Ernest William Gimson (1864–1919)
Entry 15
West Cirencester, England
Gimson was trained as an architect in Leicester. He was influenced
by William Morris and was associated with the Arts and Crafts movement.
His building designs and two entries in architectural competitions
reflect the natural and unpretentious Arts and Crafts style.
This is particularly
true of his town plan and building designs for Canberra. Later
in his career he concentrated on furniture design rather than architecture
and town planning.
This compact city would have almost concealed its planned origins.
The plan concentrates all building on the south bank of a lake.
His perspective
drawing reveals his preference for the type of picturesque city
planning advocated by Camillo Sitte. Gimson sites the main
part of the city
on the slopes of Kurrajong Hill and Camp Hill, radiating to lake
shores, with
Parliament House on Kurrajong Hill.
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