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8/13/2019 Canberra as a Planned City2
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Canberra as a planned city: Early Urban Planning, Modernism and Americanisation influence on Canberra
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University of Canberra
Business, Government and Law
Canberra as a Planned City
Planning Theory and Process
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To what extent has early modernist and American influences shaped Canberra as the capital citywe see today?
The 20th
century oversaw many drastic changes as well as new inventions and technologies which
would eventuate as pivotal tools and affluences in many western cultures. Along with these new
elements came along a new page in urban and town planning. It was a century filled with change
and a hungry desire for new directions and approach. It was during this period however where
Australia witnessed a new birth of a city, a new capital in the name of Canberra. Canberra
steadfastly evolved over a period of 100 years which oversaw new changes and philosophies in the
approach of planning, with the likes of Le Corbusier leading the modernist charge, as well as rapidly
growing American Empire to which its cultural influences would spill across the Pacific.These
influences would allow neighbourhood units to thrive, long transit freeways to connect place to
place, employment to become a great possibility as well as the administrative centres which would
house the Commonwealth government of Australia. Through this essay we will be assessing the
modernist and American influences through plans, events, people as well as the competition which
started it all.
Early Urban Planning
There is no one definition of urban planning, but can be defined as a technical and political process
concerned with the use of land and design of the urban environment, including transportation
networks, to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities. It
concerns itself with research and analysis, strategic thinking, architecture, urban design, public
consultation, policy recommendations, implementation and management. (Taylor, 2007)Urban
planning has been evident since the 5th
century mainly in the Egyptian civilisations, but recent
archaeological digs are showing planning in most civilisations with buildings and sewage systemsbeing efficiently placed in a settlement. Planning In early Australia was very minimal with most cities
being placed on the east coast for trade purposes like most cities. Much like America and early
Britain, the lack of strict development regulations saw dense urban neighbourhoods quickly sprawl
out of hand eventually turning to slums. (Stout, 1998). This was evident in early Sydney (figure 1)
and Melbourne, although this type of early planning was basic, usually only about the placement of
infrastructure with no population growth, economics or environmental studies. Planning today has
moved from just placement to a range of areas to a range of areas outlined in the definition above
such as design and consultation.
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Figure 1. Sydney Harbour Bridge with HMAS Canberra in foreground taken from Farm Cove, 19
March 1932.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/national_library_of_australia_commons/6174055380/
Between 1901-1930 Canberra offers the best example of ideas and events associated with the
garden city movement. In the initial design and location of Canberra as the capital several criteria
had to be followed, the most significant includes 100miles from Sydney and agricultural background.
This shows that a garden city influence was evident from the beginning.
The beginning of the 20th
century was the beginning of city beautiful approach to town planning in
Australia. (Freestone, 1986). This introduced the British Garden City movement developed in the
early 20th
century by Ebenezer Howard known for his publication Garden Cities of Tomorrow(1898).
His strong dedication and advocacy to the Garden City model movement largely influenced the
design of Canberra. During this time the garden city was accepted by most with George Taylor
explaining in 1914 We can build it as a model city and its sweetness will spread; for a garden city is
a hundred times more useful, because of the inspiration it creates(Taylor, 1914)
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=3GXtULyanc8RYM&tbnid=jDuZLrlh0bB8xM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/national_library_of_australia_commons/6174055380/&ei=upiVUvihM8TWkAX00IDIBQ&bvm=bv.57155469,d.cGU&psig=AFQjCNHMWj15Sh6ntnLx1oTcuvKDz0yGIQ&ust=13856220472444238/13/2019 Canberra as a Planned City2
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Figure 3. Griffins Plan against Canberra in 2007.
http://www.cityofsound.com/blog/2007/04/bestlaid_plans_.html
Modernist Planning
Modernist planning is a relatively recent move in planning theory. Modernist planning theory began
around the 1890s in America (USA) when people started moving from rural and regional areas to
urban areas and large cities. This shift from rural to urban areas saw populations of cities boom;
between the 1860s and 1910s New Yorks population went from 470,000 to 5million people,
Philadelphiaspopulation tripled to 1.5million and Chicagospopulation went from 112,000 to
2.1million in the same time frame. This obviously put a lot of stress on infrastructure and planning.
