Guide to the Papers of Walter Bunning
MS 5543
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Walter Bunning
- Title
- Papers of Walter Bunning
- Date Range
- 1933-1976
- Collection Number
- MS 5543
- Extent
- 0.64 metres (4 boxes, 19 folio items)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The papers consist of correspondence, reports, plans, specifications, and newspaper-cutting books, photograph albums, official publications and issues of journals. They document Bunning's early work as an architectural writer, records of the architectural firm of Bunning and Madden (1945 and 1976) and papers relating to the official inquiries on planning matters that Bunning undertook in the last ten years of his life. Of special interest are the papers relating to the design and construction of the National Library building, which Bunning regarded as his greatest achievement.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn535283).
Conditions Governing Use
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred Citation
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Walter Bunning, National Library of Australia, MS 5543, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
Walter Bunning presented his papers to the National Library in December 1976, ten months before his death.
Related Materials
Other material on Walter Bunning is held at MS 7332.
Arrangement
The papers have been organised into eleven Series that cover both the personal and professional aspects of Bunning's life.
Biographical Note
Walter Ralston Bunning was born in Brisbane on 19 May 1912 and was educated at the Slade School at Warwick, Queensland. He studied architecture at the Sydney Technical College, where he won the Kemp Medal in 1933. In 1937 the New South Wales Board of Architects awarded him a two-year travelling scholarship and he worked in several London architectural offices. He wrote many articles in journals and newspapers on architectural topics and his strong belief that buildings should be designed to suit the Australian environment was elaborated in his book Homes in the sun, published in 1945.
In 1945 Bunning established an architectural practice in Sydney and a year later he formed a partnership with Charles Madden. The firm of Bunning and Madden was responsible for the design of many outstanding buildings in Sydney and Canberra, including Anzac House, International House at the University of Sydney, and the National Library of Australia. Bunning was Chairman of the New South Wales Town and Country Planning Advisory Committee from 1945-64 and the New South Wales Government made frequent use of his expertise as a planner. He was a member of the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority from 1970 to 1977. In 1958 he was appointed a trustee of the New South Wales Art Gallery and he was Vice-President from 1960 to 1974 and president until his death. He was awarded the C.M.G. in 1975.
Walter Bunning died in Sydney on 13 October 1977. He was survived by his wife Gillian, whom he had married in 1944.
Sources: Who's who in Australia, 1977; Obituary, Sydney morning herald, 15 October 1977; Bunning Papers.
Item Descriptions
Class [unnumbered]. Original consignment
Series 1. Personal and General Papers, 1932-75
This series contains diverse papers relating to many aspects of Bunning's life and work. In particular, there are papers relating to his early work as an architect and architectural writer. The papers have been divided into the following groups:
Correspondence, newspaper cuttings and medals relating to his academic successes at the Sydney Technical College, from which he graduated in 1933.
Reprints from architectural journals and newspaper articles by Bunning written between 1937 and 1954. They include a series of articles on domestic architecture, which were published in Country life stock and station journal, 1945-48.
A copy of Bunning's book, Homes in the sun: the past, present and future of Australian housing (Sydney, Nesbit, 1945) and a scrapbook of reviews of the book.
A file of letters and reports sent by Bunning to his wife and to his partners in the firm of Bunning and Madden during his overseas trips in 1961 and 1965. They describe city planning and many buildings in Britain, the United States, Europe, South America and India; Bunning showed a special interest in the design of university buildings.
Photographs of Bunning taken between 1945 and 1975.
There is also an album containing, inter alia, cuttings of a general nature about Bunning and his wife in Series 4.
Red covered scrapbook, 1933-45 (Item 1) - Folio [unnumbered]
Academic records; Travelling Scholarship; Various writings; Secretary MARS Group; Radio talks
House and Garden, (U.K edition) p. 42-45. House at Palm Beach for Ashley Buckingham, 1952 (Item 6) - Box 1
Letters from Bunning to wife, partners and articles on overseas observations, 1961-1965 (Item 9) - Box 2
Series 2. Bunning and Madden, Architects, 1945-72
In 1945 Bunning established an architectural practice in Sydney and twelve months later Charles Madden joined him. Following Madden's death in July 1960, Bunning took Kevin Smith and Noel Potter into the partnership. By the time of Bunning's death in 1977, the firm had been associated with many outstanding buildings in Sydney and Canberra. It won the Royal Institute of British Architects Bronze Medal (1958), the Sir John Sulman Medal (1960) and the C.S. Daley Award (1969).
