| Photographs: | None |
|---|---|
| List: | Register of the National Estate |
| Class: | Historic |
| Legal Status: | Interim List (20/05/2003) |
| Place ID: | 103835 |
| Place File No: | 8/01/000/0125 |
| Statement of Significance: |
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Russell Precinct as a Defence campus, is a refined urban landscape of a grand scale, designed for visual articulation of the highly significant eastern apex of Canberra's Parliamentary Triangle and to give visual prominence to the Defence component of the Federal Government.
The vista and its terminus is a significant component of the Walter Burley Griffin Canberra Plan concept and his 1918 Canberra Plan.
It includes the significant spaces, of Kings Avenue, Kings Avenue Bridge across the round-about to Blamey Square and to the focal feature of the Australian - American Memorial column.
The Russell apex and the vista terminal spaces are articulated by the enclosing composition of Buildings R3 and R4 and their expression in classical styles and forms with high quality exterior fabric finishes.
The Russell apex is reinforced by the scale form and location of Buildings R1 and R2 and new road alignments that accentuate this element of Canberra's landscape geometry.
(Criterion F1) Australian Historic Theme 8.10.4 Designing and Building Fine Works. Within the eastern area of the precinct, the building R8 has design importance for its exterior, being the recipient of the Canberra Medallion by the RAIA in 1971. The former Russell Offices Canteen set on a podium in an open space area, is an individual small-scale square building, with extensive eaves, glazed walls and a copper spire atop a pyramidal roof. It provides a minor stylised focal feature of the eastern area (although this value has been compromised to a small degree, by recent alterations and additions including the security fence and the location of the equipment store). (Criterion F1) Australian Historic Theme 8.10.4 Designing and Building Fine Works. The precinct has aesthetic significance as a well-balanced spatial arrangement of geometric forms and spaces, within which the Australian-American Memorial, a grand obelisk shape rising from the open spaces, forms the imposing terminal feature of the Kings Avenue vista. Buildings R3, R4, and to a lesser degree R1 and R2, by their classical form and scale, contribute to the aesthetic quality by their visual enclosure of the Kings Avenue vista and contrasting form with the obelisk memorial. The informally grouped eucalypt and pine plantings between Parkes Way, Morshead Drive and Constitution Avenue contribute to the aesthetic value of the precinct by providing a canopy foreground, framework and enclosure. (Criterion E 1) Russell Precinct is significant through its continued occupation by the Defence force, and the work that has been undertaken there, particularly the management of Australia's involvement in the Vietnam and Gulf War and general defence matters. The Precinct has a focus as the Defence nucleus of the nation with its offices, war memorials and its locational relationship to other Defence and memorial features such Duntroon Royal Military College, the Australian Defence Force Academy, the Australian War Memorial, and the Campbell Park Offices. The foyers of buildings R3 and R4 have historic importance as intact period interiors. The underground tunnel linking R3 and R4 is also of significance, demonstrating the high-level security measures that were and continue to be exercised at the site. The Russell Canteen is one of a small group of government cafeterias that reflect the need for these services at their time of construction, in isolated complexes of offices, and their use of high quality materials and the creative architectural expression to make them a human scale feature for social interaction. (Criterion A4) Australian Historic Theme: 4.3 Developing Institutions, 7.7. 1 Providing for the Common Defence, 8.8 Remembering the Fallen Buildings R3 and R4 are important as examples of late Twentieth Century office architecture of the stripped classical style, with a high degree of original fabric particularly in their intact original public foyer areas and R 8 is an example of the late Structuralist style. The Australian - American Memorial is a high quality, distinctive obelisk sculpture and the most impressive of its kind in Canberra.The Russell Canteen is an example of the post war International Style and is one of a few remaining government cafeterias of the 1960s in Canberra. (Criterion D2) Australian Historic Theme: 8.10.4 Designing and Building Fine Buildings Russell Precinct, and particularly the American - Australian, and Australian - Netherlands Memorials have clear significance on a social level, due to their reflection of strong association between Australian and American communities, and Australian and the Dutch communities. A large percentage of the funding for the two Memorials came from public donation, reflecting the importance given to them by the Australian Community. (Criterion G1). The Precinct holds significance to the Defence personnel community that have a continued occupation and utilisation of the buildings and urban landscape. This is reflected in the variety of moveable heritage items such as photographs and portraits remaining at the site. The adaptive reuse of the former Canteen as a child-care centre reflects the strong community within the Defence Force and a continued requirement for a community-oriented space within the precinct. (Criterion G1) The Precinct has a strong association with the Australian Defence Force, and heroes and heroines of Australian wars as Sir Thomas Blamey, Captain Vivian Bullwinkel, Captain Reg Saunders, and Private Richard Kelliher are commemorated in the Precinct's named streets and squares. It is significant for associated with Richard Ure, designer of the Australian - American Memorial and Commonwealth Department of Works. (Criterion H1) |
