Christopher

1946

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Christopher Wren, a ‘third generation’ partner of the design firm HASSELL, established the firm’s first landscape practice and developed it into the largest multidisciplinary planning and design practice in Australasia, encompassing landscape architecture, landscape planning and urban design. His story is closely aligned with the company’s evolution from an architectural practice to a multi-disciplinary group of companies, which later amalgamated to become a diverse organization with many locations around Australia and the world.

Christopher studied architecture at the University of Adelaide on a scholarship with the SA Government Public Buildings Department, requiring him to work for the Department during his course and for two years after graduating. During this time, he designed a new generation of standard schools, the first open-planned schools promoting the individual progression of students and team teaching. He then travelled to Europe and worked in London as an architect for two years for a medium sized practice on a medium density housing scheme for inner London, and afterwards on large scale projects for Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall and Partners (now RMJM).

Inspired by the eloquent Ian McHarg, a Scottish landscape architect based in the USA and renowned writer on regional planning using natural systems (Design with Nature), Christopher decided to study landscape planning in the United States ‘to save the world; well it was the 1970s!’ After some research, Christopher chose the University of Massachusetts, which focused on ecological planning and design. While studying for his Masters, he taught an undergraduate course, worked for the architectural practice Callister, Payne and Bishop and for Julius Fabos (Director of Graduate Studies, UMass), planning and designing medium density housing, and ran a transport planning and land use study for the Massachusetts Department of Transport. This invaluable experience also helped to fund his studies.

Prior to graduating in 1975, Christopher was head hunted by George Seddon, Director of the Centre for Environmental Studies and Dean of Architecture and Planning at Melbourne University. While Seddon was persuasive, the position was academic, involving research and transport planning. At the time, during a recession in the USA, there were many academic positions but few in private practice. It was whilst choosing between Melbourne and a range of prestigious universities in the USA that Christopher received a phone call from John Morphett of Hassell and Partners, who persuaded him that Hassell could offer him unparalleled opportunities, heading up the Landscape Architectural practice. For Christopher, it presented an opportunity to learn from a well-established practice and provided a career path. It was a sliding-door moment; better than working in academia at such an early stage of his new career or for Lawrence Halprin in New York, initially for no pay.

Hassell and Partners was established as Claridge, Hassell & McConnell in Adelaide in 1938. It later became Hassell, McConnell & Partners with an office in Adelaide and in Melbourne. In 1970, Morphett, a ‘second generation’ partner of the firm, spearheaded a new collaborative approach to design. The firm was renamed after founding partner, Colin Hassell, who supported Morphett’s proposals and, as Managing Director, steered their implementation (Cosgrove, 2011: 72). This Bauhaus influence fuelled the development of Hassell and Partners over the next three decades, transforming the firm from a partnership into a design collaborative (Shannon, 2018).

For Christopher, meeting Morphett in his small office in mid-1975 was memorable because there were few people and no computers. Morphett, always the gentleman, must have wondered what he had done when he saw the long-haired graduate before him.

To ensure a sense of identity for the planning and landscape architectural staff within what was traditionally an architectural practice, Morphett believed that it was important to establish separate entities for these disciplines. Initially employed in 1975, Christopher founded Land Systems Pty Ltd in 1979 as an autonomous company and became its Managing Director.

Christopher’s first project at Hassell, which was to become the longest to implement, was the River Torrens Linear Park, Adelaide (1975–97). Beginning as a beautification scheme, with Wren’s influence, it quickly morphed into an ecological study, and ultimately a flood mitigation project and a transport planning study. One of the largest public participatory studies in Australia at the time, the park ‘incorporates riparian vegetation and reconfigured waterways to create habitat, a busway, cycle paths and trails and recreation areas, along with flood mitigation’ (Bull, 2002). It turned a neglected resource into a well-used 30 km long public park, dealing with the complexities of flooding and transport planning, while respecting and improving the environment.

