Modi shares story of architect Walter Burley Griffin with Obama, Abbott

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday shared with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott and U.S. President Barack Obama the fascinating story of Walter Burley Griffin, the well-known American architect who designed Australian capital Canberra and was buried in Lucknow.

Griffin, who died on February 11, 1937 at the age of 61 years, was a landscape architect who hailed from the U.S. He is known for designing Canberra, Australias capital city and has been credited with the development of the L-shaped floor plan, the carport and an innovative use of reinforced concrete.

Influenced by the Chicago-based Prairie School, Griffin developed a unique modern style. He worked in partnership with his wife Marion Mahony Griffin.

Griffin came to India in 1935 to design a library for the Lucknow University. He stayed on to design several other buildings in Lucknow, including the headquarters of the famed daily, The Pioneer, for which he also regularly wrote. However, he passed away in 1937 before completing most of his assignments and was buried in Lucknow.

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Historian S. Muthiah explores the similarities in the two capital cities - Delhi and Canberra - which echo each other in appearances. Read here

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Modi shares story of architect Walter Burley Griffin with Obama, Abbott