Design Themes and Values in Domestic Arch-1960-90

Design themes and values in Australian domestic
architecture, 1960-1990
Author:
Seo, Kyoung-Hwa
Publication Date:
1993
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/10677
License:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/au/
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DESIGN THEMES AND VALUES IN
AUSTRALIAN DOMESTIC
ARCHITECTURE.
(1960 — 1990)
Student Name: Seo, Kyoung-Hwa.
Submitted for the Degree of: Master of Architecture.
School of Architecture, The University of New South Wales.
Year of Submission: 1993.

UNIVERS. i t OF N.S.W.
2 7 CCT 1993
LIBRARIES
"For purposes of empirical research: creativity is that
process which results in a novel work that is accepted as tenable
or useful or satisfying by a group at some point in time" -
Morris Stein.
"I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and
that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no
material previously published or written by another person nor
material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the
award of any other degree or diploma of a university or other
institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement is
made in the text."
Seo, Kyoung-Hwa. /04/93
-2 -
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
In particular, sincere thanks need to be given to my supervisor
Dr.Paul Alan Johnson who proved to be a most patient and appropriate
supervisor.
I would also like to thank Dr.Bruce Judd who acted as supervisor
during Dr.Johnson’s absence.
A special thanks to the Royal Australian Institute of Architects
Chapters in ACT, NSW, VIC, QLD and TAS, and the Stanton Library in
North Sydney for providing me with the appropriate materials.
Nancy, Bruce, Gabi, Moon, Benedict, Craig (senior), and many
Warrane fellows have given me great help during my stay in Australia.
1 wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
I would like to thank my parents and the greatest friend, Jesus
Christ, for their encouragement and giving love.
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ABSTRACT.
This study aims to clarify the public and professional perception
of architectural values and standards. Analysis was made of award
winning designs which contain the views of architects and critics and
juries. As reported in Architecture Australia, the journal of the Royal
Australian Institute of Architects, and similar publications.
30 years of RAIA Merit Awards for new single houses over four
states, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania were
examined in the study using a form of content analysis.
Architectural concepts and notions mentioned by architects and
juries in these journals were extracted and categorised to find
emphases and trends.
Overall, out of the five categories studied, the research shows
that General descriptions emphasize functional and technical concepts
more than non-physical values where as Juries and Architects
emphasize aesthetic values in their judgements and submissions for
the Merit Awards. Moreover Architects emphasize more contextual and
social values than Juries do.
The characteristics of social and climatic environment of each
state were found to be emphasised by both juries and architects.
The study highlights the need for a thorough investigation and
possible reviews of award assessment procedures and argues for full
presentation of the ideas and opinions of architects and juries in
future articles about the Awards rather than the editorial and extract
mode of writing of recent years.
4
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TABLE OF CONTENTS.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 3
ABSTRACT. 4
BACKGROUND. 7
Abbreviation Codes. 10
Award Codes. 11
INTRODUCTION. 12
Purpose of the study. 12

Organisation of the study. 13
Scope of the study. 14
Chapter I.
Contemporary themes in Australian domestic Architecture. 19
Preamble. 20
Themes in Australian domestic architecture -
an historical review. 21
Chapter II. 25
Methodology.
Preamble. 26
Literature sources. 27
Architectural awards. 28
Literature review. 30
Content analysis. 34
Graphic presentation. 38
Awards system. 39
Principles in analysis. 40
Development of categories. 42
Categories of intention. 44
5
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Definition of the categories. 45
Chapter III. 52
Critiques & case studies of award winning domestic architecture,
1960-1990.
Critiques & case studies. 53
CONCLUSION. 154
Results of Case study analysis and major findings.
Discussion of results. 155

Overall results. 156
Emphasis over whole studyperiod.(1960-1990) 157
Emphasis by states. 166
Individual architects’ characteristics. 169
Merit awards system. 173
About the editing of articles. 174
Recommendations for future study. 175
REFERENCES. 176
APPENDIX 1.- List of articles & Award records. 185

APPENDIX 2.- Pilot studies. 192
APPENDIX 3.- Articles with two kinds of opinion. 201
-6 -
BACKGROUND.
" Architects as a planners have a responsibility to their
professions, to their age, and to their country." (J.P.Adam.
Responsibility of the Architect and negligence. Architecture in
Aus., March, 1965. pl49)
-7 -
This study arose from my initial attempt to understand and
analyse recent Korean architecture and the stages in its development.
