There's lots to love about Canberra, the spacious, car-loving capital

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This week Tony Trobe talks to Jonathan MacRobert, a Canberra-based design professional.

TT: You recently did an interview with me deploring Canberra supersized houses; so Jonathan, what’s been on your mind recently?

JM: Well it’s a New Year and perhaps time to look at the positives of Canberra.

TT: OK, tell me, what’s the best thing about Canberra?

JM: Well we love cars, ‘Summernats’ been and gone, we have great roads, most houses have double garages, the cockies are leaving messages on the back deck, the magpies have stopped swooping and we have a garden full of flowers, or at least I can see where they’ve been…

TT: What are you on? Didn’t you read Klaus Baum who had a real go at Canberra in December?

JM: I just think that overall we should celebrate the positives, and we are privileged to be living in Canberra and be able to pursue something better. All the negatives are actual positives because we have the freedom to criticise and a desire and confidence to involve the community in major planning and lifestyle decisions.

TT: So surely car parking is a problem and getting expensive; rates are on the increase; commuting times are increasing; wages are down; fuel is up?

JM: True, isn’t it great that our problems are so minor, just blips on the radar. Most people can afford the mortgages and can afford to run two cars and they like it that way. Many people actually like gardening; they find it therapeutic and good exercise. They love the privacy of spacious suburbs. I know that the sprawl is inefficient in servicing, transport and community isolation (who in public housing really wants to live in an outer cul-de-sac without a car?), but that is what people want and they are prepared to pay for the fuel and rates. Life is good, where family barbecues are the pinnacle of social life.

TT: This is a design column, so what’s your point?

JM: It’s a new government, give them what they want, build some more suburbs; it’s a great money spinner and celebrates our beautiful cars. That’s what Canberra is designed for so let’s keep making it car heaven. Perhaps the ACT government could even sponsor electric cars, trial self-driving vehicles, promote car sharing app software and assist with risk management of insurance models.

TT: There must be at least one challenge?

JM: Well, most of the suburbs are now getting reasonable insulation and reasonable north-facing windows, reasonable access to gardens but lifestyle issues still need some work. Understanding family dynamics is time consuming to analyse. Architects are not always well trained to appreciate or to elicit the subtleties of families, particularly future requirements. Many others in the production and sale have less interest and ability. This represents challenge for every family and every architect, builder or developer. There is real efficiency in getting this right. Solutions for a gay couple do not always equal Brady Bunch bliss for eight when it comes to design.

TT: Happy new year, Jonathan (Definitely on something? Or maybe just onto something?)

Tony Trobe is director of the local practice TT Architecture. Is there a planning or design issue in Canberra you’d like to discuss? Email tonytrobe@ttarchitecture.com.au