Guide to the Roger Johnson Collection of Architectural Plans, c.1941 - c.1989

Summary

Collection number:

MFC 8

Creator:

Roger Johnson and Hayes-Johnson, P., Mrs.

Extent:

35 collections and in 35 map folders

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of map item], Roger Johnson Collection of Architectural Plans, National Library of Australia, [item number]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The collection includes sets of architectural plans and drafts ordered by year and subject, from 1941-1989. The first series comprises Johnson's university studies commencing 1941, and including his Masters Thesis (1949). The second series covers Johnson's overseas work including East Africa and Burma, and ongoing commissions in Britain. The third and largest series primarily covers Johnson's period in Australia, including work for the University of Western Australia, National Capital Development Commission, Canberra, and other Australian institutions.

Biographical Note:

Roger Kirk Hayes Johnson was born in Cumbria, England in 1922. He studied Architecture and served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War from 1942-46. He was held as a German prisoner of war 1944-1945. Johnson's early career as an architect and educator was spent in Britain, Kenya, South Africa and Burma (Myanmar). In 1961, Johnson and his family relocated to Western Australia, and later to Canberra when he took up the role of First Assistant Commissioner for the National Capital Development Commission. Johnson had a varied career as an architect, town planner, academic and author of several books (Design in Balance: Designing the National Area of Canberra, 1968–72 [1974] and The Green City [1979]). He died in 1991 in Bungendore, NSW. Career summary:

Date	Event
1957-1960	Foundation head of the department of architecture at the University of Rangoon.
1961-1968	Appointed to the consultant architect's office at the University of Western Australia in 1961, he contributed to the design of individual buildings and a whole campus plan before becoming reader (1965), and then dean (1967), in the Faculty of Architecture.
1968-1972	First Assistant Commissioner (Architecture), National Capital Development Commission. Johnson brought to this role a "sensitivity to the need to site buildings in harmony with the Australian landscape and his success in planning complex public institutions." (Boden, ADB). "During his time, several large buildings were begun — the Australian National Gallery, the Cameron, Campbell Park, Edmund Barton and west Belconnen offices, and the School of Music." (Obituaries Australia). )
1972-1973	Site Planner, Griffith University.
1973-1987	Foundation Head of the School of Environmental Design at Canberra College of Advanced Education (later the University of Canberra).
1990	Made Emeritus Professor.

Immediate Source of Acquisition:

Donated to the National Library of Australia by the Johnson family, 1994.

Related

Separated Material:

View the catalogue record for the Papers of Roger Johnson, 1932-1992 at MS 5319.

Indexed terms

Names:

Hayes-Johnson, P., Mrs.

Conditions Governing Access:

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/7755182).

Conditions Governing Use:

Some maps in this collection are manuscript maps and have perpetual copyright. Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of map item], Roger Johnson Collection of Architectural Plans, National Library of Australia, [item number]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

Contact us