I was curious to know how the modernised people of the last three
decades comprehended traditional values in architecture and thereby
confronted the problem of Korean architecture: the seeking of her
traditional identity which seems to have been badly injured and
reduced by key events in her recent past.
The period, from 1915 to 1945, while Korea was a colony of Japan
was most pitiful. A great deal of pressure was put on Koreans, and
they suffered a loss of dignity as a result of the Japanese education
system. A trend in colonial architecture was created during that
period which was not generated by Korean traditional architecture and
had little kinship with it.
The trusteeship of America(U.S.A.) and the Korean War(1950-1954)
created another obstacle to Korean identity in bringing more foreign
influences into the trend of colonial architecture.
Nowadays, many Korean architects are trying to redefine Korean
traditional values in Architecture: what values are in Korean
traditional architecture (if we still have any), and how is it to be
developed? The attempt to understand this would involve research into
the following areas: how has colonial architecture affected Korean
traditional architecture? how have two different architectural codes
combined together in a sequence? and how to apply the findings from
such studies to this modern time.
While a comparative study of the traditional architectures of
Korea and Australia was initially proposed, it was soon realised that
Australia did not have a traditional architecture in the eastern sense
8
- -
and that traditional values in Korean architecture were quite elusive.
Trying to extend traditional values into contemporary architecture
seemed only to further complicate matters. Moreover, difficulties in
gaining enough sources on Korean contemporary issues because of the
cost and long waiting period from Korea, caused the topic to be
modified.
It became clear that what could be attempted was a study of
contemporary Australian domestic architecture with a view to
developing and testing a methodology for determining the kinds of
values which apply and to determine just what the emphasis was in
Australian architecture.
Such an approach might be sufficiently robust to then be applied
in other cultures, such as Korea, at some future time by this
researcher or by others. In this sense, this study still aims to find an
application in Korean architecture.
In addition, it seemed possible that the methodology in this
study, with its way of content analysis and gaining materials, might
be of benefit in other appropriate fields.
-9 -
Abbreviation Codes.
Abbreviation- The title of source/Writer’s name.(Usage as shown

in the text)
A- The Australian.(A, Date-Month-Year, Page)
AA- Architecture Australia.(AA, Month-Year, Page)
ABT- Architecture Bulletin.(ABT, Month-Year, Page)
AFR- Australian Financial Review.
(AFR, Month-Year, Page)
ALA- Architecture In Australia.(AIA, Month-Year, Page)
AW??- Awards Issue of The Year
/N.S.W. Chapter RAIA.(AW??, Page)
CN- Chapter News/QLD. Chapter RAIA.(CN, Page)
CR- Contract Reporter.(CR, Date-Month-Year, Page)
DNP- Daily News Pictorial.(DNP, Date- Month-Year, Page)
HA- Housing Australia.(HA, Month-Year, Page)
H&B- Home and Building.(H&B, Month-Year, Page)
H&G- House & Garden(U.K.).(H&G, Month-Year, Page)
NT- The National Times.(NT, Date-Month-Year, Page)
POL- POL.(POL, Season-Year, Page)
QA- Queensland Architect/QLD. Chapter RAIA.
(QA, Month-Year, Page)
QAW??- Awards issue of the year
/QLD. Chapter RAIA.(QAW??, Page)
SMC- Sunday Mail Colour.(SMC, Date-Month-Year, Page)
SMH- The Sydney Morning Herald.
(SMH, Date-Month-Year, Page)
VL- Vouge LIVING.(VL, Month-Year, Page)
WA- The Weekend Australian.(WA, Date-Month-Year, Page)
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Award Codes.
EXAMPLE:
M-S: State Merit Award.
R-N: National Robin Boyd Award.
# The first letter.
M- State Merit Award.
B- Blacket Award.
R- Robin Boyd Award.
S- Specific Merit Award.
W- Wilkinson Award.
C- Citation.
H- House of the year Award.
A- Architecture Design Award.
V- Victorian Architectural Medal.
RD- Residential Design Award.
SMH- Sydney Morning Herald Award.
BM- Bronze Medal Award.
RY- Residence of the ye?r Award (House of the year
Award).
RBD- Robin Dods Award.
RJH- Robert Joseph Haddon Award (for Domestic Housing
only).
# The second letter.
S- State Award. N- National Award.
-11 -
INTRODUCTION.