| Official Values: Not Available |
| Description: |
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History In his original prize winning design of 1911, Walter Burley Griffin planned for an eastern axis, now known as Kings Avenue. On the northeastern side of the parliamentary triangle near the lake shore he envisaged markets, a 'Railroad Station', and slightly to the north-east of the markets, 'barracks'. While Griffin's redeveloped 1918 drawings gave more attention to the three primary nodes, the planned military barracks of his initial plan are still significant. The sector including Russell Hill, The Royal Military College Duntroon and its field firing range near the North East city boundary, known to Canberra city planners as the 'military zone', was part of Canberra's planning history from the outset. The First World War accelerated the establishment of the Military College, but Mount Pleasant for many years remained undeveloped. The American-Australian Memorial was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II in February 1954, and at that time the memorial was almost alone in bushland. The formal establishment of the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) in 1957 brought renewed attention to the development and implications of the 'Canberra Plan'. While two generations of planners had altered the position and function of many of Griffin's proposed buildings and sites, they had preserved the main parliamentary triangle of which Russell Hill forms an apex. The new NCDC was much concerned with decentralising employment over wide areas. The 'Defence zone', in the 1950s, was only accessible only from old Parliament House by the low level Molonglo crossing. The NCDC saw as one of its principal tasks, the balancing of Griffin's principles of axes of water and land with the closer hills as a third dimension. The urban planners of the mid 1960s proposed dovetailing of Canberra's institutional architecture with what they took to be the nation's cultural characteristics. The NCDC in 1962 suggested a conservative, balanced approach to architectural design taking into consideration their elevation from a distance with simple clear facades and at a scale to be recognisable from a distance. Early in the 1960s the long-awaited decision was taken to move Defence headquarters and the associated Department of Supply from Melbourne to Canberra. Planning, more or less following Griffin's early intentions, sited the new Defence complex on Russell Hill. The primary planning questions centred on the sort of design and site plan which would be worthy, of such a dominating location. The natural and existing architectural elements as conceived at the time were, the strong vertical of the American Australian memorial, the flanking elements following the contours to 'emphasise the horizontal feeling of the site'; and the selected evergreen planting in contrast to the existing Eucalyptus, 'thus providing a transition element between the formal treatment of the plaza (Blamey Square) and the natural background. The NCDC planners were very conscious that the American Australian war memorial should be the focus of the entire site. Buildings R3 and R4 (formally known as G and F), for several years referred to as the 'Special Purpose' Buildings, seem to have been designed as much for their relationship to the plaza than to the actual functions and purposes they were intended to serve, with the plaza remaining of sufficient size for ceremonial occasions', with a helipad, and controlled access as desired. The1960's plan called for the erection of two hollow square buildings facing the memorial, but only the eastern side was to be, at this point, further developed. The buildings were to be dignified, but were not intended to challenge the dominance of the memorial. All the early to mid 1960s plans emphasised the dominance of the plaza. Trees were planned along King's Avenue to open up and to reinforce the long vistas, from which the memorial should always remain visible 'axially and panoramically' and relate the site to the lake. The Master Plan of 1963 envisaged some 7500 people working in the 'military zone'. Much exterior architectural planning turned on the intended horizontal nature of the buildings. The Master Plan architects Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and Buchan described the 'strong horizontal plane which in turn integrates the lower level buildings (R3 and R4) composition on either side'. The architectural drawings depicted the buildings as much lower and more contour-hugging than they appear today, situated as they are on an eminence. Building continued and by 1965 an NCDC Report stated that the eight buildings would be a major group to give architectural form to the precincts. Of these buildings two were to be for the Air Force, two for the Navy, two for the Department of Defence and two for the Army. The planners were pleased with the