MELBOURNE ROYAL EXHIBITION BUILDINGS
PROPOSED STAE MUSEUM


The Dome
By Arnold Zable. Published the The Age Newspaper, 26 September 1996

       We called it, simply, 'the dome.' We saw it every day, as we made
our way from our single-fronted terrace, in Canning street, the three
blocks south, to Lee Street Primary school. It was a constant in our lives,
the southern boundary of our childhood world, distant, but clearly visible,
especially from the open road, where we rode our scooters, raced our bikes,
got up to no good, and played epic cricket matches between the Canning and
Amess street boys.
      The dome: In summers it seemed to shimmer in the crackling heat. On
foggy mornings, it emerged, triumphant, from the mists. In late spring,
when the poplars on Canning Street regained their leaves, it rose above an
avenue of vibrant foliage. The Exhibition Buildings was the first wonder of
our  childhood world. It was majestic; free standing and unobscured, in a
parkland setting. Its Florentine dome overlooked flower beds and shaded
paths. It was our grand landmark, our neighbourhood icon.
       Sometimes we made it inside, under the dome, lured there by the
latest show to come to the Exhibition Building. We were engrossed in
collecting glossy brochures, and viewing the vast array of cars, boats,
camping gear, or whatever, that crammed the exhibition halls. Just
occasionally we glanced up and sensed the grandeur of this cavernous
wonder, with its maze of galleries and arches, sumptuous ornamentation and
towers.
       As we grew older, the inner city skyline became more hard edged.
Curves and church spires were dwarfed by rectangles and right angles. High
rises cluttered the skies. Even then, the dome was still visible. Reduced
in scale somewhat; but all the more precious, because it defied the times.
It was a constant reminder that there are other possibilities. Other
visions. Other ways to design a city.
        The Royal Exhibition Building, the dome, and the Carlton Gardens,
are now facing a far more lethal threat. In  a decision that was made with
no public consultation, no impact studies and no historical advice, the new
Museum of Victoria lost its half-completed building on Southbank, and  is
to be built, instead,  in the Carlton Gardens.
       Not only will the proposed design destroy the free standing nature
of the Exhibition Buildings, and not only will its massive bulk, which is
over three times the area of the  present buildings, impose itself on the
gardens, but the dome will be obscured, from the northern view, by a
projecting roof blade. According to Miles Lewis, professor of architecture
at Melbourne University, this blade has been 'conceived solely as a feature
to compete with the Exhibition buildings dome.'
         More disturbing is the brief for the museum design, which states,
'it is also inevitable that at some time in the future additions to the
complex will be required. The building needs to cater for expansion in both
its internal planning and its external appearance.' So the new museum may
well pave the way for further intrusion into the Carlton Gardens.
       This is far more than a local issue. The Exhibition building is a
major part of our nation's heritage. It was built to house the Great
International Exhibition of 1880-81. It was the venue of the Centennial
Exhibition of 1888. The first Federal Parliament of the Commonwealth of
Australia was opened here, in May 1901, with much celebration and ceremony.
And it remains, along with the Eiffel Tower of Paris, one of the few
structures that were built in the nineteenth century era of great
exhibitions.
       The Royal Exhibition building is a Victorian icon, and a national
treasure. City counsellor, Rosemary Stott is  lobbying the council to
nominate it for World  Heritage Listing. It is, according to Miles Lewis,
the only building in Victoria with any prospect of achieving such an
honour. This would mean a lot in terms of tourism and prestige. In fact the
building is well placed for such as listing because in the 1980s it was
restored to its 1901 concept of colour, design and art decoration.
       A group of Melburnians who are enraged by this decision, are still
trying, desperately, to get their message across. They first called their
group, Defend the Dome. As the issues have broadened, they have renamed
themselves, Defend our Heritage. Spokes-people like Rosemary Stott, Anthony
van der Craats, and Trevor Huggard, continually point out, there are a
number of far more preferable sites for the new museum, such as the vacant
CUB site, Queen Victoria site, or the former police head quarters in
Russell street. Building the museum on one of these sites, would help the
inner city revive. It would place the museum where it belongs, as part of
the cultural spine of the city.
       And it would be a boon city businesses in the CBD, already in
decline as the focus shifts to the casino complex on Southbank. Inner city
businesses face a loss of revenue from a projected one million annual
visitors to the new museum. It is only once in a life time that the
opportunity comes to create a great new building for this purpose.
Melbourne deserves a world class museum, where it belongs, in the heart of
the city.
              It is not too late to reverse this decision. The cyclone
fences have gone up. The bulldozers are at work. But the contracts for the
building have not been finalised. This is written as a plea to the premier,
his government, his planning minister,  those who hold the reins of power,
that for the sake of our city, for the sake of future generations, stop,
rethink, take a look at what you are doing.
        You are destroying a place of grace and grandeur. You are
destroying the peaceful ambience of its surrounds. You are destroying the
work and vision of our collective past. You are destroying aspects of our
common heritage. Yes, our  heritage. At the same time, you are consigning
the new Museum of Victoria to the city fringes.
       Stop it before it is too late. Institute a stay of execution. Set up
a process of genuine public consultation and review. Allow the broader
community to be informed.  And, above all, spend some time in the gardens
to absorb its serenity. Walk the road that leads to the dome, and
contemplate what you are about to do. It is so obviously wrong.

Arnold Zable is a Melbourne based writer. In the 1970s he taught a course
in  urban and  environmental politics at Melbourne University.



 We have a state government that loves to congratulate itself on its great
works, and on the way it is transforming the city. But the reality is, that
it is intruding into our parks and gardens, making crucial decisions with
little consultation, and without regard to overall strategic planning. And
in the process it has left a lot of people feeling powerless,
disenfranchised and unwilling to speak out.



NEWS AT HAND:

THE CITY OF MELBOURNE YESTERDAY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1996 RESOLVED TO
COMMISSION A SUBMISSION FOR THE NOMINATION OF THE MELBOURNE ROYAL EXHIBITION
BUILDINGS FOR  WORLD HERITAGE LISTING (CULTURAL).  COMMUNITY CONCERN OPPOSED
TO THE DEVLOPEMENT OF THE STATE MUSUEM HAVE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO DEFER
COMMITEMNT TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AND SUBJECT IT TO AN INDEPENDANT
ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW.