Building Highlight - Union Building / Pauline Griffin Building

The original Union Building was constructed in 1963, with the building designed by notable architect Sydney Ancher, who was a pioneer of the post war international style in Australia.  

The building initially served as the home of the Student Union. It was a place for students to socialise, particularly as it also housed the Uni Pub at the time. It was also the backdrop for activities such as Bush Week, the Aquarius Festival and many student protests. 

The Student Union soon outgrew the space and moved into to a new Union Building constructed in 1972. The original Union Building then became home to a range of staff offices and administrative services including Student Administration and Admissions and became known as the Chancelry Annex. 

In 2001 the building was renamed in honour of Pauline Griffin, who served as Commissioner of the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission from 1975 to 1990, Pro Chancellor of the ANU from 1991-98 and as a member of the ANU Council from 1978 to 1998. She was also chair of the National Committee on Discrimination in Employment and Occupation in the 1980s and a member of the 4th National Women's Consultative Council in the 1990s.    

With the building unable to be renovated to comply with modern building, workplace, and safety standards, it sat unused for a number of years before demolition began in 2018 to make way for the new Research School of Social Sciences Building.    

References

Australian National University 2015, Acton Campus Site Inventory,  

ANU Heritage n.d., Pauline Griffin Building,

Jenkins, S n.d., A colourful history, ANU Reporter, volume 47 number 2,  

Shapley, M 2015, Pauline Marcus Griffin, The Australian Women's Register, Australian Women's Archives Project,