ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collection
HMSS 0179 Cameron Offices, Photographic Record of Construction
Scope and content notes
Call Number | HMSS 0179 |
|---|---|
Collection | Photographic Record of Construction Progress of the Cameron Offices |
Date Range | 1971 - 1976 |
Quantity | 0.44 m (3 Manuscript boxes) |
Access Conditions | Open |
File Number | - |
Related Collections | - |
The Cameron Offices complex in Belconnen Town Centre is Canberra's (and probably Australia's) first and perhaps only true architectural example of Structuralism, where buildings are integral and contributing elements of an overall urban order rather than separate and individual elements.
Belconnen Town Centre was conceived as residential, commercial and retail sectors connected via an internal pedestrian street, with an improved work environment by allowing each person a landscaped view. The Cameron Offices design was nine wings of four storeys, which stepped with the contours of the site and were linked across roadways via pedestrian walkways to adjacent residential and retail complexes. It influenced the design briefs for other office complexes commissioned by the National Capital Development Commission in the 1970s and 1980s. The complex is a very good example of two late 20th century styles: International and Brutalist.
As well as large-scale innovation, the complex incorporates a variety of new and unusual technical and design features, including integration of the lighting and air conditioning within the floor beams, a new structural system for column-free spaces in the office wings, overhanging upper floors for shading to the north, and long reinforced concrete balustrades along the ‘Mall’, the communication spine connecting the eastern ends of the wings. Courtyard landscaping with native species created a uniquely Australian concept in office landscapes.
The complex was designed by John Andrews, a leading Australian architect of the modern movement, and the structural system by Peter Miller, then one of Australia’s most creative structural engineers. In 1999 it was entered in the Australian Register of the National Estate, the World Register of Significant 20th Century Australian Architecture, and World Architecture: A Critical Mosaic, a history of 20th century architecture.
Cameron Offices was the first building constructed in the Town Centre, from 1970 to 1977. It has suffered perennially from leaks, and in 1987-88 the rooftop tennis courts and garden terraces were themselves roofed in an attempt to resolve the problem.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics had always been the major tenant, and in 1999 it was announced that, following the sale of Cameron and the nearby Benjamin Offices, a new building would be constructed on the Cameron Offices site for the Bureau. In July 2001 John Andrews and the new owners, Cameron Nominees, re-examined the proposal. Their recommendation was that Wings 1 and 2 and the walkway to the bus interchange be demolished and the remainder partitioned for use as residential and small commercial premises, retaining the Optical Galaxy sculpture in place and modifying the courtyards to provide main address to each apartment.
It was agreed in 2003 to retain Wings 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and part of Wing 8, and these elements of the Cameron Offices were nominated for inclusion in the Commonwealth Heritage List in 2004. The Australian Heritage Council refused entry on the National Heritage List, but recognised that the offices had Commonwealth Heritage values. Wings 3, 4, 5 and the Bridge were listed in 2005; the remaining wings were to be demolished. In 2008 a request was made for emergency listing in the National Heritage List on the grounds of heritage values under imminent threat, but it was disallowed. In February 2011 the University of Canberra began negotiations to enable one wing of the building to be used for student accommodation.
Keith White was a leading hand working closely with the architect on the building of the Cameron Offices. The material donated was scheduled for disposal.
Mr White was permitted to keep the material for himself. The collection consisted of four lever arch files and one envelope of site plans and photographs constituting a Photographic Record of Progress of the Cameron Offices 1971 - 1975, and 26 technical manuals and costing books.
Series 1 consists of technical manuals and trades literature, possibly used in the construction and fitting out of Cameron Offices.
Series 2 consists of sets of black and white photographs each with a site plan on which is marked positions from which the photographs were taken.
There are approximately 600 images in this collection.
Box List
Box No. | Series No. | Description | Date Range |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Trades Literature: Cunic Industries Ltd (NZ). Technical Information concerning internal walls 1969-72. R. Fowler Limited. Sales and Technical Date for Fowler Ware High-Density Vitreous China. 1971. Stanley. Door Operating Equipment : Hydraulic, electric, pneumatic. Fact File. March 1971. Dickson & Johnson Pty Ltd. Stainless Steel Specialists. Product Specifications. 1970. Monodek Pty Ltd. Product specifications for roofing materials. 1972. Roof & Building Service Pty. Ltd. Lokrib : copper standing seam roof product specifications. Ca. 1972. Padde. Engineer Fire Protection. Series of technical data sheets and product specifications for Padde fire doors, walls, detectors, extinguishing systems etc.. ca 1967-ca 1970. Expandite Limited. Expandite Technical handbook : jointing, waterproofing and surface treatment. 1975. Multi Lighting. Fact sheets. 1973. Ramset. Ramset Fastening Systems. Various product information and specification sheets on Ramset products: glues, sealants, fixatives, fastenings and equipment. Mid 1970s. | 1969 – 1973 |
1 | 2 | Photographs Vol. 1: (125 images) 27 Nov 1970 – 9 photographs 22 Dec 1970 – 8 photographs 22 Jan 1971 – 12 photographs 26 Feb 1971 – 12 photographs 26 Mar 1971 – 14 photographs, 1 photocopied image 23 Apr 1971 – 11 photographs 28 May 1971 – 16 photographs 25 Jun 1971 – 18 photographs, 1 photograph dated 28 Jun 1971 30 Jul 1971 – 19 photographs 26 Aug 1971 – 20 photographs 30 Sep 1971 – 18 photographs | 27 Nov 1970 – 30 Sep 1971 |
2 | 2 | Photographs Vol 2: (180 images) 1 Nov 1971 – 20 photographs, 1 loose photograph undated taken by Gordon Reid, Kingston 3 Dec 1971 – 22 photographs 7 Feb 1972 – 14 photographs 17 Mar 1972 – 16 photographs 28 Apr 1972 – 16 photographs, no site plan 26 May 1972 – 16 photographs 7 Jul 1972 – 17 photographs 25 Aug 1972 – 17 photographs 23 Oct 1972 – 10 photographs 25 Nov 1972 – section divider, no photographs 6 Dec 1972 – 18 photographs, no site plan Undated – 6 aerial photographs | 1 Nov 1971 – 6 Dec 1972 |
3 | 2 | Photographs Vol 3: (144 images) 14 Feb 1973 – 20 photographs 2 Apr 1973 – 15 photographs 11 May 1973 – 17 photographs 22 Jun 1973 – 20 photographs 20 Jul 1973 – 19 photographs 9 Aug 1973 – 16 photographs 10 Oct 1973 – 18 photographs 16 Nov 1973 – 19 photographs | 14 Feb – 16 Nov 1973 |
3 | 2 | Photographs Vol 4: (116 images) 8 Feb 1974 – 20 photographs 22 Mar 1974, handover of Wing 7 – 10 photographs 29 Mar 1974 – 19 photographs, no site plan 13 May 1974 – 14 photographs 19 Aug 1974 – 25 photographs 15 Nov 1974 – 15 photographs 14 May 1975 – 19 photographs 6 Aug 1975 – 15 photographs 20 Oct 1975 – 12 photographs, no site plan | 8 Feb 1974 – 20 Oct 1975 |
3 | 2 | Photographs Forty (40) Unmounted photographs of completed and near-completed buildings: 26 Mar 1971 – 12 photographs and 1 photocopied image, all duplicates except no. NDC1979/4 17 Sep 1975 – 18 photographs and 2 dividers without photographs 17 Mar 1976 – 10 photographs | 1971, 1975-1976 |