composition of the Russell offices and suggested creative designs free of cliches. A number buildings were proposed, many of which were never constructed. The initial complex behind 'Special Building' G consisted of four units, each of five stories, designed so that the complex would not appear to be incomplete at any stage of its development. In the structures known to their occupants as 'railway carriages' analogies could be drawn to other public buildings designed for Canberra at about this time, such as the School of Commerce of the Canberra Technical College and the Physics Buildings, School of General Studies, Australian National University. Each Defence Force building was designed for 350 workers. The buildings were oblong and narrow with a long central services core that contained stairways, lifts, toilets, security vaults, kitchenettes, building services and storage. A corridor on each side of the services ran the length of the each building. Although proposed to have impressive design features, the final constructions were rather less ornate. The security wall was designed as an initial feature to allow personnel to move freely within the complex, though connecting tunnels were also planned. In its rectilinear configuration, the Russell Offices were a secure environment with a fortress-like wall joining the buildings to form two secure compounds (north and south) with Blamey Square in between. Staff and visitors could enter the north compound through guard posts at Buildings K, l and G, entry points for the south compound were at Buildings F, E and A. Expansion continued and Block A (now know as R8), of a new design intended to visually close off the southern precinct, was constructed in 1969. The engineers proudly photographed the 35 foot perimeter base columns (poured in one operation) the demountable partitions and the 15-inch concrete basement roof. While new buildings were being erected, the condition of the older ones was deteriorating. When the time came to refurbish the oldest in the early 1970s, it was found that the emergency lighting served only the stairs and corridors, that not all offices had power points, that smoke detectors were inadequate, as were the magnetic hold devices on the doors in the fire stairs. Speech privacy was inadequate in some areas and there were cold draughts in the front foyers. But the refurbishment's were kept at a fairly low budget. Regarding the front foyers, the consultants noted, 'We have allowed for the provision of fixed seating and planter boxes of good standard to replace the movable chairs and pot plants'. By 1975 window cleaning consultants reported that the six different types of windows used in the original design made cleaning both difficult and expensive. Safe cleaning from inside was very difficult in most buildings. Outside the complex, the plaza did not function as intended, with Blarney Square often being deserted. Though the internal message pipeline (which frequently broke down) had become superseded in the early 1970s, the difficulties with heating, lighting and air-conditioning worsened. Costs of repairs and internal reconstruction mounted. Changing office culture demanded larger open plan areas that the existing buildings could not conveniently provide. Meanwhile, the strategic plan for a national Defence Force was changing. The individual separate and somewhat insular services were to be integrated better: a combined officers' mess, for example, would enable the three services and Defence Headquarters personnel to meet each other. The mementos and gifts that adorned the executive offices and corridors of the existing buildings would be redundant. In the early 1990s the government decided that the 'railway carriages' of Russell Offices should be demolished and the 'Special Purpose' buildings completely refurbished. The design brief for the new services complex was considerably less grandiose than the visions of the 1960s. It included, two aims seemed reminiscent of the optimism of the 1960s; to recognise and respond to the national significance of the site; and to create a memorable image to satisfy not only the site's national significance but to provide a suitable image of the Department of Defence. On 22 June 1995, the Commonwealth formally agreed to redevelop the Russell Hill site as part of an accommodation strategy to consolidate Defence staff who had been operating for many years in a number of Canberra locations, many of which were leased. The site was seen to have a long-term future as the headquarters of the Australian Defence Force and the Central Office of the Department of Defence. Construction of the two new office buildings Rl and R2 began in July 1996 and March 1997 respectively. Rl was fully occupied on 27 July 1998 while R2 was still being completed. A two-storey annex to Building L commenced in March 1998, and the refurbishment of Buildings F (R3), G (R4) and A (R8) all began in July of that year. The redevelopment project when complete will comprise Rl, R2, R8, R3, R4, L, M, N, the medical centre and the cafeteria (which will be a multipurpose area). All of the eight 'railway carriage' buildings were-demolished in 1999. The concept of the security compound was abandoned simultaneously, as all of the remaining and new buildings were provided with their own security access points. In its 1994 Master Plan, the National Capital Planning Authority [NCPA] [the successor to the National Capital Development