The series contains two volumes of newspaper cuttings describing some of the buildings designed by Bunning and Madden between 1945 and 1972. They include many cuttings on the National Library of Australia, International House at the University of Sydney, and the Captain Cook Memorial in Canberra. An album of photographs illustrating the firm's major works complements the cutting books. There are also issues of Architecture in Australia and Deutsche Bauzeitschrift and a copy of the book, New buildings in the Commonwealth, edited by J.M. Richards (London, Architectural Press, 1961). These publications have articles on Anzac House, Sydney, and the Australian Atomic Energy Commission headquarters at Lucas Heights.
In 1970, to mark the completion of twenty-five years of architectural practice, the partnership published a book entitled, The work of Bunning and Madden, architects and town planners. In addition to a copy of this work, there are two volumes of letters received by Bunning from guests at a dinner to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the partnership.
Guard Minute Book. Newspaper clippings, Work of Bunning and Madden, Architects, 1945-1969 (Item 1) - Box 2
Brown covered scrapbook, 1945-1960 Photographs of the Work of Bunning and Madden (Item 2) - Folio [unnumbered]
Series 3. National Library of Australia, 1961-72
In 1961 the firm of Bunning and Madden was commissioned by the National Capital Development Commission to design a building for the National Library of Australia in Canberra, Walter Bunning was the partner responsible for the design of the building. In 1964, after the design was approved and tendering was completed, the firm set up an office in Canberra under Noel Potter. The importance of the building was recognised when the retiring Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, laid the foundation stone on 31 March 1966. Another Prime Minister, John Gorton, opened the building on 15 August 1968.
The papers relate to the design and construction of the building, 1960-68, and to modifications and additions which were carried out in 1969-70. The earliest papers are the plans, specifications and general proposals submitted to the Government by Bunning and Madden in 1960 and they are followed by the report, which accompanied the final sketch plan in 1962. There are also plans and proposals for the extension of the Lower Ground 1 floor in 1970. Among the correspondence and reports on the design of the Library is a letter from the specialist consultant, Dr Keyes Metcalf, dealing with space considerations.
Many of the papers are concerned with the Library's entrance foyer and exhibition areas and with the design and installation of works of art. Bunning wrote reports in 1962 and 1965 on the general principles underlying the exhibition areas and the design of art works. There is correspondence between Bunning and Mathieu Mategot, Leonard French and Tom Bass dealing with the tapestries, stained-glass windows and copper sculpture in the entrance foyer. There are also notes on the art works and exhibition areas, prepared by Bunning for meetings with the National Library Council and the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board. In 1969 some modifications were made to the foyer and Bunning received reports from A.J. Robinson and Ian Cook of the National Library staff.
The series also contains the draft and the brochure prepared by Bunning for the opening ceremony, an issue of the journal Architecture today (August 1968) and a volume of newspaper cuttings mainly relating to the opening of the building in August 1968. They include an article in the Canberra times on Bunning and his role in the construction of the National Library building.
Original submission to N.C.D.C. in bound volume of photographs for National Library, for consideration for appointment as Architects for National Library Building, 1960 (Folio item) (Item 1) - Folio [unnumbered]
Green covered report-accompanying plans, being final sketch plan for National Library Building, 1962 (Item 2) - Folio [unnumbered]
File of Letters - correspondence with Mathieu Mategot, Tom Bass and Leonard French, 1962-68 (Item 3) - Box 2
File of various articles on the National Library, together with letters commenting on the design (Item 5) - Box 2
Series 4. Paddington Area Development, 1968
In February 1968 Bunning was appointed a commissioner to inquire and report on the plans of the New South Wales Government to construct three major traffic outlets through Paddington, an inner Sydney suburb. The Minister for Local Government, P.H. Morton, following protests from residents of Paddington and Woollahra, ordered the inquiry. It lasted five days and fifty-four witnesses gave evidence.
In his report to the Minister in March 1968, Bunning recommended that Paddington be declared an historical area protected from highway traffic. In addition to the report there is an album of newspaper cuttings concerning the inquiry. The album also contains some general cuttings about Bunning and his wife.
Series 5. Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority, 1960-76
The Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority Act came into force in 1968 and in 1970 Bunning was appointed one of the six members of the Authority. Its function was to advise the New Southern Wales Government on the redevelopment of the Rocks area of Sydney and in 1971 it released the first plans. They were expected to take at least fifteen years to implement.
