A new Lodge for Australia is long overdue and too important a decision to leave to politicians, a leading architect will argue tomorrow.

University of Canberra professorial fellow Howard Tanner, the director of Tanner Kibble Denton Architects, was a juror for the Lodge by the Lake Design Ideas Competition organised by the University of Canberra and the Gallery of Australian Design to mark the Centenary of Canberra.

“One of the things about which the jury was unanimous was that the current Lodge simply isn’t up to it,” Professor Tanner said.

“It is not representative of the best of contemporary Australia – its design excellence and its lifestyles. More importantly it doesn’t deliver on any of the functions we expect from the residence of a national leader – it is not suitable for entertaining dignitaries and it is not comfortable as a modern family home.

Professor Tanner said the recent competition had achieved its main aims of sparking a national debate and gathering a range of impressive designs which could be a starting point for a new Lodge by the lake.

“We wanted to create a real discussion about the need for a new PM’s residence, to permanently secure Attunga Point on Lake Burley Griffin for this purpose, and to demonstrate a range of creative solutions.

“In the three finalists we now have very different, yet worthy, solutions to this complex design problem. Now is the time to give the Australian people the Lodge they deserve.”

 “The Idea of a New Lodge” – public lecture, at the Gallery of Australian Design, 44 Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Parkes, 12.30pm at Saturday,  August 24, all welcome.