Theme Day - The creative artisan

My creative artisan is one Walter Burley Griffin, an architect by profession, with a reputation built firmly upon the vision he and his wife, Marion, designed and drafted of Canberra in 1912, the Australian national capital. There is a lake in the heart of Canberra, named Lake Burley Griffin. He was born in 1876 near Chicago, and died in India in 1937.

Griffin is my fascination at the moment. I have just moved to a suburb of Sydney called Castlecrag, which Griffin developed from scratch starting in 1921. Griffin, his wife, Marion, and his business partner, Eric Milton Nicholls, designed dozens of houses for the estates, but only 15 were ever built. By them. These 15 are still in existence. I am introducing them gradually. Come on (beckoning). Sit down (gesturing). Listen to his tale (smiling).

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Tell-tale mannerisms

Painters sign their name in a corner of their canvas. Even Banksy signs his name on a brick on the laneway wall. The same goes with architects, I guess. Their stylistic quirks become a signature of sorts. Frank Lloyd Wright's work is recognisable, as is Gaudi's, as is Harry Seidler's. I am starting to realise the same can be said about Walter Burley Griffin.

How does one personalise an incinerator? WBG did it with his choice of building material, for starters. He loved the solid granite and less-solid sandstone of the Australian bush that is everywhere on the Castlecrag peninsula. However, there are two other signatures to this building. See the art-deco like design scattered around the building, the angular design. I can find that in his domestic work. See the narrow slits-for windows. That, too, is in his domestic work. Show you next post. There is another shot of the incinerator that I did not realise I needed. Did not realise was THERE. I have to go back and get it. Will take me a coupla daze.