When I was researching cool architecture to visit for a recent trip to Australia, I was surprised to see what looked like a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece in the heart of Melbourne. I have had a special fondness for FLW’s works since studying architecture in his homebase of Chicago.
The Capitol Theatre was designed by Walter Burley Griffin, an American architect from Chicago who worked in Frank Lloyd Wright’s studio and was highly influenced by the Prairie School style of architecture. Griffin came to Australia after winning a competition to design Canberra, Australia’s purpose built capital city.
The exterior of the building is understated, reflecting the elegant and composed style of the Chicago School. The interiors are exuberant and expressive, evoking the geometric ornament of Frank Lloyd Wright’s works.
The building became part of the RMIT University Campus in 1999. Many thanks to RMIT for generously giving me a tour of the building, which is generally closed to the public outside of events operation.
Images by Jonathan Choe
