Canberra ASIO building beautiful but poorly located

That's the assessment of the massive new ASIO headquarters from leading Canberra architect Tony Trobe and former head of the National Capital Development Commission Tony Powell.

Building headquarters for the secretive domestic spy agency on some of the capital's most prominent real estate was a mistake, according to Mr Powell, but he believes the building a design success.

"I actually think it looks pretty good as a building but my concern is the fact that it is where it is," he said.

"It was decided to be put in that location by the National Capital Authority and in doing that they were making a decision which was contrary to their own policies for the central national area.

"It's not a commercial building, it's a high security building, so in a sense it is very alien because the whole point of the central national area … is to contain major national institutions.

"To put the ASIO building, which is completely foreign, which nobody will ever get in to see and which will never generate tourist traffic … is quite inappropriate."

Mr Powell said the building, named after former prime minister Ben Chifley, was well designed and a good example of public architecture.

"I think they've been quite clever in designing the height in that you don't have to go very far away towards the lake and Parliament House before it disappears.

"Everything could be solved if they don't give it to ASIO and [instead] give it to some sort of national organisation that could make open use of it," he said.

Mr Trobe, founder of TT Architecture, said the design was crisp and innovative.

“Its location and the question of whether that's in the right spot for what is effectively a secret building on a public thoroughfare is very interesting,” he said.

"It just seems odd, in that it is secret and public at the same time is a little schizophrenic – but why not when you don't want to hide those things?

"I suspect it is probably a good thing."

Mr Trobe said architectural elements visible from outside the secure building, including sharp edges and double walls, were notable.

"Whether or not it is part of a bigger view of what Constitution Avenue should be as part of an arrival into Canberra and the flavour of the street, it is a debate that we are beginning to have now and should have had a while ago," he said.

Mr Trobe said the building would likely be considered in the 2014 Institute of Architects awards.

"In terms of the architecture I don't find it offensive at all and indeed I think it is quite elegant."

ASIO officers will move into the building in stages over coming months, following long construction delays and cost overruns since the building was first planned by the former Howard government.