Modernist planning theory was put forward to solve these problems, a fundamental part of
modernist planning is buildings and being able to build larger and taller buildings to house
everything from people to business, (LeGates & Stout, 1998).This began with the birth of the
skyscraper which happened in Chicago in 1885 with the world insurance building but since then
skyscraper have grown to become taller and cover the landscape of large cities to create theiridentity, (History, 2013).
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=lXsn6ePcRDYUeM&tbnid=1taSgscck_ERuM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.cityofsound.com/blog/2007/04/bestlaid_plans_.html&ei=K5WVUq7GFcTHkwX-_4DoDw&bvm=bv.57155469,d.dGI&psig=AFQjCNGPO-i-8zVCcyXKnvNAADgvuT2YGQ&ust=13856210947864888/13/2019 Canberra as a Planned City2
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Canberra as a planned city: Early Urban Planning, Modernism and Americanisation influence on Canberra
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World insurance building Evolution of Skyscrapers
The skyscraper allowed modernist planning to house the large populations of cities. A large part ofmodernist planning is also transport and the motor car, with the automobile becoming more popular
and affordable more and more people owned it, (Benevolo, 2013). Modernist planning set out to try
and make commuting as easy as possible. The motorway and freeway were built, more roads and
bigger roads were built basically in modernist planning theory getting from A-B should be as easy as
possible so massive roads were built, (LeGates
& Stout, 1998). Then physical and
psychological problems started to emerge
from environmental degradation, pollution, no
areas of recreation or green spaces. People
who could started moving out of the cities in
to suburbia and then commuting in creating
sprawl, more pollution and more need for
roads, (Richard T LeGates, 2013). These were
issues which planners had to address and
Ebenezer Howards garden city movement
directly addressed but this also caused a shift in modernist planning. Modernist planning no longer
just looked at building taller and making so called megacities modernist planning shifted to try and
become a sustainable form of planning theory. Modernist planning shifted its focus to the
community and open spaces were included for recreation, 4-12 story developments, with shops and
cafs at the base, offices close by and everything within walking distances; New urbanism, (LeGates
& Stout, 1998).
New urbanism Kingston foreshore Development
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Canberra is a modernist city; it displays all aspects of modernism. Modernism didnt really start inAustralia to around the 1910s when people relocated from the bush to the cities, Canberra is a
planned city and it came about in 1913 when modernist planning theory was really taking hold in
Australia due to most of Australiasplanning being influenced by the US. Canberra began with a
quick influx of people mainly public servants to build this capital with exciting plans put forward by
Burley Griffin. What was not foreseen by the government or Canberra was the First world War and
Second World War along with the depression had crippled Australia and strangled and enthusiasm
for Canberra. Canberrasfuture was uncertain but the National capital planning and development
committee (NCPDC) wouldnt let Canberra fail the lake was built, other government departments
were moved to Canberra and built around the Parkes and Barton. Civic centre was developed with
shops and business by the NCPDC and they looked to the federal government for Canberra to have
its own University and ANU was established in Acton in 1948, (Reid, 2002).
Canberra from the 1940s to plans for Canberra now
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Canberras architecture then changed itslandscape taking a much more modernist
planning view from the 1950s onwards
building many more apartments and housing
more people also new parliament house and
other key landmarks like the high court,
national gallery and national museum,
(Gordon, 2006).while this encouraged people
to come to Canberra and with apartments and
taller building there was more room to house
them, the people who came to the bush
capital to live wanted the bush life style so Belconnen, Woden, Tuggeranong areas were created to
house people and with Canberras population reaching over 100,000 people and every household
owning a car Canberras road system become front and centre. The national capital developmentcommission (NCDC) came up with a solution the Y plan this was based on the modernist planning
theory of getting people from A-B as quick as possible. The plan was developing Canberra as a Y with
Belconnen and Gungahlin as the top two pointscentral
Canberra around Civic and parliament in the middle and
Woden to Tuggeranong at the base, (Reid, 2002). The
plan is based on sprawl and requires people to spend a
lot of time in a vehicle and polluting a lot. With a shift
for Canberra to have a viable public transport system
and double in size over the next 50years sprawl isnt seen as a viable option and new modernism is
seen as the way to go for Canberra planning with developments like Kingston foreshore, city to the
lake, south quay and more high-rise developments varying from 4-28stories with Belconnen and
Woden planned to have the tallest building in Canberra in the coming years infill modernist planning
a new urbanism styled planning is the future of Canberras planning, (ACT Government, 2013).
