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Canberra has been copping flak from the rest of Australia since the day it was founded. Built entirely from scratch to settle a debate between Sydney and Melbourne over which got to be the capital, the city is seen by many as the middle child nobody originally wanted.
Today, Canberra is instantly recognisable by its artificial lakes, massive roundabouts and iconic Parliamentary Triangle – all courtesy of Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin, who won the 1911-1912 Australian Federal Capital Competition. But Australia’s capital could have looked remarkably different had the judges picked British designer Ernest Gimson’s radical alternative vision.
Architectural enthusiast Daniel Coughlin has brought his blueprint to life, creating what’s believed to be the first-ever historically informed, photorealistic reconstruction of Gimson’s unrealised 1911 plan. By pairing historical drawings with modern AI tools, he’s reimagined how Canberra might have evolved by 2026, adding contemporary transport, shops and street life while retaining the underlying architecture and character of the original scheme. Take a look and imagine how different the nation's capital could have been!
Canberra Cathedral Quarter
Cathedral
University
Shopping arcade interior
Shopping arcade market
National Museum
House of Representatives
Parliament waterfront