Other South Australian projects included Leigh Creek South Town Centre (1979–81); the O’Bahn Busway (1980–86); Noarlunga Town Plaza (1983–85); and Craigburn Residential Development, which established a new way of working with the land to develop a site, while conserving the environment in a cost-effective way and capitalising on the inherent beauty. All these projects involved landscape architectural design and documentation, similar to the architectural process, and were of a scale rarely seen at the time in Australia. Christopher developed this practice into the largest landscape architectural, landscape planning and urban design practice in Australia.

In Christopher’s view, his initial training and work as an architect gave him more latitude than others would have received in establishing a landscape architecture practice (Wren, 2010). Whatever the project:

‘… landscape architects have a role to play in minimising impacts on the land, maximising development opportunities, keeping costs to a reasonable minimum and ensuring the results are visually appealing and environmentally sustainable (C. Wren, Hassell group newsletter, 1986).

After a decade with the company, the allure of architecture and complex design led Christopher back to architecture. When Hassell and Partners was engaged for a medium density housing project by the SA Housing Trust in Enfield, S.A., this tight urban infill project provided an ideal opportunity, involving site planning, urban design, landscape architecture and architecture. His strong commitment to these disciplines echoed the practice’s philosophy.

In 1985, Christopher was appointed a Director of the practice, then known as Hassell Architects, Interior Designers, Landscape Architects. In this role, he was active on the Board, encouraging change to develop a broad practice with the support systems in place. From the mid-1990s, he was part of the Executive with Tim Shannon, Managing Director, and Ken Maher. Tim and Ken, the ‘rainmakers’ of the third generation, presided over significant changes in the practice both structurally and geographically, while Christopher was the sounding board, providing a broad view of the practice, the disciplines and locations. As Managing Director, Tim initiated the restructuring of the practice that enabled it to grow into the success it is today (Wren, 2018).

In 1986 John Morphett gently struck again, suggesting Christopher manage the Company’s Melbourne office, to support Tim Shannon, who had developed that office into a flourishing and well-respected presence. In Melbourne, Christopher was heavily involved in architectural and urban design work, including large-scale projects for the Government’s Major Projects Unit and the Urban Land Authority, later working in collaboration with Robin Edmond. Projects included the planning and design of Port Melbourne (later Beacon Cove), The Range residential precinct in Williamstown and Kensington Banks residential and mixed-use precinct.

He also worked in and managed a large separate project office for Melbourne Central (1986–1991), a large-scale mixed-use retail/commercial/railway station development. Hassell and Partners won the project in an international competition and were the main consultants, later working with the developer Kumagai Gumi’s architects, Kisho Kurokawa. This major commercial project, which ‘put us on the map in Melbourne’ (Morphett, 2010) was character building, being the largest mixed-use development in Melbourne at the time, constructed on a fast track basis involving all disciplines, and dealing concurrently with design and construction issues.

In 1990, Land Systems merged with Melbourne firm EBC (formerly Edmond Bull and Corkery) to become Land Systems EBC Pty Ltd, with Christopher as Director. EBC had an office in Hong Kong, and the merger provided the opportunity to develop Hassell into an international company, with the opening of the Hong Kong studio in 1991, undertaking work in South East Asia and, in particular, China. This ultimately led to a change in focus by the Board to South East Asia and beyond.

To strengthen its viability and stability, the Hassell Directors realigned the firm to become a single entity. Known as the Hassell Group, with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Auckland, Land Systems EBC Pty Ltd was one of its four design disciplines; the others were Hassell Architects; Hassell Planning Consultants Pty Ltd; and Hassell Interiors.

In the 1990s, a need to consider other opportunities prompted Christopher to suggest that they open an office in Queensland, which was experiencing considerable growth, and he offered to establish it. Management undertook research, which confirmed that Queensland did present a way to grow the practice, particularly using its Health Planning expertise. In 1993, Christopher moved to Brisbane to set up the office, which proved itself quickly by undertaking work in diverse places from country NSW and Queensland to South East Asia, particularly in the Philippines. This move was only possible due to a high-level commitment to this new venture and the support of senior personnel from various locations who provided the specialist skills when needed.