Americanization of Australian Planning
Modernism has been a part of an Americanisation of planning that has influenced Australian cities.
Canberra was designed during the early phases of urban planning models and Walter Burley Griffins
plan was the start of American planning ideas being introduced to Canberra.
Griffins plan was influenced by the LEnfant Plan that was used to design Washington DC. Both
Canberra and Washington have been planned with major landmarks being on a certain angle and
distance away from each other. The areas surrounding the centre of the city are noted for having
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low density buildings and many parks situated near a lake. The street layout is also arranged withhexagonal and triangular angles spiralling off each other, these main roads being major tree lined
avenues lining up with the citys landscape and topography with a grid layout of roads filling in
between. The angles and shapes that the major landmarks of both cities have been designed on
make for good scenery for residents and visitors. Griffin also took inspiration from the Burnham Plan
which occurred in his home city of Chicago in 1909 which was based on having the city closely
situated to lake. This concept is based on the City Beautiful movement and the ideas of the Garden
City. The ideas are based on having a capital city that is aligned perfectly to make for a healthy city
with beautiful environments and scenery. Having been designed by an American, there would
always be an influence from American planning ideas in Canberra and that would develop as
planning entered the Modernist period. (aph.gov.au)
Walter Burley Griffin had a very strong relationship with Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright was a very
influential planner in America who had strong designs for housing. His ideas were very architectural
based which added more American influence to Australias capital. Added American influence camewhen the competition to design Parliament House was awarded to architect Romaldo Giurgola who
had spent most of his career in America. Adding a further American influence to Canberra, this time
it was the most important building in the country. (griffinsociety.org)
The relationship between America and Australia was at its strongest around the 50s and it was then
that Canberra begun to fully develop into the city it is today. At the time American planning theories
were introduced to Canberra. Heavy use of the car lead to highways being built in America and being
introduced to Australia, they were used to connect the new town centres of Woden and Belconnen
to the centre of Canberra and the city has continued to expand. This has altered the design of
central Canberra with Parkes Way becoming a major road taking traffic away from Constitution
Avenue, one of the main roads in Griffins plan. The major use of highways however has made
Canberras heavy use of the use of car a problem with very little public transport causing congestion
on roads. The first shopping mall was introduced to Australia during the 1950s. They were a sign of
American consumerism and were the centre part of Woden and Belconnen. The Shopping mallhelped shape the way in which Civic works now, away from the original plan of having the major
shopping complexes situated around the Sydney and Melbourne Buildings. (Freestone, 2004)
(Legates Stout 1998)
The neighbourhood unit is an American planning theory that is very evident and noticeable and the
majority of Canberra suburbs. Designed by Clarence Perry, the neighbourhood unit was introduced
to Canberra during the 40s and was a very popular model with Canberra planners. The idea was that
the school and local shops are located in the centre of the suburb. The residential houses are located
around the major complexes in the suburb. The main idea behind this is that everyone can find their
daily needs within their own neighbourhood. The schools and shops are often surrounded by green
spaces and parks adding to the Canberra theme of the garden city. This a major influence from
America that is seen in all town centres and is the most influential American planning theory to have
an impact on America. It serves as a low density version of New Urbanism which comes from the
ideas of Modernism. (Freestone 2010)
All of these models and ideas came to Canberra during and part of the Modernist movement in
urban planning. The design of Canberra today has been influenced by American ideas during the
Modernist period and shapes the city that we now know today.
