Walter Burley Griffin

Walter Burley Griffin (November 24, 1876 - February 11, 1937), American architect, gained fame for his role in designing Canberra, Australia's capital city.

Griffin was born in Maywood, in Chicago, Illinois, and obtained a degree in architecture in 1899.

From 1901 to 1912, Griffin worked for Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park, Illinois. During this time, Griffin designed many houses in the Chicago area, and also married Marion Lucy Mahony early in his career in 1911.

In 1911, Griffin won the design competition for Australia's new capital Canberra. In 1914, Griffin and his wife Marion moved to Australia, where they stayed for the next 21 years.

While in Australia, Griffin oversaw the design of North and South Canberra, though he had to struggle with politics and bureaucracy. Several parts of his basic design underwent change. For instance, plans to create a Westbourne, Southbourne and Eastbourne Avenue to complement Canberra's Northbourne Avenue came to nothing. An intended series of streets arranged in asterisk fashion intended for inner south-east Canberra (in what are now the suburbs of Fyshwick and Narrabundah) were similarly never built.

Griffin later designed the inner northern Sydney suburb of Castlecrag. Griffin used what was at that time the novel concept of including native bushland in the design. Griffin also helped to design the New South Wales towns of Leeton and Griffith.

In 1935, the Griffins left Australia to go to Lucknow, India. During his time there, Griffin designed a series of 60 university buildings. This activity ceased in 1937, when he died from peritonitis, following an unsuccessful operation.

A landmark in Chicago and an artificial lake in Canberra are both named after Walter Burley Griffin.

Links

Australia: Canberra: The Nation's Capitol: History of the Capitol: Walter Burley Griffin
--> http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/history/history_03.htm