Roger Kirk Johnson

Roger Kirk Hayes Johnson (28 December 1922 – 1991) was an architect, planner, potter, painter, sculptor, writer and educator.

Post war he practised architecture and teaching in Kenya, South Africa, Burma, England and finally Australia where he emigrated with his family in 1960.

[1] Several key Canberra landmark buildings including the National Gallery of Australia and the School of Music begun construction during Johnson's time at the commission.

[1] One of two sons of William Henry Johnson, mining engineer, and his wife Mary Stewart Sharpe, née Hayes.

[4] On 9 July 1949 at St Stephen’s Church of England, Prenton, Birkenhead, he married a managerial trainee, Patricia Noel Bellis.

In 1961 Gordon Stephenson, who had been appointed Consultant Architect to the University of Western Australia in Perth, asked Johnson to join him in its development.

Following a world tour of important galleries and parliamentary centres visiting architects, town planners and artists such as Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, from whom he bought sculpture for Canberra, he commenced work as First Assistant Commissioner in charge of Architecture and Civic Design.

Johnson was not a supporter of the siting of Parliament House on the Capitol Hill,[8] however, and also frustrated at the time taken and inconstancy of politicians in their decision making 3.

[11] Among his contributions to architectural education and design is the book "The Green City" published in 1979,[12] written as the result of a Fulbright Scholarship, that laid out in simple format and many illustrations a vision for urban development that reflected his love of the natural environment.

Roger Johnson retired as Head of School in 1987 but continued to design and produce paintings and pottery until his death on 25 May 1991 from a heart condition.