Who designed Parliament House in Canberra?
Parliament House in Canberra was designed by the architectural firm Mitchell/Giurgola and Thorp, led by Italian-born architect Romaldo Giurgola, after winning an international competition in 1980.
The competition attracted more than 300 entries from around the world. Giurgola, based in the United States, worked with Australian architect Richard Thorp, who later led the project in Canberra.
The design placed the building inside Capital Hill, with grassed roofs so that the public could walk above their representatives. Two curved walls follow the shape of the hill and divide the building into areas for the House of Representatives, the Senate and the executive.
Art and craft
The building includes thousands of artworks and crafted objects by Australian artists, from the forecourt mosaic to timber furniture and marquetry panels.
Giurgola moved to Canberra to oversee the project, became an Australian citizen and lived in the city until his death in 2016. He was awarded the Royal Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal.
The building opened on 9 May 1988, during Australia's Bicentenary, and replaced the provisional Parliament House. Its design has been praised for symbolising democracy, though some critics say security changes over the years have made it less open to the public than originally intended.
Did You Know?
Parliament House was designed to last for at least 200 years.