In 1993, at the same time as establishing the Brisbane office, Hassell merged with Ken Maher and Partners to reinvigorate the Sydney Office and provide additional design and urban design skills. The concurrent expansion added to the practice’s diversity and ultimately its stability. This type of affiliation with architects and other professionals in private practice enabled landscape architects to have greater participation in large urban design commissions (Saniga, 2010: 270).

In 1994 a significant restructure resulted in amalgamating the four disciplines that had operated as separate companies, in a collaborative practice named HASSELL. Although establishing the disciplines as separate companies and then bringing them back into the one organization may have appeared to be complex, the process proved important in the evolution of these companies, which were given more respect, being independent, attracting key personnel who valued the autonomy of each discipline. Once established, the disciplines found the transition back to one practice and one name, beneficial. This was due largely to the philosophical approach to design and the greater recognition of the contribution of each discipline in HASSELL than in any other practice (Wren, 2010).

In addition to complex large-scale urban projects, Christopher developed expertise in master planning and mixed-use urban development, with a particular focus on sustainable design. Projects included commercial offices, education facilities, health facilities, residential and retail complexes. The epitome of his design approach is the Kelvin Grove Urban Village (1999–2005), 17 hectares in inner Brisbane that incorporates a number of medical and research institutions – facilities for the Queensland University of Technology – with housing and retail. This award winning, landmark project resulted in the creation of a new town centre, with a grid of streets and active street frontages; it has become a model for new urban developments. This project involved all of HASSELL’s disciplines and collaboration with other practices for some individual sites. David Gardiner, Pro Vice Chancellor of Planning and Resources for QUT said ‘Christopher Wren has really played an interesting master planning role … using images from New York University … saying “Here is how we are going to get the mixture [of] street front, university, commercial, retail”’ (Klaebe, 2006).

HASSELL received considerable acknowledgement in Brisbane for its inclusive approach, leading to the office’s strong growth. Christopher believes that ‘the spread of disciplines and diversity of locations, coupled with a mix of private and government projects, has been the driver and saviour of the practice over the years (Wren, 2010).

Christopher was a member of the Queensland Urban Land Development Authority’s Design Review Panel and an Adjunct Professor at QUT, Chair of the Brisbane City Council’s Sustainability Advisory Committee and member of the Queensland Premier’s Business Round Table for over a decade. He retired in 2005, after working for HASSELL for 30 years. He then worked as a consultant to HASSELL until 2012, focusing on urban design and planning projects, such as transport interchanges and urban development studies.

Caroline Cosgrove

Citation details
Cosgrove, Caroline, 'Wren, Christopher', Architecture Museum, University of South Australia, 2018, Architects of South Australia: [http://www.architectsdatabase.unisa.edu.au/arch_full.asp?Arch_ID=161]

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Architecture, University of Adelaide, 1971.
Master of Landscape Architecture, University of Massachusetts, 1975.

STUDY TOURS & CONFERENCES

Zoological Gardens (using sustainable management and naturalistic enclosures for Monarto Open Range Zoo and subsequently Werribee Zoo), USA, 1982.
Middle East with the SA Government, land restoration and transport planning consultancy, 1984.
Urban centres in Europe and the United Kingdom, 1984.
Town Centres study with particular reference to retail centres, USA, 1988.
Paper to the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects titled ‘Leigh Creek South: A New Town’ Adelaide, SA, 1987 (as published in Landscape Australia, 4/87).
Place making and urban centres, USA and Canada, 1992.
Urban rejuvenation and major infill projects, Europe and the UK, 1996, 1998 and 2000.
Paper titled ‘Sustainable Place Making, Australian Exemplars’ to the Landscape and Greenways Conference, Budapest, Hungary, 2010.
Paper to the Scottish Urban Design Group, Edinburgh and the Glasgow City Council, titled ‘Sustainable Place Making and Urban Design Exemplars’, 2010.