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Canberra as a planned city: Early Urban Planning, Modernism and Americanisation influence on Canberra
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1966 oversaw a new proposal which further exacerbated Americas influence in Canberra alone. TheNational Capital Development Commission invited American transport consultants to assist in
updating a transport plan which would accommodate a further 500,000 people. This plan would
ultimately envisage the future growth in Canberras suburbs. This plan was called the Spatial Plan or
simply the Y Plan as proposal radiated from the city centre(Overall, 1995). Woden and
Tuggeranong would form the tail of this plan while the northern suburbs of Belconnen, Gungahlin
and Sutton would form the two branches which would ultimately form the Y shape. This plan was
designed on the assumption that Canberra would remain a car-reliant society where its citizens
would use public transport to a minimal extent. This plan provided a development of satellite
towns in which town would have a major shopping centre, office blocks and entertainment facilities
which would serve as a magnet in drawing people away from the city centre. The freeways would
serve as transit links which was aimed at attempting to avoid large numbers of vehicles through local
neighbourhoods. School ovals, community facilities and churches were to be within walking distance
from the home. These elements of implementation within the 1967 Spatial Plan reverberate stronglyaround local communities in the United States. Most neighbourhoods from the1950s had
implemented these proposals which were first evident during the post war era.
Overall, Canberra has been highly influenced by America alone. The Modernist movement began in
American and would become a dominant force in planning throughout most of the 20th
century. The
movement successfully implemented transport in cities and towns to accommodate its citizens,
especially the motor vehicle through the idea of the freeways. The New Urbanism, as mentioned by
Robert Freestone, is the most influential aspect of the Modernist Movement in the United States as
well as the neighbourhood unit. Through these elements, Canberra was able to transform into a
capital which can be recognized with similarities to Washington D.C. Walter Burley Griffin, who wasinspired by the new American planning theories has successfully managed to make Canberra an
ever-evolving city with its sustainable and adjustable elements. Canberra will continue to grow as a
capital city if the legacy of Walter Burley Griffin continues to live on through our planning and ideas.
It is important that we understand that what we plan today in the nations capital may affect future
generations yet unborn.
Peer Review:Our group consisted of Boutros Hanna, Alex Adkins, Pat Williams and Joseph
Sutton. We had collaborated together on how the modernist movement and American
influence played out in the planning process of Canberra. We were lucky enough to meet
with a man who has overseen the expansion of Canberra throughout the decades, former
chief planner Geoff Campbell. Through our meeting with him on the 28
th
November, 2013, hewas able to elaborate on the Spatial Plan of 1967, the Federal Government and theNCDCs
role in Canberras planning and the neighbourhood units which are evident around Canberra
today. Alex Adkins did his research on the modernist movement and their influences in
Canberra, Pat Williams pursued the earlier forms of planning which led to the coming of the
modernist and American influences. Joseph Sutton explained Americas strong influence on
Canberra during the many years of planning while Boutros assessed Canberra from within
including the design competition and the Y plan of 1967.
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ReferencesACT Government, 2013. Territory Plan. [Online]
Available at: http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/ni/2008-27/current/default.asp
[Accessed 27 November 2013].
An Ideal City - The 1912 Competition to Design Canberra. 2013.An Ideal City - The 1912 Competition
to Design Canberra. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.idealcity.org.au/ . [Accessed 27 November
2013].
Benevolo, L., 2013. Origins of Modern Town Planning. [Online]
Available at: http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/origins-modern-town-planning
[Accessed 27 November 2013].
Capital City Conundrum: An Exploration of Canberra as the Nations Capital, 2012, accessed from
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pub
s/BN/2011-2012/Canberra (Accessed 26-11-13)
Freestone, R., 1986. Canberra as a Garden City 1901-1930. s.l.:s.n.
Freestone, 2004, The Americanisation of Australian Planning, accessed from
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Overall, J, 1995. Canberra: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow. 1st ed. Canberra: Cambridge Press.
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