Geoffrey (Geoff) John

10/02/1928

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Geoff Harrison was Staff Architect at the University of Adelaide (1959-1962) and then University Architect at what became the Flinders University of South Australia (1963-1993). As such he was instrumental in guiding the development of the Flinders campus and closely involved in the planning of Flinders Medical Centre. He gained a national and international reputation as a site planner and architect in the field of tertiary education (Flinders University of South Australia Graduation Ceremony 1994).

Born in Richmond, New South Wales, Geoff travelled to England with his parents in 1930, where his father, Travis Harrison, studied for a Diploma of the Imperial College, London, before returning to Australia in 1932. They again went to England in 1937 and made the decision in 1939 to remain there, staying until 1945. During that time he became absorbed by architecture. ‘I was interested at looking at some of the famous buildings about London and England – and I rode a pushbike all over the place ... and also became very interested in all the enthusiastic plans that were being floated at that stage for rebuilding after the bombing of London, from housing through to public buildings.’ (Harrison 1986: 1). Upon his return to Australia he commenced a Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Sydney. ‘I was committed by then to turning myself into an architect.’ (Harrison 1986: 1). He married Hillary Pierson in 1953. They had four children, with their two daughters, Lindsey and Meredith, going on to become architects as well (Preliminary interview 2006).

In 1949 Harrison commenced a cadetship with the Commonwealth Department of Works and Housing, working part-time with the Department during University holidays. Moving to Canberra at the end of his course in 1950, he gained broad experience from defence force buildings at the Military College, Duntroon and HMAS Harman to mass housing projects and individual War Service Homes, schools and hospital additions. He progressed rapidly within the Department. ‘It was an exciting time from a young architect’s point of view because there was a lot happening ... and it was also a marvellous training ground in terms of [dealing with builders and tradesmen].’ (Harrison 1986: 1). In 1953 he became the Staff Architect at the Australian National University in a period of great growth within that institution. It was there that he became interested in site planning which included rationalisation of the arrangement of Mount Stromlo Observatory buildings (Harrison 1986). He also undertook a number of private commissions for houses, built his own passive solar house, and was the architect for the Yarralumla Methodist (now Uniting) Church and Hall (Preliminary interview 2006).

Geoff Harrison then moved to the University of Adelaide in 1959 as Staff Architect. This was a new position which allowed more opportunity in works around the university [while Woods Bagot continued as the university’s consultant architectural firm]. In 1961, development of a site at Bedford Park for another university campus was mooted. Harrison was sent overseas in 1962 to Europe and North America, the latter being on a Carnegie Corporation Travel Grant, to research university planning and liaise with potential consultants. Upon his return he ‘received a [brief] letter from the Registrar at the University of Adelaide saying, “You are now the Staff Architect for Bedford Park.”’ (Harrison 1986: 6). He was joint author of the site planning report with Professor Gordon Stephenson of Western Australia, did briefs for the initial building projects and provided liaison between the university and the architectural and engineering consultants. Being a steep site there were many challenges which required much coordination. ‘We had to make sure that we didn’t get caught with decisions being taken about where to put a pipe or a building … the plan had to be one step ahead all the time…The planning principles included the Radburn [a New Jersey suburb] plan, where the road goes round the outside and the centre is free of traffic and a pedestrian precinct.’ (Harrison 1986: 13,14). Landscaping too, was an integral part of the initial planning. Harrison liaised closely with Hassell and McConnell, architects for the academic buildings, and over time developed a strong relationship with Jack McConnell. The university opened in 1966 as the Bedford Park campus of the University of Adelaide, becoming later that same year, with a change of state government, the Flinders University of South Australia. The University Hall, of which he was later Chairman of Council, was completed in 1970, with Harrison as architect in association with Cheeseman, Doley, Raffen and Neighbour. Major building continued in stages through to 1974 (Harrison 1986).

Continuing as University Architect until his retirement in 1993, Geoff Harrison managed a department which included architects, draughtspeople and administrative staff as well as security, maintenance and on-site engineering services and which coordinated new developments within the University. Duties during his tenure also included the University of Adelaide Redevelopment Plan with Professor Gordon Stephenson in 1964, an overseas study tour in 1975 prior to the development of the Flinders University Law Faculty, and two major planning reviews of Flinders University in 1971 and 1992 (See Sources for Reports). He was appointed Chair of the Capital Projects Committee of the Tertiary Education Authority of South Australia (The Flinders University of South Australia Graduation Ceremony 1994).

The decision to include a medical school at Flinders University resulted in the development of Flinders Medical Centre in the same area. Harrison was a member of the Government appointed Joint Planning Committee and undertook a further overseas study tour in 1969 to examine hospitals, medical centres and medical education and trends. ‘It was possible to lay all that [the facilities] out without going past about six storeys … so that it’s not really overpowering to people coming to hospital, and people coming to visit them – children and so on. And it’s also very much more flexible [for additions].’ (Harrison 1986: 30).

The Flinders University of South Australia achieved a Civic Trust Award in 1972 (Preliminary interview 2006). Peter Ward in the Weekend Australian in 1993 praised the Flinders Campus highly and paid tribute to ‘inspired planning decisions taken in the 1960s by a small group of design professionals and followed since with determination and consistency’ (‘Flinders an architect's fine legacy’: 74). In addition to his work for two of Adelaide’s universities, Harrison was engaged from 1965 to 1995 in consultancy work with a range of interstate and international tertiary institutions from Tasmania to Papua New Guinea (see Sources for Reports).

With regard to the architectural profession, Geoff Harrison became an Associate of the RAIA in 1951 and of the SA Chapter in 1959, being a councillor for the latter from 1977 to 1986 and holding the offices of Treasurer and Vice President. He was President from 1983 to 1984 and became a Life Fellow of the Institute in 1988. Harrison was also a government appointee to the Architects’ Board of South Australia from 1979 to 1988, and an elected member from 1990 to 1993 (Preliminary interview 2006; Who’s who in Australia 2005 2004). He was a member of the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers (Australasian Region) and awarded, in 1994, Honorary Membership following his retirement (Preliminary interview 2006).

Harrison was an external Board member of the Faculty of Architecture and Planning at the University of Adelaide from 1985 to 1998. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Flinders University in 1994.

As well as being a keen sailor, involvement in the broader community was a feature of Geoff Harrison’s career. He held the position of Deputy Chair of the Council of Professions and was the Flinders University representative on the National Trust. He was on the Board of Directors (Chairman, 1996-97) of the Royal Society for the Blind from 1991 to 1999 and active on various building committees and projects with the Uniting Church and Methodist Ladies College, now Annesley College (Preliminary interview 2006; Who’s who in Australia 2005 2004).

Alison McDougall

Citation details
McDougall, Alison, 'Harrison, Geoffrey John', Architecture Museum, University of South Australia, 2008, Architects of South Australia: [http://www.architectsdatabase.unisa.edu.au/arch_full.asp?Arch_ID=37]