ANU University House and Gardens Heritage Management Plan Report prepared for University House May 2016 Sydney Office Level 6 372 Elizabeth Street Surry Hills NSW Australia 2010 T +61 2 9319 4811 Canberra Office 2A Mugga Way Red Hill ACT Australia 2603 T +61 2 6273 7540 GML Heritage Pty Ltd ABN 60 001 179 362 www.gml.com.au GML Heritage Report Register The following report register documents the development and issue of the report entitled ANU University House and Gardens Heritage Management Plan undertaken by GML Heritage Pty Ltd in accordance with its quality management system. Job No. Issue No. Notes/Description Issue Date 15-0290 1 ANU University House and Gardens Heritage Management Plan, Draft Report 23 December 2015 15-0290 2 ANU University House and Gardens Heritage Management Plan May 2016 Quality Assurance GML Heritage Pty Ltd operates under a quality management system which has been certified as complying with the Australian/New Zealand Standard for quality management systems AS/NZS ISO 9001:2008. The report has been reviewed and approved for issue in accordance with the GML quality assurance policy and procedures. Project Manager: Martin Rowney Project Director & Reviewer: Rachel Jackson Issue No. 1 Issue No. 1 Signature Signature Position: Associate Position: Senior Associate Date: 13 May 2016 Date: 13 May 2016 Copyright Historical sources and reference material used in the preparation of this report are acknowledged and referenced at the end of each section and/or in figure captions. 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GML Heritage Executive Summary University House was the first major building constructed at the Australian National University (ANU). This building, its landscape and the adjacent Molly Huxley Building are the subject of this Heritage Management Plan (HMP), which updates an earlier Conservation Management Plan prepared in 2001. University House was designed by prominent architect and Professor of Architecture at the University of Melbourne, Brian Lewis. It is the earliest vestige of Lewis’ design scheme for the whole ANU Acton Campus dating from the late 1940s. University House, its gardens and the Molly Huxley Building are included in the Commonwealth Heritage List (CHL) and have all been assessed by the ANU as having high significance. University House possesses an array of identified heritage values relating to its role as a residential and social centre for the ANU and wider Canberra since opening in 1954. It is reflective of the Oxford- Cambridge model for residential colleges for on-campus accommodation, where students and staff live and study at the college. Both buildings (University House and the Molly Huxley Building) are representative of Australian mid-twentieth century architectural styles with British influences. University House is one of the largest such examples in Canberra. The integrity of the design and original fabric of the site is high and many of the original details, fittings and finishes are in good condition. The architectural style is further exemplified by the custom-designed furniture, fittings and artwork within it, including furniture designed by Fred Ward who went on to found the ANU Design Unit. A number of significant artists were also commissioned at the early design stage to prepare artworks for the place, and the textiles were designed and made by the significant fabric design company, eclarté. The high level of integrity of the original design and fabric means that it has the capacity to demonstrate these values well. Its place in the history of the development of the ANU is also of high significance, along with its associations with several key figures in the history of the ANU, Canberra and Australia including academics, politicians, royalty, designers, writers and artists. As part of this HMP project, the social values of the place were tested through a broad program of consultation, including stakeholder meetings, an online survey and a public workshop. In general, University House and its landscape was considered by participants to be a highly significant place, based on its ongoing central role as an accommodation facility for postgraduate students and academics, its central function as a place for academics and students to socialise, and its program of events that bind the University House community together. University House occupies a symbolic place for this community that includes a deep sense of ownership and connectedness. Currently, University House operates not only to provide residential accommodation to postgraduate students and academics, but also provides hotel-style accommodation to the public. University House management has the potential to capitalise on the distinctive mid-century style of the place, including its furniture and fittings, to provide a boutique accommodation experience. Pressure to maintain the hotel as a self-sustaining business means that the operating needs of the business need to be balanced against the conservation requirements of the heritage values. This HMP is designed to be a strategic management tool to inform the active conservation, management and interpretation of the place. It follows the Australian benchmark standards in its preparation, reflected through the principles and philosophy of The Burra Charter: the Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance 2013. ANU University House and Gardens—Heritage Management Plan—May 2016 i GML Heritage This HMP sets out a range of opportunities and constraints based on the heritage values, authenticity, integrity and condition of the place. It sets out the operational and management context for conservation and maintenance decisions, and outlines the degree to which the original fittings, furnishings and fabric can tolerate change before their heritage values are diminished. A range of conservation policies are proposed that recognise the excellent condition of the heritage values and physical fabric of the place, but that also account for the pressure for change for the future as the managers of the place work to sustain the ongoing evolution and operation of the hotel functions. An interpretation strategy is also included in this HMP to provide a framework for the interpretation of the site, identifying key audiences and messages to be conveyed together with recommended interpretation initiatives. Interpretation is a key conservation process, assisting community understanding and appreciation of the heritage values of the place. ii ANU University House and Gardens—Heritage Management Plan—May 2016 GML Heritage Contents Page 1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background to the HMP ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Study Area for the HMP ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 University House and its Management ....................................................................................................... 1 1.4 Heritage Listings ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.5 Methodology .................................................................................................................................................. 2 1.5.1 Structure of the Report .......................................................................................................................... 2 1.5.2 Relevant Documentation ....................................................................................................................... 3 1.5.3 Consultation ........................................................................................................................................... 4 1.5.4 Limitations .............................................................................................................................................. 4 1.5.5 Terminology ............................................................................................................................................ 4 1.6 Authorship ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.7 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................... 4 1.8 Endnotes ......................................................................................................................................................