The papers in this series document both the events that led up to the creation of the Authority in 1968 and its work from 1970 to 1976. There is a copy of the brochure issued by the Government in 1960 inviting developers to submit schemes for the redevelopment of the Rocks area and an issue of Architecture in Australia (June 1963) summarising and illustrating the nine proposals submitted. The Government rejected these proposals and instead commissioned a report by Sir John Overall. It was presented in 1967. Other official papers include the plan devised by the Authority and submitted in December 1970, a statement on the financial basis of redevelopment, and a brochure entitled The Rocks, birthplace of the Australian nation, published by the Authority in 1976. The Royal Australian Planning Institute (1972), W.D. Scott and Company (1973) and UDPA Planners (1974) also prepared reports on the redevelopment of the Rocks area and public attitudes to the Authority's scheme. Finally, there is an issue of the journal Concept (March 1971), containing an article by Bunning describing the Authority's plans, and an album of newspaper cuttings, 1970-76.
Original State Government brochure, inviting developers to submit re-development schemes for the ROCKS area, 1960-1961 (Item 1) - Box 3
Architecture in Australia illustrating the 9 schemes submitted in reply to above, 1963 (Item 2) - Box 3
Sir John Overall's report on the Rocks area following rejection of the above schemes by the new Liberal State Government, 1967 (Item 3) - Box 3
Act No. 56, 1968 pamphlet containing the articles of the Act, that was passed to establish the new Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority, which Bunning was, appointed architect member in December 1969 (Item 4) - Box 3
Sydney Cove Redevelopment Scheme brochure as submitted by the Authority to the State Government. Signed by Members of Authority on second page, 1970 (Item 5) - Folio [unnumbered]
Sydney Cove Redevelopment Scheme - Financial Analysis, brochure as submitted by the Authority to the State Government, 1970 (Item 6) - Folio [unnumbered]
A criticism of the Rocks Scheme by the Royal Australian Planning Institute, N.S.W. Division, 1972 (Item 8) - Box 3
Series 6. Moore Park sports area, 1972-76
In 1972 Bunning was asked by the New South Wales Government to review plans for a major sports stadium at Moore Park in Sydney. In his report, presented in February 1973, he recommended an area at Homebush Bay on the Parramatta River as the best site for an Olympic Games stadium. In addition to the report, there is a volume of newspaper cuttings, 1972-76, and a report of the Moore Park Committee, of which Bunning was chairman, discussing the future use of the Army Engineers' Depot at Moore Park.
Series 7. Myall Lakes inquiry, 1969-74
This series contains a copy of the report of a committee of inquiry, of which Bunning was chairman, on sand mining in the Myall Lakes region near Newcastle. It was presented to the New South Wales Government in January 1974. Bunning recommended that mining be prohibited on the high sand dunes along the shore of Lake Myall but that it is permitted elsewhere. Apart from the report, there is a cutting book and a copy of the national park proposal put forward by Clarke, Gazzard and partners for the Myall lakes Committee in 1969.
Series 8. Environmental impact policy, 1973
In June 1973 Bunning prepared a report for the New South Wales Government on the draft of a publication to be issued by the Minister for Environmental Control, entitled Manual for assessment of environmental impact in New South Wales. Copies of the Manual and Bunning's report are held in the collection.
Series 9. Parliament House, Canberra, 1963-69
In March 1969 Bunning gave evidence to the Joint Select Committee on the New and Permanent Parliament House, in which he proposed that the building by erected on Camp Hill. In addition to his written submission there is a copy of a report by William Holford and Partners to the National Capital Development Commission entitled Capital Hill and the Parliamentary Triangle (1963).
Series 10. Art Gallery of New South Wales, 1975-76
Bunning was President of the Trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales from 1974-77. This series consists of a volume of photographs taken at the opening of the Modern Masters Art Exhibition in April 1975 and a cutting book relating to the controversy surrounding the award of the Archibald Prize to John Bloomfield in 1976. The award was withdrawn and given instead to Kevin Connor after the Trustees had decided that the painting by Bloomfield did not comply with a condition of the prize, namely, that the portrait must be painted from life.
Series 11. Sydney Opera House, 1955-73
Bunning took a deep interest in the design and construction of the Sydney Opera House and from 1955 to 1973 he assembled four large cutting books on this subject. They include Bunning's own letters to newspapers dealing with the original design. The series also has an issue of the RIBA Journal (February 1967), containing an article on Joern Utzon and the Sydney Opera House.