Commission] took the opportunity, in conjunction with planning for the Russell redevelopment, to complete the original Burley Griffin concept of a planning node at Russell. Description Russell Precinct is located at the eastern apex of the Parliamentary Triangle, between Mount Pleasant and Parkes Way/ Morsehead Drive. It is the location of the headquarters of the Australian Defence Forces and comprises a campus style grouping of buildings and facilities. The campus fans southward down the gentle slopes of Mount Pleasant, from the round-about junction of Constitution and Sellheim Avenues towards Lake Burley Griffin. Buildings are arranged around the eastern vista space that extends from Kings Avenue to Sir Thomas Blamey Square and beyond to the southern edges of the round-about. Sir Thomas Blamey Square, and Tunnel The square is an open uncluttered space that provides the terminus of the vista space and the foreground setting for the Australian - American Memorial. The tunnel is a secure underground passageway that links buildings R3 and R4. Another tunnel has been added connecting R3 to R1. Australian - American Memorial The Australian-American Memorial (also known as the American War Memorial) is located at the northern end of Sir Thomas Blamey Square, and 200 m. from the true geometric axis of the Parliamentary Triangle. The octagonal column is 66.6 m (220 feet) high with a steel framed structure clad in aluminium panels sandblasted to give the appearance of stone, and stands on a sandstone flagged platform with sandstone steps. It is topped with a bronze sphere surmounted with a stylised American Eagle. Australian-American Memorial and Sir Thomas Blamey Square is entered in the Register of the National Estate (RNE 17989). The Australian - Netherlands War Memorial The Memorial is also known as the Netherlands, Indies and Dutch Navy Memorial was erected in 1991 for the men and women of the Netherlands who contributed to the defence of Australia's interest in WWII. It was funded by the Government of the Netherlands and by public subscriptions. It is located on the central axis to the north of the Australian-American Memorial. The memorial was modified and reinstated in 1999 as part of upgrading of the landscaped square which separated the two new buildings of R1 and R2. The five rectangular black terrazzo monument panels have been replaced by a single low circular rendered brick enclosure. The Netherlands Royal coat of arms and various emblems of the Netherlands military arms have been mounted onto the internal face of the enclosure, while an explanatory inscription is located on the exterior face by the entrance. The schematic map has also been upgraded, with the central stone still set higher. The former direct approach from Sir Thomas Blamey Square is replaced by a formal entrance approach from the west. The connection between the two memorials was converted to a formal lawn area with boarder planting. Landscape Features Portions 80, 84, 85, flank the lower areas of the campus and consist of land not occupied by buildings but have car parking and mature tree plantings which now provide some enclosure to the Precinct, amenity to the car park areas and backdrop to some buildings. The space of Kings Avenue and median leading to Sir Thomas Blamey Square articulates the Kings Avenue vista. The planting style of the Precinct has been strong broad scale and informal, consisting mainly of eucalypts with some groups of conifers. These plantings strengthen the foreground setting of the Precinct and screen the car park areas. Between Constitution Avenue and Parkes Way, and Parkes Way and Morsehead Drive. They include large groups of PINUS RADIATA, EUCALYPUS CINEREA, E. BICOSTATA, E. PAUCIFLORA, E. POLYANTHEMOS, E MANNIFERA CEDRUS AND PRUNUS spp. original E. BRIDGESIANA. ULMUS PAVIFOLIA border Kelliher Drive. The plantings along Parkes Way and Morsehead Drive contribute to the amenity of the drive to the airport and as enframement to the first views of Canberra from the airport. Building R 8 (formerly Block A) R8 is a 12 storey reinforced concrete framed building with heavily modelled precast structural grid providing sun screening to the facade. It was completed in 1970 as the Eastern termination of the 1965 Master Plan. The Building was designed by Collard Clarke & Jackson for NCDC as agents to the Department of Defence. Most of the original building fabric was removed during refurbishment, The new open plan replaced an office arrangement of a long corridor with many offices leading off two central hallways. An entire basement level was added with a clerestory window facing the new front elevation to the North West. Only the Facade and the central lift core fabric remains. Buildings R3 and R4 The buildings commenced construction in 1964 and were completed in 1999. they are two identical four stories high blocks square in shape with an open central court. Constructed on a reinforced concrete frame with marble cladding to external blade columns, corners and entablature. The main entrances to both buildings face onto the formal Sir Thomas Blamey Square. They were designed in the twentieth Century Stripped Classical Style, by Buchan, Laird & Buchan Pty Ltd for the NCDC as agents to the Department of Defence. They were noted as 'Special Buildings' in the 1960 Master Plan and have been noted for their contribution to the aesthetic composition qualities to the terminal feature of the eastern