Cameron Offices, Belconnen
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(Andrews 1972)
The Cameron Offices, are located in the Australian capital Canberra, in the satellite district of Belconnen. The government buildings were used to house Australian Federal Government departments, most recently the government superannuation agency, ComSuper. The buildings were designed by John Andrews in the Brutalist style of architecture and constructed between 1970-77.
The buildings, constructed primarily of concrete, were a series of pavilions linked by walkways featuring gardens within void between the pavilions. The various gardens were themed according to different types of vegetation and ecosystems from various parts of Australia. The design qualities of the Cameron Offices were recognised as significant at the time of their construction and the buildings were listed on the National Heritage Register.
Although they are located close to a bus interchange, their location has been criticised for being isolated by carparks and being too distantly located from the central shopping centre. The nature of the voids within the pavilions resulted in windtunnel effects, which combined with the buildings' concrete design made them unpleasant to walk around, particularly in the winter. Due to these design elements, the Cameron Offices were unpopular with many of the public servants who worked in the buildings.
The offices have been progressively decommissioned and are due to be redeveloped.
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