awarded a create a rich, experiential and climate- matching, and a computer controlled cutting system to British Council ‘Realise Your Dream’ appropriate architecture. The desire to CM ensure our models are clean, precise and MY scholarship to join Zaha Hadid Architects in camouflage the main lodge building with visually exciting. To view our portfolio of

London. He subsequently worked in the weathered cladding led to the creation of an CY completed projects or discuss your options and possibilities, please call Russell Pearse. offices of leading architects John McAslan and exchange with the local village, where new CMY David Adjaye. sheeting was supplied to replace rusted K In 2008, Ross won first prize in an roofs. In recognition of an outstanding early MODEL-TECH 3D international ideas competition for a cultural career, in 2010 Ross was awarded the Level 6 / 2 Foveaux Street centre in Bodø, Norway. He founded Langdon University of Sydney’s Young Alumni Surry Hills NSW 2010 Reis Zahn Architects with competition Achievement. Many more awards and T: 02 9281 2711 F: 02 9212 5556 collaborators, Ana Reis and Matthias Zahn, achievements were sure to follow. E: [email protected] and the practice went on to achieve further Ross was a friend, adviser and motivator. I www.modeltech3d.com.au success, receiving the Europan 10 first prize observed his brilliance firsthand when we Ross Langdon (1980–2013) for a master plan for the Norwegian town of collaborated on a design competition in 2009. Vardø. In 2009, Ross was featured as one of His personality was a rare balance of charisma, I like to think that Ross Langdon is still in Monument magazine’s Next Generation of energy and self-confidence, with self- Africa somewhere, awakening in the cool of Australian artists, architects and designers. deprecation, calmness and a deep reserve of the day to instruct local builders on the While based in London, he had a chance kindness. Quick-witted and sincere, he made assembly of a roof, or ascending a hill to watch encounter with Praveen Moman, founder of friends easily, and his absence is now felt by the sun rise over a new site. After a peripatetic ecotourism company Volcanoes Safaris. This many around the world. Ross was guided by an early life, East Africa is where Ross recently lead to an opportunity to move to Uganda to unusual awareness of his own abilities, and a found his home. Designing eco-lodges, an HIV/ design, project manage and construct a strong sense of responsibility to put these Aids clinic, and a variety of other community number of eco-lodges in wildlife conservation abilities to positive effect. His work took him projects, he traversed Uganda, Kenya and areas. Ross never looked back. well beyond the normal career path and Tanzania, adopting his formidable With the relocation came a new practice comfort zone, to a place where he was able to ARCHITECTURAL MODELMAKERS architectural skills to the local vernacular. In formation. Together with Campbell Drake create immediate and lasting change. I hope 2011 he met Elif Yavuz, a Dutch-born doctoral and Ben Milbourne, Ross established that others will follow in his intrepid graduate, in Kampala. A senior vaccines Regional Associates, a collaboration footprints, and that Regional Associates will researcher for the Clinton Foundation, Elif spanning East Africa, Australia and the UK, continue to bring the benefits of thoughtful, was Ross’s equal in intellect and ambition, and and with projects as far-flung as the joyous architecture to the people of East Africa. Steve Mosley Matt Scott Rob Flowers deepened his appreciation for his adoptive Seychelles. Regional Associates forged its Ross is survived by his mother Linden and his phone: 9565 4518 continent. In his 2012 TEDx talk on identity in response to a shared interest in siblings Craig, Amy, Anthony and Abi. email: [email protected] Chameleon Architecture you can witness contextual design, clarified through working www.modelcraft.com.au Ross’s personal architectural philosophy, amidst wildly divergent local conditions. David Neustein inspired by the vibrant people and landscapes of Africa, taking shape. It was with despair that I learned of the death of Ross, Elif and their unborn child in the 21 September terrorist attack on Nairobi’s Westgate Mall. There can be no sense to this tragic loss, no consolation or cautionary tale. But in paying tribute to an extraordinary talent, I hope that his example will serve as inspiration to all Australian architects. Born in Brisbane, Ross spent his childhood in the remote and rugged environment of the Advertise in Tasman Peninsula. He commenced architecture studies at the University of architecture Tasmania, then in 2000 relocated to the bulletin University of Sydney. Ross’s classmates T: 02 9246 4055 remember him as a tireless, driven student. E: [email protected] Joint winner of the 2004 Superstudio student The Red Banda at Volcanoes Safaris’ Kyambura Lodge. Images: Tanja Milbourne. architecture competition, he graduated from

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