Comedian and architecture tragic Tim Ross explores Canberra in new TV show

One of Canberra’s most eye-catching buildings is as significant as Sydney’s famed Opera House.

At least comedian and self-described “architecture tragic” Tim Ross thinks so.

Ross – one half of duo Merrick and Rosso – has travelled across Australia as host of Streets of Your Town, a two-part series looking at how our country’s architectural landscape has changed over the past 70 years, from the emergence of modernism in the mid-century to the rise of the divisive “McMansion” today.

Canberra is among the stops in episode one, which hits small screens via the ABC on Tuesday, November 8.

Ross explores modernism in the national capital – his favourite period of architecture in a city that hold its own in this sphere.

It’s an episode that shines a light on one of the national capital’s most striking buildings: the Australian Academy of Science’s Shine Dome.

The Australian funnyman, who has performed inside the Roy Grounds-designed structure in Acton, said it was on par with the Sydney Opera House from a structural and engineering perspective.

“I do think it’s underrated. I do think it’s right up there with buildings of its time,” he said.

“It’s very Australian to say you don’t ‘get’ things, it’s a martian embassy….It’s well worth parking the car one day and popping in to have a look inside – before someone tells you to get out.

“It’s probably coming into its time again now.”

In Ross’ mind, the Shine Dome captured the idea of what might be possible in the future – essentially, modernism.

It’s not the only example of this architectural period that features in episode one. Ross is quick to dismiss Canberra’s negative stereotypes and lauds many of the city’s residential and public modernist buildings.

We can largely thank early public servants with an appreciation of good design for these mid-century houses dotted throughout our more established suburbs, he said.

“Then you’ve got the great buildings of the 20th century, everything from the National Gallery [of Australia] to the High Court, all those civic buildings are extraordinary – and absolutely underrated,” Ross said.

Streets of Your Town includes some lovely footage of our town, both old and new.

But it’s also a chance to reflect on the the design of buildings today and into the future – something Ross believes is integral to housing affordability.

It’s clear the McMansion-style houses now ubiquitous in the Australian landscape are not his idea of the way forward. 

“Great design is key to everyone having a home and that’s using space in a better way so we’re not making as big a footprint,” Ross said.

“I do believe we can build better on smaller blocks.”