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John Gorton Building

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Coordinates: 35°18′04″S 149°08′02″E / 35.301184°S 149.133879°E / -35.301184; 149.133879
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John Gorton Building
Map
Former namesAdministrative Building
EtymologyJohn Gorton
General information
StatusUnder renovation[as of?]
TypeCommercial office
Architectural styleInter-war Stripped Classical
LocationKing Edward Terrace, Parkes, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
CountryAustralia
Coordinates35°18′04″S 149°08′02″E / 35.301184°S 149.133879°E / -35.301184; 149.133879
Groundbreaking7 October 1927
Construction started1946
Topped-out1956
Completed1956
Opened2 February 1956; 68 years ago (1956-02-02)
Renovated2013
Cost£5 million
Renovation costA$17.3 million
OwnerCommonwealth of Australia
Design and construction
Architect(s)George Sydney Jones
Architecture firm
Main contractorConcrete Constructions
Official nameJohn Gorton Building, Parkes Pl, Parkes, ACT, Australia
TypeListed place
CriteriaD., E.
Designated22 June 2004
Reference no.105472
References
[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

The John Gorton Building, also referred to as the Gorton Building and formerly the Administrative Building,[3] is a heritage listed[7][8] government office located within the Parliamentary Triangle in Canberra, Australia. The office building is the administrative headquarters of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

Planned in 1924, designed in 1946 and completed in 1956, the Administrative Building is significant as a good Canberra example of the Inter-war Stripped Classical style. Key features of this style displayed by the building include: the symmetrical facades; the division of the elevations into vertical bays; the occasional use of correct Classical details; the use of a basic Classical column form; the expressed portico; the simple surface treatments; and subdued spandrels between the storeys which emphasise verticality. Design elements which retain a high level of integrity include the exterior, foyers, lift lobbies and central corridors.

The Administrative Building is also part of the significant cultural landscape of the Parliamentary triangle. It occupies a prominent and strategic location flanking the land axis in accordance with the 1916 Griffin plan. Together with the later Treasury Building balancing its mass across the central lawns of the land axis, the Administrative Building contributes to the planned aesthetic qualities of the Parliamentary triangle. The building was listed on the Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.[1]

History

The building was first planned 1924,[9] with construction breaking ground soon after in 1927.[10][11] However, due to budgetary constraints[12][13][14] and substandard foundation construction,[15][16][17] the project was delayed indefinitely.[18][19] It took until 1946 for construction to begin, designed in the Inter-war Stripped Classical style.[1][20][21] It took a further ten years for the building to finally open in 1956.[22][23] The entire construction project took place in the context of a large post-war expansion effort within Canberra.[24]

When the office building was first opened, it was occupied by the News and Information Bureau,[22] the Department of the Interior,[25] the Department of Health,[26] and the Department of External Affairs (DEA).[27] The DEA and succeeding departments remained the building's primary occupant up until the late 1990s when the Department of Finance moved in.[28] In 1999 the building was renamed to the John Gorton Building, after Australia's 19th prime minister, John Gorton.[29]

Bunker

In 1974, construction began on a communications centre for the Department of Foreign Affairs (previously the Department of External Affairs),[30][31] who were now the primary occupant of the building following an expansion during the cold war.[32][33] The existing structure did not have the security nor space to house the communications equipment.[34] In order to prevent spying and protect against foreign attacks, it was constructed with steel lined walls and a concrete super structure.[35] Despite being often referred to as a "bunker",[36][34][37] it is not nor has it ever been a bunker.

By 2000, due to the modernization of the computer systems and their subsequent move to the main structure, the bunker was abandoned for several years.[38] In 2003, the bunker was renovated and turned into office space for the newly occupying Department of Finance and remains in use today.[when?][34]

Despite the fact the existence of the bunker has always been public knowledge[30] and today[when?] is openly visible from the outside,[39] the bunker is the subject of urban legend in Canberra to this day, being speculated to be in several different locations.[40][41]

