Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00148:reg:2017:p13
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00148
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2017 (pt 13/81)
Character Range: 74243–77146

of the ground floor, resulted in a plan shape which is a great deal wider than the modern standard office building.'[54]

The building was based on, but did not adhere in detail to, Greco-Roman architecture, and, in the words of Bunning,

    'is clearly a contemporary derivation in the spirit of classical design.  This was considered to be appropriate not only because of the tribute to the background from which Western culture has developed but also because of the sheer monumentality of its expression.  It is an architectural language which was inherent in the colonial buildings of Australia's early beginnings…

    The building is clad in the finest material procurable, marble, granite, slate, bronze and copper;  all traditional materials noted for their lasting qualities.  In the interior, use is made of the finest Australian timbers.'[55]

The building had to be flexible enough to allow growth.  The podium was designed to allow expansion of stack areas without interfering with the building above.  This expansion (on the western and northern sides only) took place between 1979 and 1986.  Two flanking buildings were envisaged as building extensions, but have not been constructed (see Figure 25).

Figure 25.  1962 masterplan showing proposed extended podium and flanking buildings, and extent of stage I podium
Source:  National Library of Australia

Work on the construction commenced in May 1964.  Former Prime Minister Menzies laid the foundation stone in 1966, and Prime Minister Gorton opened the Library in 1968.

The incorporation of artworks was a deliberate part of the building design.  Leading artists were approached to prepare works for the Library.

Tom Bass, a noted sculptor also responsible for the 'Ethos' statue in Canberra's Civic Square, designed the Library Lintel Sculpture above the main library entrance.  The three-panel sculpture is Bass's largest work, and depicts themes derived from Sumerian seals, representing the sun (enlightenment), the tree of life, and the ark of knowledge.  Commissioned in 1966, the work was installed in 1968.[56]

Leonard French designed and made 16 stained glass windows for the entry foyer space of the Library (described in Section 2.2 above).  The windows were installed as the building structure was being completed, in 1967.[57]

The series of seven copper panels above the General Reading Room bay windows on the exterior lake side of the building are a less-well known artistic element of the building, and are often overlooked altogether.  The proposed panels for this location, designed by Andor Metzsaros, were rejected by the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board, and the replacement panels were designed within Bunning & Madden's office by Arthur Robb, ostensibly as part of the architectural design rather than as artworks, to avoid scrutiny by the Art Advisory Board.  The panels, installed in 1968, have striking