Purpose of the study.
This thesis aims to analyse concepts and themes as they have
been expressed in awards made by the Royal Australian Institute of
Architects (RAIA) and reported in certain architectural periodicals
over the last thirty years from 1960 to 1990.
Most Australian states have had an architectural awards system
for some years, the four states on the east coast for over thirty
years. The awards, called "Merit Awards", are offered in a range of
building categories of which domestic architecture is one.
* Nation**!.
The Robin Boyd Award.
* New South Wales.
Blacket Award.
The Wilkinson Award.
Residential Building.
* Queensland.
The house of the Year Award.
Citation.
Robin Dods Awards.
* Victoria.
Residential New.
* Tasmania.
Residential Buildings.
These are detailed more fully in the Architectural Award section,
12
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Chapter II, Methodology.
Merit Awards are now recognised as an useful historical record
and are a relatively untapped source of information about the state of
Australian architecture over the years.
" The purpose of the Awards is to encourage high standards
in architecture and, through the publication of the Awards, to
inform the public of the qualities of well designed buildings and
works. As juries change from year to year, there can be no
absolute standards, but in effect the standards are defined by
the body of work which in the past has received awards."
(Advice to Award Juries. 1992. NSW Chapter RAIA)
It was decided to systematically analyse the content of
submissions to and reports about the domestic Merit Awards by
numerical means in order to develop an understanding of the values
architects have thought important and from this numerical analysis to
detect what changes and trends, if any, have occurred over the study
period.
Organisation of the study.
This thesis is organised into Introduction, three chapters and
Conclusion, together with several Appendices.
This current section is an introduction to the whole.
Chapter I shows general aspects of Australian architecture by
historical review.
Chapter II is about methodology, how this study is managed and
reviewed by the system of classification. In this chapter, a form of
13
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content analysis is adopted in which principles of design contained in
the descriptions of the Award houses are arranged in a series of
categories and given definition.
Chapter III contains the case studies of the houses and analyses
of the texts.
The Conclusion shows the trend of Australian domestic
architecture in histograms for clarity; an analysis of each architect;
the architectural aspects of three 10-year terms of the period; the
results of the case studies; major findings; and critiques of the award
system.
The Appendices treat:
Appendix 1.- List of articles examined.
Appendix 2.- Summary of pilot study.
Appendix 3.- Comparative table of categories.
Appendix 4.- Award records.
Lastly comes the References.
Scope of the study.
Why Australia?
Australia is an old continent geographically and now considered
as a well-urbanised and planned country. But it has a short history
of architecture spanning about 200 years since the first European
settlement started in Australia (except for aboriginal housing which
has no substantial built tradition in the areas studied).
In spite of the §hort history of architecture, Australia has begun
-14 -
to develop its own architectural accent, particularly over the last 50
years.
In comparison with Korean Architecture, Australian architectural
effort for identifying from 1960 has its parallel in the Korean
architectural situation during the same period, for both haven't got
the traditional background in architecture as mentioned in Background
section.
About the time period, 1960 - 1990.
From about 1960, Australia started to identify an architecture of
its own, even though she still has many notions gained from
internationalism and European architecture. It is clear that more
critiques on architecture have started to emerge during this period
than at any time before. I have chosen the thirty years, from 1960 to
1990 because it is better documented than any other period
architecturally as a result of the awards system.
"During the 1960s there emerged a desire for an architecture
more Australian than the pastiche of the international school.
Research into the history of Australian architecture resulted in a
renewed interest in the Australian vernacular. This development
was of great importance to contemporary architecture and its
influence is apparent in recent work. (Philip Cox, An architecture
in an Australian landscape, 1983. Old continent New building.
Edited by Leon Paroissien and Michael Griggs. pl6)
About the selection of states.
I have selected the four states, NSW (New South Wales), QLD
-15 -
(Queensland), VIC (Victoria), and TAS (Tasmania), because they have
comparatively more vital action in architecture than the other states
and are well documented. This is important because I needed to collect
the sources for analysis basically from periodicals, including daily
newspapers, in order to research the architecture of that period. In
both quality and quantity, I have found more awarded houses from
the selected states.
Why the new domestic single house only?
"The design of houses is one of the most demanding
challenges an architect has to face. Each client has distinct
needs, ideas and expectations, each site has unique constraints
and possibilities. Good design will provide more than the client
could imagine in terms of the quality of dwelling and will ensure
that an optimum response is made to climate, views landscapes
and most important of all budget. ” (Awards issue of the year, QLD
Chapter RAIA, 1990. p??)
