A fountain stands here. It commemorates Walter Burley Griffin. This American architect and town planner designed Canberra. But his influence extends far beyond the capital.
The Walter Burley Griffin sculpture, a tribute to this visionary, sits here. Griffin made his mark on Sydney. In 1920, he formed the Greater Sydney Development Association Ltd. The goal was to build residential estates. These estates would sit on Sydney’s Middle Harbour.
Castlecrag was the first estate. It began in 1921. Griffin wanted to maintain the natural landscape’s character. He designed distinctive houses of rock and concrete. These houses were meant to show buyers the desired style. But the houses were considered eccentric at the time. They even tended to leak. Later generations revered them.
Let’s look closer at the Walter Burley Griffin sculpture itself. The fountain memorial was unveiled in Castlecrag in 1965. The Mayor of Willoughby, Alderman O. F. McGinty, turned it on. Mrs. McGinty planted the first tree in an avenue of honour. The sculptor, Bim Hilder, created the bronze fountain. Hilder once worked with Griffin. Besides Canberra’s lake, it’s the only memorial to Griffin.
Griffin’s impact on Sydney lasted 23 years, from 1914 to 1937. He designed public and private architectural projects. He contributed to domestic and civic architecture. After his Canberra appointment ended in 1920, he focused on Castlecrag.
Outside Castlecrag, Griffin’s Sydney projects included the Australia Picture Palace, now demolished. He also created the University of Sydney campus plan in 1915. Between 1929 and 1936, he designed municipal incinerators. Several private residences in Sydney’s northern suburbs also bear his mark.
Eric Milton Nicholls, Griffin’s partner, managed the Melbourne office. He moved to Castlecrag in 1932. After Griffin’s death in 1937, Nicholls continued the practice from there.
During the Depression, Griffin designed seven incinerator buildings. These were for the Reverberatory Incinerator and Engineering Company. Leonard Kanevsky commissioned them. Kanevsky convinced officials of their importance. Griffin’s elegant structures became civic embellishments.
Notable Griffin residences include the Alan C. Cameron Residence in Killara and the Estelle James Residence in Avalon. Also significant are the David H Pratten Residence and the Eric Pratten Residence, both in Pymble. The A. Edward Winter Residence is in Telopea.
The Pratten Houses in Pymble are the largest houses Griffin designed in Sydney. They feature stucco, terracotta, and sandstone details. The Stella James house in Avalon is now owned by the National Trust of New South Wales.
Nicholls brought business skills to the partnership. Houses under his supervision had fewer defects. The Willoughby and Glebe incinerators, the Stella James Residence, and the Winter Residence remain significant Griffin projects.
Marion Mahony Griffin also played a vital role. In 2021, the Walter Burley Griffin Society commissioned a sculpture to honour Marion. It would stand in a new community park in Castlecrag. The sculpture is designed by Sandra Pitkin. Her design embraces Marion’s prismatic geometry and fluid lines. The new park will hopefully be named Marion’s Park. This sculpture aims to raise awareness of Marion Mahony Griffin’s contributions. She had a vision for art, design, architecture, community, and the environment.
The Walter Burley Griffin sculpture reminds us of Griffin’s legacy. It also highlights the importance of Marion Mahony Griffin. Their combined vision shaped not only Canberra but also significant parts of Sydney. Their architectural and community planning ideas continue to inspire.