CK DESIGN WORKS
Media Release 26 October 2010
Sir Les Patterson (Barry Humphries) Gets It Wrong On Fed Square
The Sir Les Patterson style of attack on Federation Square by Barry Humphries has been
challenged by well known Melbourne based architect, Robert Caulfield, saying the super
star should be celebrating Fed Square’s eighth birthday today instead of trying to talk
down Melbourne’s most visited and successful multi-award winning building.
Federation Square is an outstanding example of a modernist building.
Robert Caulfield, a partner in international architectural company CK Designworks, said the
comments yesterday by Barry Humphries that “getting used to Federation Square was like
getting used to leprosy” were unfair to what is considered by many as an internationally
significant building.
“Public buildings often need to be controversial, that is what makes them known and successful
and by any measure, Federation Square is successful”, Mr. Caulfield said.
“It is known throughout the world, its visitation numbers far exceeded initial expectations and its
restaurants, galleries and forecourt are all extremely well patronized.”
Mr. Caulfield said that Australian architects were considered to be among the world’s best with
many securing significant international commissions and Melbourne’s architects were
considered to be the most cutting edge in Australia.
“Society needs to continually challenge its standards and conventions, that is the only way
progress in science, the arts and architecture can happen”.
Mr. Caulfield said that the Sydney Opera House came in for the same sort of criticism in its early
days with many people calling it an eyesore but nobody would dream of calling for its demolition
today. “It’s one of the best known buildings in the world and a major draw-card for Sydney.”
Mr. Caulfield urged people who were critical of Federation Square to go and visit it, experience
its internal spaces and facilities and just observe how much people use it.
“In time, it will become one of Melbourne’s icons and really what I would like to see are even
more cutting edge and controversial buildings in Melbourne.”
Media Enquiries:
Robert Caulfield Mobile: 0412 381 306
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