"These regional styles were most often found in houses and
other buildings of domestic scale, and they were the creations of
architects practising in the capital cities." (Apperly, 1989. p240)
As understood from these statements, the expression of
personality in architecture is probably most apparent in the
production of the single house, rather than any other buildings, even
other domestic scale buildings.
"Sometimes the client selects an architect whose work
equates with his own ideas; sometimes the client's dream home will
16
- -
be imposed on the architect; once or twice in a lifetime the
architect, client and builder combine to produce a house
expressing all their aspirations and skills." (Queensland Architect.
QLD Chapter RAIA. 7-89, pl2)
The intention of my research is to apprehend 'their aspirations
and skills' over the study period by bringing together what architects
said about their work. The study will therefore relate only to new
housing.
Some comments about tradition.
"Australian architecture is seen from a distance to be rustic,
isolated, wild and irregular, as if the bush had got to us. The
notion of an unfettered people living on the edge of a deeply
burnt desert is attractive when one makes those judgements from
London or New York. And the truth is nothing can beat an
Australian sunset flooding gold through a west facing window."
(Day, 1984. p29)
In Australia, architects have been trying to identify her own
architecture for some years and some have been quite successful. Yet
evidence of architectural influence from other countries still remains.
From this viewpoint and in comparison with the architectural trend at
this period, it seems that Australian architecture is now during the
19th century.
"European settlement in Australia is now 200 years old. It is
time we stopped using outworn arguments that are still adolescent
- that we are an emerging country and that our identity has had
-17 -
little time for expression. We have a rich heritage and a fine
tradition from which we can grow.” (Cox, 1985. p29)
Despite Cox’s claims to a tradition, the architectural qualities that
make Australian architecture are still elusive and difficult.
” A regional or national idiom comes from an honest and
imaginative response to site, function, structure, materials and
climate, a task Seidler has consistently pursued." (Haskell, 1992.
p23)
” Good design will provide more than the client could
imagine in terms of the quality of dwelling and will ensure that
an optimum response is made to climate, views landscapes and
most important of all budget.” (Awards issue of the year. 1990.
QLD Chapter RAIA. p??)
It seems that a good design needs kinds of conformity in relation
to Australian self-environmental and pre-conditional qualities.
Architects have been trying to find and define these qualities. Some
qualities have been identified and successfully developed as attributes
of Australian architecture.
” Buildings can, should and will be evaluated not only
behavioral criteria but also based on physical, economic and even,
political criteria.” (Kim Dovey, Peter Downton, Greg Missingham
(eds). 1985. The other sides of building evaluation. Proceedings of
the PAPER 85 Conference, Melbourne, June 19-22. p383)
Therefore, if an awarded design is considered as a good design,
perhaps the attributes that make Australian architecture might also be
found in an awarded design.
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I. Contemporary themes in Australian domestic
Architecture.
"A country's architecture is a near-perfect record of its
history. Every building captures in physical form the climate and
resources of a country's geography, the social, economic,
technological and political conditions of its society and the moral,
philosophical, aesthetic and spiritual values of its people. Every
building records, describes and explains the time and the place in
which it was built." (J.M. Freeland, 1968)
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Preamble.
This chapter briefly reviews Australian architectural history from
1788 up to 1960. It aims to survey the historical background of the
more detailed study period from 1960 to 1990 presented in this thesis.
This historical review is from standard historical writings and is
organised in chronological order.
20
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Themes in Australian architecture -
an historical review.
European settlement in Australia is about 200 years old. Buildings
in the Old Colonial period (from 1788 to the Victorian period) were
based on the English tradition and the conditions of Australian
environment. These early buildings were hardly influenced by the
Australian Aboriginals.
"The violence of white settlement on this continent prevented
the assimilation of forty thousand years of aboriginal experience
into the ’dominant’ white culture: the European settlers chose to
live off the land, the Aborigines were part of it. White housing
was part of the struggle for survival in what was seen as a
harsh and strange land. It was associated with the early
’frontier' life on the land and in the bush, and used bush
materials (wattle and daub, mudbrick, stone for fire places, bush
timber for framing, shingle roofs, etc.) Most of these methods,
materials, and styles have been relegated to history as part of
the Australian bush legend." (Baird, 1984. p41)
However, it seems that the settlers adapted little knowledge from
the Aboriginals yet the influence of Europeans on Aborigines was in
turn quite strong.
