Designing the perfect city escape in Canberra - a city of design
Updated 26 Jun 2026
Jenna Rowe is a registered architect and maker living and working on Gadigal land in Sydney. Since 2019 she has worked as a sole practitioner, balancing her career with engaging with the broader architectural community through teaching at Sydney-based Universities and working with the NSW Architects Registration Board
For architects and creatives, Canberra holds a certain level of fascination – namely given it was an intentionally designed city, a result of the Federal Capital Design Competition won by architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahoney in 1912.
Prior to European Settlement, the Ngunnawal and other peoples lived on the land for over 20,000 years. Today, Canberra continues to serve as a vital meeting place —not only for Parliament, but also for creative collaborations.
Day One
Ovolo Nishi
During my trip, I stayed at Ovolo Nishi, located within the Nishi mixed-use building. Conceived by Molonglo, the project features an extensive list of designer and artist collaborators. Fender Katsalidis and Japan's Suppose Design Office designed the building, while Melbourne's March Studio completed the hotel interior—including the iconic entry stair built from over 2,000 recycled timber pieces. The rich, layered materiality of the lobby and hotel rooms are a nice break from standard plasterboard hotel walls!
Močan + Green Grout
For lunch, I visited Močan + Green Grout in New Acton; another Molonglo project owned and ran by Myles Chandler, Rebecca Chandler and David Alcorn. The fitout of the space is really well detailed, with a central stone kitchen bench. Their meals comprise produce sourced from local farmers, with local wines.
Rebel Rebel
Another location in New Acton, Rebel Rebel is a dining space, wine bar and bottle shop all in one. Owned by chef Sean McConnell (previously of Monster Kitchen and Bar) and his wife Jenny Harders, the restrained fitout inclusive of recycled timber suspended ceiling beams was designed by Sean’s architect friend Sam Rice. I really loved the playful branding and graphic design completed by U-P, and everything we ate was delicious.
Day Two
Hyatt Canberra
I started my second day in Canberra with the buffet breakfast at the Hyatt Hotel, an art-deco heritage listed hotel designed by John Smith Murdoch, and originally built to house politicians when the Federal Parliament moved to Canberra in 1927. During its lifetime, it was frequently used as sitting-time accommodation by politicians, and even had a stint in providing additional office space for Old Parliament House in the 1970s. Since its heritage listing, the Hotel has been restored – the way the hotel is arranged as pavilions around the garden courts is lovely, as are the original art deco details such as the semi-spherical light fittings and door hardware!
Australian Parliament House
Whilst at Parliament House, I was taking a photo of a door pull (this is a very architect-y thing to do, if you have travelled with an architect before – commiserations). As I took the photo, a security guard piped up “you know, people usually photograph the art!”. When I explained my vocation, and the odd predilections that ensue, he got very enthusiastic and started showing me favourite photos he had taken of the building. It reminded me that one of the greatest things about the designed built environment is how people engage with place through their own lived experience. For me – I personally find the detailing in the Marble Hall of Parliament House to be incredible. There is such a high level of craft; from the carved finials on the marble staircases by sculptor Anne Ferguson (referencing seed pods of native flora), to the beautiful timber marquetry panels by artist Tony Bishop and crafted by Michael Retter (highlights are the six panels over the entrance referencing plants traditionally used by Indigenous people). Artist Arthur Boyd’s tapestry in collaboration with the Victoria Tapestry Workshop can be found in the Great Hall; and although inaccessible, the Reflective Pool in the Members’ Hall is another highlight (it’s made from one huge piece of black granite, and the water that flows over it is designed to mask politician’s conversations…genius). Outside in the forecourt, another highlight is the huge stone mosaic by Indigenous artist Michael Nelson Jagamara. I appreciate that the Government makes Parliament House accessible and open to all – it’s well worth a visit for the art and design alone.
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is always one of my favourite places to visit. In 1967, It was announced that a new gallery would be constructed to hold the National Art Collection – the architects Edwards Madigan Torzillo and Partners were appointed, with Col Madigan leading the team. The result is a brutalist building with bush-hammered concrete surfaces; in 2007 a major extension to the existing building was designed and completed by Andrew Andersons AM of PTW (he was the same architect who designed the extension to the AGNSW in the 1970s). A highlight for me is always the native planted Sculpture Garden, inclusive of James Turrell’s Within Without, Bert Flugelman’s Cones – and a standout on my most recent trip was seeing Lindy Lee’s Ouroboros sculpture installed in the forecourt. It’s made completely out of recycled scrap stainless steel. I went back to see it of a night when it is illuminated, it was beautiful with the echoing sounds of the water feature below.
National Library of Australia
Whilst on this trip, I asked each person I met what their favourite building in Canberra was – and why. The National Library of Australia was the unanimous answer for all, and I really enjoyed hearing everyone’s reasoning given the variation in answers. I would have to agree – the 1968 building designed by Walter Bunning is one of my favourite buildings in Canberra (and not just because I adore libraries!). My favourite part of the building is the stained-glass windows by Leonard French (the same artist who completed the stained-glass ceiling in the NGV International). From the exterior of the building the glazing reads as subdued darker tones, but once inside the building the internal spaces come alive with the vivid colour. Also look out for Tom Bass' Lintel Sculpture that sits over the entrance to the library. Something to really take away from the design of the building is the intentional integration of art within the architecture. The library runs free tours where you can learn more about both the built form of the building, and how the library operates; and various exhibitions are held within the Treasures Gallery.
