tag: 20th century
Fait accompli?
posted 10.23 in news.
In late July the University of Melbourne signalled its intention to “retire” many 20th Century modernist buildings at its Parkville campus before 2040, in keeping with its “long term strategic, academic and research ambitions”. Renderings in its new master plan show the Raymond Priestley administration building, the medical building and the John Medley building tagged for demolition, to name just a few.
Shifting sands at Oriental Bay
posted 11.19 in news.
In the past 100 years the “rotunda” at Wellington’s Oriental Bay has been buffeted not just by wild seas, but also the less predictable winds of change. Shifting needs, mores, and economies have seen the structure reinvented several times, and it’s about to happen all over again.
A sentiment in a minor key
posted 06.14 in news.
The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco is out of the way now, sandwiched between The Presidio military barracks and a residential neighbourhood. It was out on the edge because it it sits on what used to be the swampy 635 acre home of the 1915...
Pruitt Igoe - the film
posted 02.14 in news.
You know the photos and the footage. In case you don’t here it is, complete with prevailing attitude courtesy of Robert Hughes. According to Hughes, “every sort of Corbusian amenity” did not “improve” the tenants,...
Renegotiation of Space: Minimal Post-Minimal Architecture
posted 09.12 in events.
Join architectural historian Professor Philip Goad on a walking tour through some of the highlights of ‘minimalist’ Melbourne including the Adelphi Hotel swimming pool and private residence Zinc House (Denton Corker Marshall), RMIT Design Hub...
Dictionary of Unsung Architects
posted 09.12 in resources.
Fine descriptions of more than 40 architects from Melbourne’s Twentieth Century past. With selected buildings listings and photos. Put together by, I think, Simon Reeves at Built Heritage Pty Ltd.
Survey of Post-War Built Heritage in Victoria
posted 08.12 in resources.
“This comprehensive study 2008 study by Heritage Alliance, Melbourne, identifies built places across Victoria from the post-war period that were considered to be of potential heritage significance.” This page contains many PDF...
RMIT Design Archives Journal
posted 08.12 in resources.
“The RMIT Design Archives Journal is published twice a year from 2011.” The journal, available in PDF format, has occasional issues dedicated to 20th Century Melbourne architectural history.
What House Is That?
posted 09.11 in resources.
“What house is that? is an exploration of the social and architectural history of Victoria’s housing styles. From our earliest Victorian cottages through to the light filled, open plan houses of the Modern era, we look at the houses...
Brisbane Modern
posted 06.11 in resources.
“A new independent publication exploring mid 20th Century design, art, architecture and furniture in Brisbane.” Some images from past issues can be viewed on the website.
10 Murray goes supreme?
posted 03.11 in news.
Having had their appeal to the planning court rejected, the Save 10 Murray team are gearing up to take it to the Supreme Court. This requires them to have $30,000 available in the event that they lose. Please consider pledging something here, but...
Art Deco & Modernism - Architecture Australia
posted 01.11 in resources.
Or ModernAus for short. An Australia-wide accompaniment to Thomas Ryan’s Tasmanian Art Deco & Modernism photo blog ( here ).
KCMODERN (archive)
posted 01.10 in resources.
Lively mid-century blog from Kansas, U.S. with lots of original photos of lucky finds. 2024: Seems to have died in 2012 but available still at the Internet Archive.
Modernist Australia
posted 12.09 in resources.
“It is time for action. We welcome all designers, architects, homeowners and hunters, artists, purveyors of mid-century ephemera, and most importantly anyone who simply appreciates this era and Modernist design and who would like to know...
Hillman House
posted 12.09 in news.
The letter writers are noisy in Sydney’s Northern burbs right now, protesting that an interior designer should be able to alter her own home’s interior. Willoughby council doesn’t agree, as the 1947 Hillman House is a relatively...
Perth's Best
posted 10.09 in resources.
Perth’s Best has a growing collection of photos of Perth’s architecture mid Century onwards. Quite a few Iwanoffs and Donaldson and Warns.
Messenger or Salesman?
posted 10.09 in news.
Christopher Hawthorne at the LA Times draws a long bow and suggests Julius Shulman’s love of modern architecture and wide open spaces helped to feed the suburban lifestyle aspirations of late 20th Century Angelenos. He thinks this angle should...
The '60s is now a long time ago
posted 10.09 in news.
CENTURY PLAZA – MINORU YAMASAKI 1966, L.A. – TO BE DEMOLISHED Christopher Hawthorne writes in the LA Times that the Los Angeles Conservancy is now battling to save architecture from the 1960s. They even have a new website devoted to...
The 20th Century Heritage Society (NSW)
posted 01.08 in resources.
This much-improved site focusses on 20th Century deco and modern buildings around Sydney. Lots of photos and links and a series of walks.
Docomomo
posted 01.08 in resources.
The local offshoot of the Dutch organisation whose mission is to, “draw attention to the plight of some of the pioneering early modern buildings which were decaying for lack of a current use.” Not a lot of action on this site, though...
related tags
19th century, 1910s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, art deco, bernard maybeck, brutalism, case study, climate change, demolition, density, developers, development, dirk bolt, earthquakes, energy ratings, expositions, films, floods, grounds romberg and boyd, housing, julius shulman, mid-century, miles lewis, minimalism, minoru yamasaki, modern, moderne, modernism, philip goad, phillip goad, pierre koenig, ppp, public housing, public space, rebuilding, reuse, richard neutra, robin boyd, sea level, simon reeves, stephenson and turner, thomas ryan, universities, urban design, urbanism, waterfront
