Canberra, Australia: The New Parliament House

Posted by Cindy on July 7, 2009

The very beginning stages of the planning for the New Parliament House located in Canberra, Australia were steeped in controversy, due to the disagreements over the location for the site.  When that was finally agreed upon, a contest for designers and architects was held and the design was completed with the main building being placed in the space that once was a small hill.  The roof of the building was a garden covered with grass, which still exists but is not longer accessible for the public based on past security concerns. The entire complex consists of different design elements.  From the grass covered roof of the main building, to the grand facade, with passages connected by large walls, curved and existing on either side of the main entrance.  Many of the buildings in the country are generally known to have built using sub-standard materials that have a live of less than one hundred years.  Not so with the Parliament building, and while this did serve to raise the cost of the project, the results of the higher quality materials will ensure the life of the structure.

While the large building is an innovative and incredible site, some say that now, the ministers and cabinet members have places to hide, meaning that the public interaction with their government figures that was so inclusive in the smaller Parliament house, this has created a distance between those governing and those being governed.  Regardless, many state that this will improve over time, as those interested will find their way through the maze of the architecture, and that feeling will once again be re-instilled.  This has nothing to do with those working in the building, they are not trying to avoid contact, it is just the nature of the building.  This is an impressive structure that draws many tourists during their visits to Canberra. Australia hotel staff are knowledgeable and will offer directions to the building.  There are daily tours and lectures, there is a cafe open to the public as well as a number of shops and stores.  And with the exception of Christmas day, the Parliament House is open every day of the year.