Canberra Glassworks
During my trip I had the pleasure of visiting a few maker’s spaces – including Canberra Glassworks. Canberra Glassworks opened in 2007, in the heritage-listed Kingston Powerhouse (designed by the same architect who designed the Hyatt Canberra). It’s the largest glass art studio in the country, and the best part is it is open to the public with a viewing area to watch the glass artists making in the hotshop. Canberra Glassworks also works with architects, designers and artists on the fabrication of custom commissions, has a shop filled with beautiful handmade glass objects, and the gallery to support their artists. They offer workshops for different skill levels, we did the tile making workshop whilst there. I really want to come back to do one of the glassblowing classes.
Paranormal Wines
Paranormal Wines is one of Canberra’s newer wine bars/bottle shops, located in Campbell. They are walk in only, with a very fun menu of bar snacks. I took a book, and had a pre-dinner glass of their Paranormal Rosé (a collaboration with local winemakers).
Bar Rochford
For those familiar with the Canberra food scene, Bar Rochford needs little introduction. Situated in the Melbourne Building (a heritage-listed building designed by Sir John Sulman) I’m a sucker for a wine bar with delicious food – as soon as I walked in, I spotted a woman sat at the bar with a glass of red reading a book on my to-be-read list, and I knew this was the sort of wine bar for me!
Day Three
Dairy Road
I spent the morning at Dairy Road, a 14-hectare industrial site in East Lake currently under development by Molonglo. The site is at the edge of the Jerrabomberra Wetlands and comprises of alterations and additions to the existing 1970s warehouses which have been repurposed to house hospitality, commercial and retail tenants. Molonglo are also currently working with the stellar line up of David Chipperfield Architects, Assemble UK and Jane Irwin Landscape Architects to design the future residential neighbourhood. Highlights for me were LESS, the sculpture/architectural pavilion designed by Chile-based practice Pezo Von Ellrichshausen – comprising of 36 concrete columns tied together with a viewing platform, accessed by a circular steel ramp. LESS includes a water feature in the warmer months, with a small and continuous stream of water running down the face of the square concrete columns, pooling in the adjacent reflection pools. The landscaping was gorgeous, Oculus Studio worked with native planting to showcase the six Ngunnawal seasons. A second highlight was the bookshop Bookrunner, located in Building 3 (which was designed by Craig Tan Architects). Selling a mix of curated second hand and new titles, Bookrunner is run by Rob Lloyd, who started as an Instagram account back in lockdown days.
Australia War Memorial
The Australia War Memorial is another great example of Canberra’s integration of art and architecture. The original building was designed by Emil Soderston and John Crust, and has approximately 38,000 works of art – stand outs I’d consider to be Napier Waller’s beautiful mosaic in the Hall of Memory, and Annette Blair’s contemporary glass piece Quiet Skies, a pair of hanging glass-blown eucalyptus leaves in the stairwells in the new entrance (incidentally, fabricated at Canberra Glassworks!). My absolute favourite piece at the War Memorial is For Our Country, a pavilion in the sculpture garden by architects Edition Office/All Days and artist Daniel Boyd that recognises the military contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It’s constructed of a curved pigmented rammed earth wall holding an internal timber seat, with a two-way glass mirror façade covered in thousands of circular lenses. There is a ceremonial fire pit in the middle of the basalt stone field, with a repository of soil deposited from nations across Australia. The quality of light internally is exceptionally special – I even got up prior to sunrise to visit at first light, and see the low eastern sun reflect through the glazing. It non-surprisingly won so many architecture awards, including the National 2020 AIA Nicholas Murcutt Award for Small Project Architecture.
Beltana Farm
Day 03’s lunch location was at working truffle farm and restaurant, Beltana Farm, located in Pialligo. The restaurant sits within a large, glazed building with an outlook over the 800 oak and hazelnut truffle trees. The food was incredible, it was a cold day when I was there – I ended up finishing my glass of wine in front of the big double-sided glass fireplace built from local sandstone.
Canberra Potters
Canberra Potters at Watson Arts Centre is well worth a visit – it’s considered to be one of Australia’s few fully integrated ceramics centres, and I was fortunate enough to be given a tour through the whole complex. As a maker, I always find it incredibly inspiring seeing where other creatives work, and to hear about their processes. Canberra Potters is made up of workshops and classes for beginners through to more advanced makers, their four studios for their Studio Artists, the studios of their Artists in Residence, their gallery – and the shop. I am seriously considering going down for another weekend to join the Raku firing workshop, or to visit their Ceramics Market.
Jenna's Itinerary
Day 1:
Ovolo Nishi
Močan + Green Grout
Rebel Rebel
Day 2:
Hyatt Canberra
Parliament House
National Gallery of Australia
National Library of Australia
Canberra Glassworks
Paranormal Wines
Bar Rochford
Day 3:
Dairy Road
Australia War Memorial
Beltana Farm
Canberra Potters
About the author
Jenna Rowe is a registered architect and maker living and working on Gadigal land in Sydney. Since 2019 she has worked as a sole practitioner, balancing her career with engaging with the broader architectural community through teaching at Sydney-based Universities and working with the NSW Architects Registration Board.