On this day in 1983, a key topic of discussion was the planned changes to the front of the Australian War Memorial. It had been left untouched since 1941. The front of the building had been a famous mainstay for millions of Australians.
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The planned changes included a foyer extension that nearly makes the entrance's height three times taller and controversially, obstructing the view of the famous Hall of Memory dome from the front.
Weighing in on the changes, the head of the school environmental design at the Canberra college of advanced education, Roger Johnson, stated "the immediate impression is that one of the most effective pieces of architecture in Canberra has been interfered with in a quite unwarranted way".
He argued that the dome encourages visitors to come into the courtyard and catch the view between the portal towers. This intrigue disappears with the proposed design for the building.
Johnson reiterated that "this building is a competition winner and any alterations to this degree ought to receive wide public comment and the decision to proceed be reconsidered".
The National Capital Development Commission oversaw the proposed changes and had ensured the Australian War Memorial Council that the dome will still be visible from the stone.
The reason for increasing the height was to improve the aesthetic of the building to allow more natural light into the enlarged foyer area.
