The story of Australian architecture might be said to parallel the endeavours of Australians to adapt & reconcile themselves with their home & neighbours. It is the story of 200 years of coming to terms with the land: of adaptation, insight & making do. Early settlers were poorly provisioned, profoundly ignorant of the land & richly prejudiced towards its peoples. They pursued many paths over many terrains. From the moist temperate region of Tasmania with heavy Palladian villas to the monsoonal north with open, lightweight stilt houses, the continent has induced most different regional building styles.
From the Sydney Opera House and the National Gallery of Victoria to sought-after homes across the country, the pervasive presence of modernism is inescapable in Australia. Led by the likes of Robin Boyd, Harry Seidler and Walter Burley Griffin, modernist architects and designers set out to rebuild at all scales, from vast infrastructure projects, to public health and education institutions, to new centres of culture, consumption and leisure.Australia Modern vividly captures this architectural legacy with a survey of 100 significant modern sites, richly illustrated with archival images and newly commissioned photographs. Contextual essays by leading voices in architecture and conservation explore modernism's influence on every facet of life in Australia and the ongoing challenges facing preservation. Showcasing projects from the iconic and the urban to the everyday, the regional and the lesser known, Australia Modern cultivates an appreciation for the modern architects and buildings that will increasingly constitute the heritage of tomorrow.
A history of landscape architecture in Australia, this book profiles the people who have shaped the nation's landscape and forged a profession: designers, architects, public servants, and activists. Using archival images and plans, it recounts milestones, including the creation of Melbourne's public parks and gardens, the landscaping of Canberra's open spaces, the design of infrastructure in Western Australia, and the reclaiming of Sydney's harbor foreshores. This account also shares describes how the distinctive shapes and forms of the landscapes that make Australian cities were determined.
Until recently, scorned or ignored by many historians and commentators, Australia's Art Deco architecture of the 1920s and 1930s endures as a unique record of its time and a mirror of the hopes and aspirations of Australians in the years between the two world wars. A Spirit of Progress: Art Deco Architecture in Australia provides a valuable insight into this significant period in Australia's social, economic and artistic development. In his travels across Australia, photographer Patrick Van Daele has captured the wealth that is Australia's Art Deco architecture. From the corporate splendours of tall office buildings to the engineering marvels of great dams and the domestic style of the home, the photographs mirror the achievement and the human aspect of the inter-war era in this country. They are illuminated by Roy Lumby's authoritative text, which describes the history and development of this important style in Australia, and the fascinating times in which it appeared.
"When Europeans first reached Australian shores, a long-held and expedient perception developed that Australian Aboriginal people did not have houses or settlements, that they occupied temporary camps, sheltering in makeshift huts or lean-tos of grass and bark. This book redresses that notion, exploring the range and complexity of Aboriginal-designed structures, spaces and territorial behaviour, from minimalist shelters to permanent houses and villages. 'Gunyah, Goondie and Wurley' encompasses Australian Aboriginal Architecture from the time of European contact to the work of the first Aboriginal graduates of university-based courses in architecture, bringing together in one place a wealth of images and research."--Publisher's website.
MMXX tells the story of architecture in Australia in the first two decades of the 21st century. Shaped by unprecedented prosperity, urbanisation, uncertainty and internationalisation, the past two decades have produced some of the most significant and diverse architecture in this country. This richly illustrated volume reflects on and evaluates this period, taking the reader on a journey through varying scales and locations - from ambitious city-making projects to finely crafted homes and elegant sheds nestled in the scenic countryside. Showcasing 59 acclaimed projects completed between 2000 and 2019, the book features work by more than 100 practices. Turn the pages to experience the urban generosity of Harry Seidler & Associates' Riparian Plaza in Brisbane, visit the irreverent and culture-shaping Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart by Fender Katsalidis, and explore ARM Architecture's iconic Shrine of Remembrance on Melbourne's grand axis. Highlighting the impact of the buildings, each is paired with a number that tells a story of occupation: capacity concert audiences, the number of babies born and large crowds gathered to witness moments in history. Alongside the key projects, ten essays by leading thinkers document the cultures and ideas that have shaped architecture today. MMXX guides the reader through contemporary architecture in Australia, foregrounding its invaluable contribution to our built environment and inspiring an optimistic future.
Featuring over 200 photographs, this stunning book by renowned television historian Dan Cruickshank tells the history of architecture through the stories of 100 iconic buildings
A comprehensive narrative history of building and design styles in Australia, from traditional Aboriginal gunyahs; to the local interpretations of northern hemisphere trends; to the sustainable, climate sensitive and high-tech constructions of the 21st century. From First Nations gunyahs and First Fleet huts to 21st century eco-pavilions and skyscrapers, Davina Jackson surveys the evolution of architecture in Australia. Dr Jackson explores how early colonial building designers like James Bloodworth, Francis Greenway and John Lee Archer interpreted classical European styles using local stone and timber. She examines how medieval and Renaissance monuments influenced leading architects during the 19th century, until the fresh winds of modernism and demands for a unique Australian style took over in the 20th century, with environmental challenges and technological innovations driving change in recent years. Over two and a half centuries, our architects and builders have responded to the fierce Australian sun with verandas, porticos, colonnades, screens and Asian-inspired shade pavilions. Jackson explores these and other distinctive aspects of Australian design, why gold-boom architecture consistently impressed Victorian visitors, and the achievements of modern luminaries like Walter and Marion Griffin, Harry Seidler, Jorn Utzon, John Andrews, Glenn Murcutt and John Wardle. Illustrated throughout, Australian Architecture traces our distinctive and internationally acclaimed domestic, commercial and institutional buildings, with overviews of the main design influences and key examples to visit. This is the essential guide for designers, architects, students and anyone interested in the story of Australia's unique and fascinating architecture. 'Comprehensive, fascinating and inspiring' - Tim Ross, presenter of ABC TV's Designing a Legacy 'Davina Jackson delights with characteristic clarity' - Peter Murray OBE, Curator-in-Chief, New London Architecture 'Gleams with insights into the buildings that shape our lives.' - Emeritus Professor Grace Karskens, author of The Colony 'Long overdue' - Luigi Rosselli, award-winning architect 'An impressive and exhaustive survey' - Karen McCartney, author of Iconic Australian Houses 'A must read for every lover of Australian design.' - Raj Nandan, Chairman and CEO, Indesign Media Asia/Pacific
Architectural traditions brought from Europe by first white settlers, early architects and builders, emergence of Australian tradition, important buildings.