"Many early settlers used the knowledge of Aboriginal
shelter building and their selection of building materials to
construct temporary homes. However, the influence of European
settlement in Australia on the Aborigines and their clothing,
dwellings and lifestyle was quite extraordinary." (Vulker, 1990.
p47)
21
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At this period, all buildings were based on British design, they
were even built and named in a British way. They used wattle and
daub homes, brick-nogging, dirt floors, mud bricks, glass windows and
the verandah (wide eaves) which was to soon become one of its most
prominent characteristics.
By Governor Macquarie’s time (1810-1812), the notable architect,
Francis Greenway (arrived at Sydney, 1814) attempted to introduce
better materials and workmanship into slipshod and corrupt building
practice. He started compiling draft building laws, training workmen
and innovating new contractual procedures (Sowden, 1968. pll). In
this period, also three traditions - classical, romantic and vernacular -
were well established (Apperly, 1989. p23). Even though these efforts
were architectural, generally they seemed to lack a philosophical basis.
During the Victorian period (1840-1890), many towns were planned
and established. Several remarkable events, like the depression of
1842, brought to an end the Australian Georgian period. Free settlers
from Britain and Ireland, the Gold rush in NSW and Victoria and the
post depression of 1893, brought greater visual complexity to
architecture. Towns rapidly expanded due to the growth of the
population. These events strongly influenced the Victorian
architectural period. As a result of the gold rush, building materials
and technology had a great impact in increasing the diversity of
expression.
"Materials such as cast iron, corrugated galvanised iron, and
concrete, and the new technology of steam-powered engines and
passenger lifts or elevators gave architects much more scope in
the design of buildings (Vulker, 1990. p92).”
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"The influence of this post gold rush era led to a Victorian
architecture of an extravagance unequalled to anywhere in the
world, with cast iron balustrades and decorative features that
came to be known as Iron lace' (Sowden, 1968. pl2)."
For the Federation period (1890-1915), Australian architecture was
influenced by American, British, and European ideas.
" Imported' styles were many and varied. From Britain came
the light-hearted, free eclecticism of what was loosely known as
Queen Anne, together with the more serious and socially conscious
architecture which flowed from the Arts and Crafts movement
(Apperly, 1989. p99).”
"It was this influence that gave Australia one of its very
own styles of architecture the Queen Anne style which takes
something from Europe, America and England and adds a
verandah (Vulker, 1990. pllO).M
With this period, the desire to develop an architecture of its own
was recognised in Australia (Vulker, 1990. pill).
After Walter Burley Griffin’s success in winning the International
competition for the design of the new capital city in Canberra (1913),
Griffin, Robert Haddon, Sir John Sulman, Harold Desbrowe-Annear and
Robin Dods wrote about and designed functional architecture to suit
the time and place. This beginning of Functionalism nourished the
cause of Internationalism in Australian architecture after the second
world-war.
During the post-second world war period (1940-1960), there were
some notable contributions, the architect and critic Robin Boyd
(arrived at Sydney, 1948) brought attention to what became known in
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Australian architecture as ’featurism’, and the international competition
for Sydney Opera House (1957) was won by the comparatively unknown
architect, Joern Utzon (Denmark). Through those events, Architectural
trend changed a lot in its material sense, structure, technology,
philosophical base, and style, Regionalism emerged. Australia herself
was also extremely influenced by the aftermath of Second World War in
terms of growth and overseas ideas.
"•••after World War II the International style started to
make a worldwide impact, and buildings everywhere began to look
more and more similar. In spite of this powerful move towards
uniformity, some recognisably regional versions of modern
architecture evolved in various parts of Australia." (Apperly,
1989. p240)
Throughout Australian history, she was grown rapidly with many
influences from outside, yet she has conducted the emphasis on fitting
to the land. Now, many notions are accepted as the ’’true" Australian
architecture which formulated to varying degrees using local analysis.
How has Australian made one part of the world different from
another? What these qualities are in detail is what the study will
attempt to show.
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II. METHODOLOGY
Preamble.
In the analysis of these texts, understanding the architectural
meaning in the text was critical. This chapter shows how those articles
were selected, organised and analysed. In the following Content
Analysis section, this is detailed.
