Canberra: a sheep in wolf’s clothing

Freek Colombijn

International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 1998, vol. 22, issue 4, 565-581

Abstract: Canberra, the capital of the Commonwealth of Australia, was built as a symbol of a new nation. The city’s symbolism is dominated by an optic axis, provided by the masterplan of Walter Burley Griffin. The dominant message of the objects at the poles of this axis, the Parliament House and the War Memorial, is nationalism. The Parliament House brings the nation together at one point and the War Memorial specifies that the Australian national is tough, resourceful, and comradely. By its reference to heroic deeds in wartime, the War Memorial gives a belligerent message in an otherwise peaceful landscape. Women and spiritual religions are conspicuously absent from Canberra. There is a remarkable tolerance towards other nations leaving their symbolic footprint in Canberra. — Canberra, la capitale du Commonwealth d’Australie, fut construite comme symbole de la nation. Le symbolisme de la ville est dominé par un axe optique, d’après le plan d’ensemble détaillé de Walter Burley Griffin. Le message dominant des objets aux extrémités de cet axe, le Parlement et le monument aux morts, est le nationalisme. Le Parlement rassemble la nation à un point donné, et le monument aux morts spécifie que l’australien est tenace, ingénieux, et amical. Le monument aux morts rappelle des actes de guerre héroïıques et envoie un message belligérant dans un paysage autrement tranquille. Les femmes et les religions spirituelles sont très manifestement absentes de Canberra. Il y a une tolérance remarquable envers les autres nations qui ont laissé leur empreinte symbolique sur Canberra.

Date: 1998
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