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Canberra architect Ajanthan Bala has loved airports since he arrived in Australia as a three-year-old. “For a migrant family, the airport was almost a sense of freedom of going somewhere different,” he said. “I have always loved airports, regardless if I spend eight hours or one hour in transit, I’ve just really enjoyed the experience of being in an airport. “Plus I love plane food, which is really weird.” So when it comes to his favourite building in Canberra, it’s unsurprising that it’s the airport. “The building itself is just gorgeous … it takes into account our views and the Brindabellas,” Mr Bala said. “That entry is just gorgeous when you arrive into Canberra, you see that and it’s not just blocked off with the building so, incorporating the landscape and the urban planning with the building makes such a big difference. “It’s not just the building itself … but I feel the airport is almost a gift to the city. It’s the portal to the rest of the world and for such a long time Canberra didn’t have that.” Mr Bala’s real love affair did not begin with Canberra Airport until its major redevelopment, which finished in 2013. “It’s a really nice building that’s been designed well … and it sort of shows off Canberra and what Canberra is about,” he said. “You get that sense when you are flying into Sydney and you see the Opera House … I think they have created that in Canberra now with the artworks that have gone in with the sculptures, the landscape, even on the runway seeing the kangaroo on the land gives a really nice sense of home. “I have memories of the old airport here which was pretty embarrassing actually in [today’s] terms.” The Canberra Airport redevelopment was designed by Guida Moseley Brown Architects. The architecture firm won a 2005 competition to design the redevelopment. The redeveloped airport opened seven years ago on March 13, 2013, to coincide with the centenary of Canberra. READ MORE: While Mr Bala relishes in the development of Canberra, he still has a love for the old – his other favourite building in the city is the Civic Pub. He thinks it’s important for the old to coexist along the new. “There has been a lot of stuff that has come up on Lonsdale Street since the pub, but the pub just has a certain charm to it,” he said. “I don’t know if it is the beer on the carpet or what it is but it has just got its own little charm. “There is an old-world light post they haven’t changed up and just being able to sit along the street in that typical pub setting is quite beautiful. “We don’t want to lose that on Lonsdale Street because there is a lot of renewal going on but there is a lot of history to try and retain in some form.”
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Canberra architect Ajanthan Bala has loved airports since he arrived in Australia as a three-year-old.
“For a migrant family, the airport was almost a sense of freedom of going somewhere different,” he said.
“I have always loved airports, regardless if I spend eight hours or one hour in transit, I’ve just really enjoyed the experience of being in an airport.
“Plus I love plane food, which is really weird.”
So when it comes to his favourite building in Canberra, it’s unsurprising that it’s the airport.
“The building itself is just gorgeous … it takes into account our views and the Brindabellas,” Mr Bala said.
“That entry is just gorgeous when you arrive into Canberra, you see that and it’s not just blocked off with the building so, incorporating the landscape and the urban planning with the building makes such a big difference.
“It’s not just the building itself … but I feel the airport is almost a gift to the city. It’s the portal to the rest of the world and for such a long time Canberra didn’t have that.”
Mr Bala’s real love affair did not begin with Canberra Airport until its major redevelopment, which finished in 2013.
“It’s a really nice building that’s been designed well … and it sort of shows off Canberra and what Canberra is about,” he said.
Ajanthan Bala says the redevelopment of the Canberra Airport shows off the city. Picture: Elesa Kurtz
“You get that sense when you are flying into Sydney and you see the Opera House … I think they have created that in Canberra now with the artworks that have gone in with the sculptures, the landscape, even on the runway seeing the kangaroo on the land gives a really nice sense of home.
“I have memories of the old airport here which was pretty embarrassing actually in [today’s] terms.”
The Canberra Airport redevelopment was designed by Guida Moseley Brown Architects. The architecture firm won a 2005 competition to design the redevelopment.
The redeveloped airport opened seven years ago on March 13, 2013, to coincide with the centenary of Canberra.
While Mr Bala relishes in the development of Canberra, he still has a love for the old – his other favourite building in the city is the Civic Pub. He thinks it’s important for the old to coexist along the new.
“There has been a lot of stuff that has come up on Lonsdale Street since the pub, but the pub just has a certain charm to it,” he said.
“I don’t know if it is the beer on the carpet or what it is but it has just got its own little charm.
“There is an old-world light post they haven’t changed up and just being able to sit along the street in that typical pub setting is quite beautiful.
“We don’t want to lose that on Lonsdale Street because there is a lot of renewal going on but there is a lot of history to try and retain in some form.”
- This article is part of a series that looks at the favourite buildings of Canberra architects.