WORK

Callister, Payne and Bishop; Julius Fabos (Director of Graduate Studies, UMass) and the Massachusetts Department of Transport, Massachusetts, USA, 1973–1975.
Hassell and Partners, Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects, Adelaide, 1975–1979.
Land Systems Pty Ltd, Landscape Architects, Landscape Planners and Urban Designers, Founder and Managing Director, 1979–1985.
Director of HASSELL, 1985–2005
HASSELL, Architects, Interior Designers, Planners, Landscape Architects, based in the Melbourne Office, 1986–1993
HASSELL, Brisbane, 1993–2005, with part time work as a consultant/Emeritus Principal through to 2012.

PROFESSIONAL

RAIA (now Australian Institute of Architects) member since 1971; became a Fellow of the RAIA in 1998.
Australian Institute of Landscape Architecture (AILA), member since 1975; became a Fellow of the AILA in 1985.
Board member, HASSELL, 1979–2005.
International Board member, HASSELL, 1991–2005.
Chair, Brisbane City Council Sustainability Advisory Committee, QLD.
Member of the Premier’s (Peter Beattie and then Anna Bligh) Business Round Table, QLD, 1998–2010.
Member, Queensland Urban Land Development Authority Design Review Panel, 2004–2011.

ACADEMIC/SCHOLARLY

Lecturer, Graphic Design and Urban Design, University of Massachusetts, 1974.
Adjunct Professor, Architecture and Urban Design (now part of Creative Industries), Queensland University of Technology, 2002–2005.

SELECTED PROJECTS

South Australia

River Torrens Linear Park, Adelaide (1975–1997).
Awards: 1986 AILA National Project Awards – Project Award of Merit – Civic Design.
1986 AILA National Project Awards – Award in Landscape Architecture – Research and Studies.
1992 AILA National Project Awards – Project Award in Landscape
Architecture – Infrastructure.
1998 AILA National Project Awards – Project Award of Merit – Environmental
Planning.
Leigh Creek South Town Centre, Leigh Creek (1979–81).
Craigburn Residential Development ‘Design with the Land’, Adelaide, 1979-1983.
O’Bahn Busway, Adelaide (1980–86).
Noarlunga Town Plaza, Noarlunga, Ramsey Place and Walk (1983 -85):
Awards: 1986 AILA National Project Award of Merit – Civic Design.
Bicentennial Conservatory Landscape Development, Adelaide Botanic Gardens, 1985-1989.
Awards: AILA National Project Award in Landscape Architecture, 1992.
Enfield, Adelaide, Medium Density Housing, 1985-86.
Adelaide-Crafers Highway, 1986-1990.
Awards: 1989 and 1990 RAPI Award for Excellence in Planning-Certificate of Merit
Planning Document.

Victoria

Melbourne Central, Melbourne (1986–91).
Victoria’s Open Range Zoo, Werribee, 1993 - 97
Awards: 1997 AILA (Vic. & Tas.), Award of Merit in Open Space and Recreation Design.
Port Melbourne and Beacon Cove, 1992 – 1998.
The Range residential project, Williamtown, Victoria, 1990-1998.
Kensington Banks residential and mixed use, Flemington, Victoria, 1991-1997.
Awards: 1995 RAPI (Vic.), Award of Excellence, Planning and Development.
1997 UDIA (Vic.), Awards for Excellence – President’s Award.
2006 FIABCI Prix d’ Excellence – Winner, Master Plans.
Waterfront City, Docklands, VIC, 2002.

