Building Highlight - Old Administration Area

In 1949, three pre-fabricated ‘huts’ were relocated to the new ANU Acton Campus from RAAF Base Cootamundra. These huts formed the basis of the University’s first administration area.  

The precinct grew rapidly with the addition of more prefabricated buildings, which served as offices and medical research laboratories. The complex was built in two phases, with the administrative buildings (Blocks A, B, C and D and two staff cottages) for the early University administration and the temporary laboratories which included the early Medical School and the Department of Geophysics (Blocks E, F, G, H, I and J). The lack of permanent buildings didn’t hinder scientific excellence, with Professor John Eccles winning a Nobel Prize in 1963 for neurophysiology research performed in the administration area’s H Block. 

The ‘temporary’ buildings were adapted and used for 60 years. Other buildings were added to the administration area, including L Block, which was transferred to the site in 1967 from its original position as the kitchen and dining block of the Old Hospital Buildings, and Fellows Lane Cottage, a transportable building that was relocated to the site from the Australian Institute of Sport, Belconnen, in 2005.  

With commencement on construction of the College of Law in 1967, it was necessary for some Old Administration Area buildings to be demolished, however many were retained until 2016, when the University embarked on a major project to revitalise the area. Work is currently underway to transform the area into parkland, although parts of the original H Block have been retained to preserve their unique architectural features, including portal frame structures.

References

Godden Mackay Logan Heritage Consultants 2012, Acton Campus Site Inventory - Old Administration Area (OAA),