Federal environment minister Sussan Ley has approved the widely derided $498 million redevelopment of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra that would entail the demolition of the existing Anzac Hall.
The minister approved the project “based on Departmental advice,” despite a submission against the proposal from the Australian Heritage Council.
The proposal to demolish Anzac Hall has drawn criticism from architects, heritage experts, former directors of the Australian War Memorial and distinguished Australians who have described the proposal as “wasteful” and “a mark of disrespect.”
Anzac Hall, designed by Denton Corker Marshall, won the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture in 2005. It is set to become the first winner of that award to be demolished.
A proposed glazed link between the existing building a new Anzac Hall designed by Cox Architecture.
The redevelopment proposal includes a new southern entrance designed by Scott Carver, a new Anzac Hall and glazed link designed by Cox Architecture, as well as the extension to the Bean building, public realm works and the refurbishment of the main building, designed by Emil Sodersten and John Crust and completed in 1941. The heritage facades will remain unchanged.
The Australian Institute of Architects attacked the government for its “disgraceful decision” which “undermines confidence in Australia’s heritage protection framework” and constitutes “an abject failure of government to meaningfully consider the community’s perspectives on the project.”
“The expert heritage advice from multiple government-commissioned and independent assessments regarding the adverse impacts knocking down Anzac Hall will have on the site’s heritage values was unanimous and has been ignored by the Minister,” said Clare Cousins, past national president of the Institute and spokesperson for the Hands Off Anzac Hall campaign.
Minister Ley said, “The Australian War Memorial holds a sacred place in the hearts of Australians and there are 29 strict conditions of approval to minimise and mitigate the residual impacts on the site’s National Heritage and Commonwealth Heritage values.”
However, the Institute disputes effectiveness of the conditions. “It is nonsensical to suggest that any of the 29 conditions can, or will, ‘minimise and mitigate’ the impacts from demolishing a building in its entirety – there can be no bigger impact on a building than its total destruction.
“This is a disgraceful decision that sets a dangerous precedent for the future of our nation’s heritage. It comes towards the end of a deeply flawed process notable for its lack of transparency and genuine consultation.
“Announcing the outcome for such a controversial proposal in the last hour of parliament on the final sitting day of the year can only be seen as a calculated attempt to once again avoid the scrutiny and criticism the government knew this decision would attract.”
The proposed expansion of the Australian War Memorial will be most significant investment since its establishment after World War One.
Shannon Battinson, the Institute’s ACT chapter president, added, “This is a bitterly disappointing decision that reflects a comprehensive failure to listen to the advice of experts and the wishes of the community alike.”
“This is the wanton destruction of a much-loved public space and all the talent and effort – not to mention taxpayer dollars – that went into it.
“Anzac Hall was designed to stand and stand with expansion for 30, 40, 50 years to come. To condemn it to the scrap heap now is a real travesty.
“Approving the destruction of Anzac Hall, when the site’s Heritage Management Plan expressly requires its conservation, is one of the most appalling examples of disregarding heritage protections and rubber-stamping a major public project in recent memory.”
The director of the Australian War Memorial Matt Anderson said the proposal has cleared its first hurdle. “This is the first of three major approval processes required to progress the development, which aims to honour the commitment of the 100,000 Australians who have served our country over the past 30 years.”
Source: Architecture - architectureau