Queensland

Empire Theatre Redevelopment, Toowoomba, QLD, 1996 – 1997.
Awards: 1998 RAIA (QLD), Darling Downs Regional Commendation.
Riverview Urban Renewal, Ipswich, Queensland, 1995 – 98.
Awards: 1997 AILA (QLD), Project Award – Residential Design.
1998 AILA National Project Award in Landscape Architecture Design – Residential.
Margate Foreshore Redevelopment, Competition Winner and Implementation, Redcliffe, QLD, 1997 – 2000.
Awards: 2002 AILA (QLD) Harry Oakman Tribute Project Award.
2002 AILA (QLD) Award for Open Space and Recreation Design.
2002 AILA National Award, Merit Award – Design Public Open Spaces.
Kelvin Grove Urban Village, Brisbane (1999–2011).
Awards: 2001 RAPI (QLD) Awards – Certificate of Merit Award for Excellence in Planning – Urban Design.
2001 RAPI (QLD) Awards –Award for Excellence in Planning – Urban Planning Achievement.
2002 AILA National Awards – Project Award – Master Planning.
2002 RAIA (QLD) Awards – High Commendation – Unbuilt
2003 PIA (QLD) Awards for Planning Excellence – Award for Environmental
Planning.
2004 PIA National Awards for Planning Excellence – Award for Environmental Planning or Conservation.
2005 AILA (QLD) Awards – Commendation Award – Design – Civic Design and Design of Urban Spaces.
120 Edward Street Commercial Offices, Brisbane, 1998 – 2001.
Awards: This building won numerous awards for sustainability and design being the first 4.5
Star Energy Rated Building by the Australian Greenhouse Office.
2003, The Francis Greenway Society Green Building Awards – Silver Medal.
2002/3 State and National Master Builders Award of Excellence in Energy Aware
Buildings - Commercial High-Rise Buildings.
2003 Property Council of Australia State and National, Rider Hunt Award for
Excellence.
2003 Australian Property Institute (QLD), Excellence in Property Development.
Queensland University of Technology Creative Industries Precinct – Phase 1, Brisbane, a collaboration with FJMT Architects (2001-04).
Awards: 2005 RAIA (QLD) Awards – Brisbane Regional Commendation – Public Buildings
Boggo Road Master Plan (which evolved into the award winning Ecosciences Precinct by HASSELL), Brisbane, QLD, 2001.
Maroochy Town Centre (Horton Park) Master Plan, 2006.
Northshore Master Plan and Portside Implementation, Brisbane, QLD, 2003 – 2007.
North Lakes Centre Master Plan and buildings for the Community Library and Recreation Centre, Brisbane, QLD, 2001 - 2004.
Palmerston Town Centre Redevelopment, NT, 2004.
Gold Coast Marina Master Plan, 2005.
Tugun Bypass, 2005 – 2008.
Milton Railway Station, TOD Concept Design, QLD, 2004.
Ripley Town Centre, 2007 – 2011.
Awards: 2009, Gold Coast Urban Design Awards – High Commendation.
Gold Coast University Hospital Precinct Master Plan and the Health and Knowledge Precinct Master Plan, 2007.
Awards: 2010 AILA (QLD), Gold Coast Regional Commendation – Urban Design.
2010 AIA (QLD) Gold Coast Regional Commendation for Urban Design.
Gold Coast Rapid Transit Corridor Study, Gold Coast, QLD, 2008 – 11.
Awards: 2012 AIA (QLD), Gold Coast and Northern Rivers Regional Architecture Awards,
Urban Design Commendation.
2012 PIA (QLD), Large Regional /Urban Project.
2013 PIA National Award – Large Planning Award.
2014 AILA National Award – Planning.
Caloundra Downs Master Plan, 2011.

Other significant projects include:
The Princess Alexandra and Queen Elizabeth II Hospital Master Plans and the Cairns and Robina Hospitals which justified the strategy to open an office in Queensland.
Several TODS including station planning for Darra, Richlands, Ellen Grove, Varsity Lakes, Ferny Grove, Caboolture, Roma Street, QLD.
Numerous residential planning studies including the Bundaberg Housing Study, QLD and the Mackay Better Cities Infill Housing, QLD.
Windamere House Heritage Restoration, QLD and Heritage Gardens Study, SA.
Springfield Town Centre Master Plan (in association with SOM).
University of Queensland Multi-storey Car Park and also South Bank Redevelopment and Multi-storey (under- ground) Car Park, QLD.
Qantas Domestic Terminal, Sydney, NSW and Brisbane Domestic Terminal Master Plan and Extensions.
Monarto Open Range Zoo, SA.
Coomera Charette Planning Study, QLD and Port Melbourne Charette, Victoria.
Newstead Master Plan for FKP and the Urban Renewal Authority.
Subic Bay Resort, Philippines.

HASSELL Studio