20 July 2010

A look at ANU's Hedley Bull Centre

| johnboy
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Architecture blog “Top Box Design” has cast its eye over the ANU’s new Hedley Bull Centre for international relations and comparative politics.

Aside from some lovely pictures they also had this to say in part:

Its hexagonal plan form references the adjacent Coombs Building, metaphorically connecting the new building to this important ANU landmark and its originating role in the development of international studies in Australia. As an object in-the-round the building emphatically marks its urban street corner. The form is cut through on the principal facade, connecting inside and outside and framing views to the surrounding Canberra hills.

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This is another Melbourne designed showpiece for the architectural theme park that is the ANU. It is a poor copy of Louis Kahn’s Exeter library in form and appearance, and has been jazzed up with a bit of computer morphing to try and make it contemporary.

It succeeds in providing accomodation for its function… as architecture its just doesn’t fit in this place. In 5 years time we’ll walk past it and go… “that was so 2001″… a shame.

Waiting For Godot5:19 pm 20 Jul 10

Ah yes, Hedley Bull. I remember when I was at school in the 1970s the head of the ACT Schools Authority (pre self-government) was named Hedley Bear. We sure had some fun with his name, the common response was “any relation to Humphrey (or Yogi)?” At the same time we used to constantly hear about Hedley Bull from the ANU. No they weren’t stockbrokers (bears and bulls, geddit?). A new arrival to Canberra could have been forgiven for thinking that Hedley was an ususually common first name here.

Its a nice building. All the rest is wank

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