Plaza
Plaza refurbishment

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "John Gorton Building, Parkes Pl, Parkes, ACT, Australia (Place ID 105472)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. 22 June 2004. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Calwell Concerned At Number Of Pressmen [?]". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 3 October 1957. p. 16. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  3. ^ a b McIlroy, Tom (21 July 2017). "John Gorton Building works not finished until July 2018". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  4. ^ "BUILDING ESTIMATED TO COST £2 MILLION". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 18 January 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Added by @blindsay72 Instagram post". www.picuki.com. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  6. ^ "John Gorton Building, Parkes ACT formerly known as the Administration Building". studylib.net. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Register of Significant Architecture: John Gorton Building and former Communications Centre" (PDF). Royal Australian Institute of Architects. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  8. ^ "John Gorton Building | DJAS Architecture". Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  9. ^ "CANBERRA BUILDING OPERATIONS". Federal Capital Pioneer (Canberra, ACT: 1924 - 1926). 22 April 1926. p. 4. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  10. ^ "ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 12 August 1927. p. 1. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  11. ^ "ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 7 October 1927. p. 1. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  12. ^ "EXPENDITURE OUT OF REVENUE". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 30 September 1927. p. 2. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  13. ^ "CITY PROGRESS". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 16 December 1927. p. 8. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  14. ^ "CANBERRA BUILDING OPERATIONS". Federal Capital Pioneer (Canberra, ACT: 1924 - 1926). 22 April 1926. p. 4. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  15. ^ "ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 31 August 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  16. ^ "ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDINGS". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 17 September 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  17. ^ "WORKS COMMITTEE FINDS ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK FOUNDATIONS USELESS". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 30 October 1947. p. 5. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  18. ^ "ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDINGS". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 17 September 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  19. ^ "THE SCHOOLS". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 14 May 1930. p. 3. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  20. ^ "BIG POST-WAR PROGRAMME FOR CANBERRA". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 26 January 1946. p. 2. Retrieved 10 May 2020 – via Trove.
  21. ^ "History of our buildings | National Library of Australia". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  22. ^ a b "First Transfer To New Block Next Week-End". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 2 February 1956. p. 2. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  23. ^ "News and Information Bureau Offices". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 13 January 1956. p. 4. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  24. ^ "First Transfer To New Block Next Week-End". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 2 February 1956. p. 2. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  25. ^ "Second Section To Move Into New Block". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 11 February 1956. p. 2. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  26. ^ "Health Dept. In New Block". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 27 March 1956. p. 2. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  27. ^ "DEFENCE STAFFS MOVE IN". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 13 December 1958. p. 2. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  28. ^ Thomson, Phillip (8 December 2014). "John Gorton Building set to be Canberra's newest phantom office block". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  29. ^ Australia, Australia Environment (1999). Administrative Building reopening and renaming as the John Gorton Building. Canberra: Environment Australia.
  30. ^ a b "Temporary car park for 300". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 21 December 1973. p. 6. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  31. ^ "THE BUDGET AND CANBERRA Government-house rents to go up". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 22 August 1973. p. 3. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  32. ^ "Security of missions 'being studied'". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 18 July 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  33. ^ "Staff problem in Foreign Affairs". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926 - 1995). 14 November 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  34. ^ a b c "Are there secret tunnels in Canberra?". ABC News. 31 January 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  35. ^ Photographs of the Foreign Affairs Communications Centre including the heritage foyer display, Australia, 2002, retrieved 10 May 2020{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  36. ^ Ellery, David (3 June 2013). "The building that never gave up". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  37. ^ Man, Tim the Yowie (16 July 2018). "Five secrets hidden beneath Canberra, but how many are true?". The Age. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  38. ^ "Communications Centre, John Gorton Building, Parkes, ACT Also known as the bunker". studylib.net. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  39. ^ "Australian Greenhouse Office | DJAS Architecture". Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  40. ^ Holland, Peter. ""Exploring" in Canberra – any good tunnels / caves or other fun exploring areas?". The RiotACT. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  41. ^ H1NG0. "Top Secret military "bases" in Canberra". The RiotACT. Retrieved 11 May 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

Attribution

This Wikipedia article was originally based on John Gorton Building, Parkes Pl, Parkes, ACT, Australia, entry number 105472 in the Australian Heritage Database published by the Commonwealth of Australia 2004 under CC-BY 4.0 licence, accessed on 20 May 2020.

Bibliography

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