axis. The buildings were refurbished in 1999-2000. The internal office spaces were stripped and converted form individual offices and suites into an open plan configurations. However, the main foyer entires in both buildings remain relatively intact. Buildings R1 and R2 These form the centre pieces of the redevelopment to accentuate the eastern apex of the parliamentary triangle. They are part of a new development commencing in the late 1990s that significantly altered the previous rectilinear layout of the Russell precinct. The extension of Constitution Avenue from Blamey Crescent to a new roundabout at the geometric apex of the triangle was undertaken by the NCPA. In the late 1990's, this extension included a deviation around Building L. The earth excavated for the construction of R1 was used as part of the realignment earthworks for the dual carriageway works on Morshead Drive in 1997. The entrance to RMC Duntroon was also moved from Jubilee Avenue to its current location as part of those works. Moveable Heritage Items Within the buildings R1, R2, R3 and R4 are a number of items which could have significance as a collection. They were scattered in various buildings throughout the site and since the sites redevelopment in the 1990s and the relocation of senior Defence personnel into Building R1, the collection has been moved primarily into that building. It includes items such as the original rising sun badge, flags, paintings, photographs, including those of past Ministers and Chiefs of Defence, furniture and a variety of other Defence related objects Russell Canteen (RNE 102807) The building was designed by Buchan Laird & Buchan for NCDC for the Department of Defence and constructed in 1965. The building is of a human scale and marks the eastern flank of the Russell Precinct. It is on the original 1960 master plan and is a remaining examples of a type of Cafeteria building which once featured within the Government precincts of Canberra. Other cafeterias of a similar style and period include the Anzac West Cafeteria (RNEdb 102813), the Lobby Restaurant (RNEdb 102812) and Guardian House (RNEdb 103611). Being of human scale and distinctive design it creates a minor focal feature compared with the adjacent large scale. The Canteen was designed on a formal square plan construction around an exposed rolled steel joist frame with diagonal roof supports. The glazed walls on the front and two side elevations are full height floor to ceiling divided regularly. The Building style has a clearly expressed horizontal planes of the wide external building platform, extensive eaves, and a clerestory window. The small central aspire provides an identifying feature. The building has high quality finishes with is rood sheeting, fascia and spire, clad in copper. The building was converted to a Child Care centre in 2002 with extensive internal conversion to create a number of rooms radiating from the central apex. The conversion was sympathetically undertaken, with little change to the exterior of the building. However the inclusion of the playground its enclosing fence and the equipment shed has impacted on the aesthetic impact of the building as a minor focal feature. The information in this report was compiled from the report, Heritage Assessment of the Russell Precinct, Canberra, by Freeman Randell (2003) |
| History: Not Available |
| Condition and Integrity: |
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2003: The condition of the features, Blamey Square, the American - Australian War Memorial, the Australian - Netherlands War memorial, the Tunnel, Buildings R3 and R4, and buildings R1 and R2 are sound and intact. The Russell Cafeteria building exterior is sound and intact, although the visual focal significance is compromised by the playground fence and siting of the equipment shed. Within the Russell Precinct Heritage Area are buildings that may be demolished when the Russell Master Plan (Appendix T3) of the National Capital Plan is implemented over the next 20 years. Buildings R8 and the Russell Cafeteria (now a childcare centre) are located on the future alignment of Sellheim Avenue, and Building R7 is located on the future extension of Constitution Avenue. |
| Location: |
| About 54ha, at Russell, being an area enclosed by a line commencing at the intersection of the north-eastern side of Constitution Avenue with the alignment of the north-western Russell suburb boundary, then south-westerly via the latter alignment and boundary, then south-easterly via the Russell suburb boundary to its intersection with the north-western side of the landscaped island in the centre of the Kings Avenue/Parkes Way/Morsehead Drive roundabout, then south-easterly via the western and southern side of that island to its intersection with the Russell suburb boundary, then southerly, easterly and northerly via the Russell suburb boundary to the north-eastern corner of Block 1 Section 90 Russell, then northerly and westerly via the outer boundary of the road reserve containing the roundabout at the intersection of Constitution and Sellheim Avenues to the north-eastern side of Constitution Avenue, then north-westerly via that side of Constitution Avenue to the commencement point. |
| Bibliography: |
| Freeman Randel, 2003 Heritage Assessment of the Russell Precinct. Final draft report prepared for Ernst & Young on behalf of the Department of Finance & Administration. |
Report Produced: Wed Feb 10 02:43:41 2010