I selected articles on each house from the periodicals of each
period, so that the intentions prevailing when the houses were built
and awarded could be understood, and to find out the reasons and
qualities considered by the architect in designing the building and by
the jury in giving an award. Furthermore, the differences between
Architect and Jury’s comment enabled me to examine the RAIA award
system itself and the editorial attitude of each periodical.
One criticism of the Awards system is that it focusses on the
interests of a select group of architects rather than on the broad
range of architects’ work thereby raising a doubt about how
representative Awards are of the state of the architecture at any one
time:
" A group takes the view that the system is designed to
glorify the work of vocal minority of practitioners, and would
have us believe that the jury appointments tend to perpetuate
certain fashions within architecture and do little good in setting
high standards in the fullest sense of architectural practice, for
the profession to live up to." (Bailey, 1985. p46)
Such criticism is sustained by the lack of an agreeable basis for
assessing awards:
"The process of giving design awards is widely embraced

\
and respected by the design professions. It has, however, been
-26 -
left curiously unencumbered by any kind of follow-up research.
Generally speaking, attempts to devise a more 'scientific' or at
least rational basis for understanding and rewarding good design
have not been welcomed by designers(Vischer and Marcus. p66)
Another prospect is that awards merely represent the designer's
own emphasis or attitude as Robert Campell said in the architecture
critic seminar organised by AIA (American Institute of Architects),

” The reason that the media treat new buildings as if they
were superficial works of art is because their architects talk
about them as if they were superficial works of art ".
(Architecture, June, 1984)
One aim of this study is to verify or refute such claims.
Literature sources.
In treating new housing, only periodicals were used for data.
Periodicals, even newspapers, were used if they at least mentioned an
awarded house, but selection was limited to within six years before or
after the time of the award because if an article refers to the house
after 6 years, it may not adequately indicate the intentions of the
house at the time of award. Also a number of architectural history
books were quite helpful and have therefore been quoted where it
seemed relevant.
See the Abbreviation Codes at the front page of this thesis to
facilitate reading the analyses.
Among the periodicals, Architecture Australia is mostly used.
* Architecture in Australia: 1955 - 1975.
July/September, 1955 - December, 1975: Bimonthly.
27
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1943 - 1965: Quarterly.
* Architecture Australia: 1976
1989 - : 11 issues a year.
1988: 9 issues a year.
1984 - 1987: 8 issues a year.
1981 - 1983: 7 issues a year.
1976 - 1980: Bimonthly.
Architectural awards.
The national and selected state awards which are equivalent or
higher than the state's Merit Award which is categorised in the new
single house have been examined (See Award Codes at the front page
of this thesis). The following extracts from the documents of the RAIA
Chapter of each state explain each Award.
National.
* The Robin Boyd Award for housing is sponsored by Australian
Consolidated Industries Ltd, and judged from winners of State
architectural awards.
Projects within this category must be residential in nature being
Class 1 or 2 type buildings as defined by the BCA, including
alterations and additions. Appropriate projects would include
residential colleges, multiple dwelling units, public housing and
retirement villages.
New South Wales.
-28 -
* The Blacket Award, commemorating the work of Edmund Blacket,
shall be given annually to a project situated in the area encompassed
by the Newcastle and Country Divisions, and selected from the current
nominations for architectural award categories 1 and 2. The jury shall
consist of one representative of each of the Newcastle and Country
Divisions, and one lay member.
* The Wilkinson Award for a house of outstanding architectural
merit. This award is made every three years for a house or group
housing selected from those which have received Merit Awards during
the preceding six years. It commemorates the work of the late
Emeritus Professor Leslie Wilkinson.
* Residential Building.
* The Sydney Morning Herald Prize: Representing the Herald's
choice of best house from the Wilkinson entries.
Queensland.
* The House of the Year Award: This award shall be in the form
of medal and certificate-one to be presented to the architect and one
to the owner. The Queensland Chapter of the Royal Australian Institute
of Architects offers the annual awards for outstanding contributions
to the built environment.
* Citation: In addition to Bronze Medals, buildings (categorised or
not) judged to be most noteworthy achievements may be recognised
with merit awards in the form of Citation Certificates - one to be
presented to the architect and one to the owner. Classification of
entries into various categories is at the discretion of the Jury.
* Robin Dods Award.
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Victoria.
* Residential New.
Tasmania.
