For the first time since the original 1920s architectural competition, the shortlist of alternative designs for Victoria’s beloved war memorial is on display in Designing Remembrance: Alternate visions for Victoria’s war memorial – an opportunity to explore Victoria’s history of remembrance and discover the untold stories behind the Shrine’s creation.
Designing Remembrance tells the story of the architectural competition that shaped Victoria’s national war memorial. Showcasing ambitious proposals, the exhibition allows visitors to journey back in time and see how Melbourne’s iconic memorial might have looked – and how it could have taken a very different shape from the monument we know and love today.
Each of the shortlisted entries from the 1921 War Memorial design competition is a testament to the social and political tapestry of the time. From grand cenotaphs to humble sanctuaries, visitors will discover the different visions that once competed for a place in Victoria’s heart.
The exhibition invites reflection on questions that challenged past Victorians: Should a memorial honour the past or herald the future? Should it be grandiose or modest, solemn or hopeful, glorious or a warning?
Offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into history, visitors can examine detailed plans, conceptual drawings and correspondence, and eavesdrop on conversations and debate between designers, builders and judges, gaining insight into the creative process behind the Shrine’s inception.
The competition was fiercely contested with more than 80 submissions made. Although veterans and architects Phillip Hudson and James Wardrop’s winning design became the monument we know and love, the second-place runner up, William Lucas, was publicly disappointed.
Shrine Curator Neil Sharkey collaborated with historians Dr Katti Williams (University of Melbourne) and Dr Laura Carroll (Shrine Education & Volunteer Manager) in the development of the exhibition. Sharkey notes:
“Designing Remembrance is a rare glimpse into the collective mind of a post-war community grappling with how to honour a legacy of service and sacrifice. The hand-drawn plans, rendered in pencil and watercolour, are remarkable, showing the plazas, pylons and sculptures that could have stood where the Shrine now stands.”
Shrine CEO Dean Lee emphasises the enduring significance of the Shrine as a site for the community. “The Shrine has been Victoria’s home of commemoration for nearly 90 years. It serves as a bastion of memory and reflection for the service that secures our nation’s future,” he said.
“With the 90th anniversary approaching, we’re delighted to celebrate the creativity of those who shaped this beloved monument and our understanding of remembrance,” said Mr Lee.
Professor Philip Goad, Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor and Chair of Architecture at the University of Melbourne’s School of Design, who consulted on the exhibition says: “Ninety years on, this exhibition is a fascinating insight into the ideals and aspirations of architects in the 1920s as they grappled with the difficult questions of sacrifice, loss, monumentality and national engagement with bloody conflict on the other side of the globe,” he said.
“The final result in the design competition had long-lasting consequences, casting forever an ideological net across Melbourne’s urban psyche. Who cannot still be affected today by the Shrine of Remembrance’s constant, even haunting presence on the axis down Swanston Street?” said Professor Goad.
Designing Remembrance bridges the past and present, encouraging visitors to discover the people and community who contributed to designing this Australian icon, while reflecting on the evolving meanings of remembrance and honouring the service and sacrifice of past and future generations.
Designing Remembrance: Alternate visions for Victoria’s war memorial
Shrine of Remembrance, Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne
Exhibition continues to August 2025
Free entry
For more information, visit: www.shrine.org.au for details.
Image: The winning design by Philip Hudson and James Wardrop – courtesy of the Shrine of Remembrance