Grand Designs: Parliamentary Architecture, Art, and Accessibility

Abstract

The phrase ‘grand designs’ is used in political science and international relations, as well as in architecture. The buildings that house parliaments and legislatures are often appropriately grand, for they represent the highest aspirations of their states. While many legislatures use updated versions of ancient Greek and Roman architectural styles, there are instances of striking new parliamentary buildings, such as Oscar Niemeyer’s Congress buildings in Brasilia, Louis Kahn’s Parliament buildings in Dacca, and the refurbished Reichstag in Berlin. There are also pertinent examples of indigenous architecture in the legislatures of countries such as Fiji and Samoa. Some states attempt to incorporate the principles of democracy — including transparency and accessibility — in their public buildings, but others do not. In this regard, it is significant that American, Australian, Canadian, and Scandinavian legislatures are far more accessible and open than the New Zealand Parliament.