* Residential Buildings (James Blackburn Triennial Award
Category): Projects within this category must be as for the National
Robin Boyd Award for Residential Buildings. This Award is presented
triennially, nominations are the Award winners from the three
preceding years in New Buildings, Corporate & Office and Interiors.
Literature review.
In order to draw conclusions about design themes and values in
domestic architecture, categories necessarily needed to be developed
to represent different aspects of architecture into which the words
used to describe architectural values could be sorted. Three studies
have adopted an empirical research base effectual to this study each
of which demonstrates a way of categorising words people use to
describe buildings, especially houses. These are reviewed here.
Aesthetics, measurement and control. (Purcell, 1984. pp29-38)
This review, based on an article from Dr.Terry Purcell, conducted
a concept of methodology, how and why the aesthetics could be
measured.
” Aesthetic appeal, when compared with other areas of
building regulations, can only be evaluated subjectively. What is
attractive to one |s tasteless to another and the effect on the
community is as likely to offend as it is to please (Ginnane,
- 30
-
1984. p21) (Purcell, 1984. p29)
" The implication is that, if aesthetic appeal can only be
"evaluated subjectively, then it must be idiosyncratic hence
beauty is in the eye of the beholder." (Purcell, 1984. p29)
" Taken literally, the statement that beauty is in the eyes of
the beholder means that each individuals aesthetic experience is
different to all other individuals." (Purcell, 1984. p29)
If the producing work of art aims to communicate, to share with
others the aesthetic experience of the artist, then such communication
could be precluded by the literal meaning of such statements and
artistic activity to self-centered indulgence could be reduced. In the
act of creating a work of art the artist may not be consciously
motivated by a desire to communicate. If beauty is in the eye of the
beholder this cannot occur.
Dr.Terry Purcell aims to challenge both of these statements and
then to present the results of an experiment from which a model of
the aesthetic experience can be developed.
Purcell proved that the aesthetic experience could be measured
and it is not idiosyncratic. In this way, another consequence of
looking at aesthetic experience is that aesthetic experience is not only
the result of exposure to particular types of environmental stimuli
such as paintings, sculpture or music or to particular parts of a class
of stimuli, e.g. architect designed houses in the context of houses.
Quality in Architecture. (Carseldine, 1977)
Several similarities have been found from this study in its
methodology which bssed on content analysis and its way of material
31
- -
application using periodicals. However, Carseldine has introduced some
unique methods. For example, the method being used as a content
analysis is only applied to the adjectives which describing ’built
object’ - In this study, ’Architecture’ is defined as the ’built object',
i.e. buildings, structure, etc. Moreover, among the Carseldine's nine
categories, none has been formulated to isolate the different quality
concepts conveyed in specific sentences or paragraphs:

"The sentence was therefore discarded as the content unit
and the single word was then considered." (Carseldine, 1977. pl2)
If a sentence or paragraph includes several adjectives which
describe the same quality, because verbs or adverbs also could
contain and regulate the adjectives' meaning (Matthiessen, 1983. p68),
Carseldine’s formulation using the single word seems limited in
identifying the proper sense or meaning of a description.
However, Carseldine's study did use the method of counting the
frequency of occurrence of categories, as this study does:

"With the establishment of the relationship between the
content analysis categories and the common factors in the
concepts of quality, the content analysis could proceed and the
results could be discussed by using the frequency of occurrence
of adjectives in each quality category as indications of the
frequency of use of the factors in the concepts of quality
represented by that category(Carseldine, 1977. pp20-21)
Carseldine’s procedure of content analysis defines the study area
by means of Periodical, Article, Word sampling, and shows the way of
Word categorisation and the Reliability of categories.
* Development of Carseldine categories (pl5).
Note: Underlined, categories represent new Carseldine categories

t
in that set.
32
- -
First set of Carseldine categories - Technical, Aesthetic,
Functional, Environmental, Symbolic, gives Second - Building Fabric
(from Technical), Aesthetic (from Aesthetic), Programme (from
Functional, Technical), Mood (from Environmental), Symbolic (from
Symbolic), Classification, Process, leads to Third - General Descriptive
(to Des.), Utility Des.(from Bldg.Fabric to Des.), General Evaluation (to
General Eval.), Aesthetic Eval.(from Aesthetic to Aesthetic Eval.),
Utility Eval.(from Programme to Utility Eval.), Mood (from Mood to
Mood), Symbolic (from Symbolic to Symbolic), Classification (from
Classification to Classification), Process (from Process to Process).
The final Carseldine categories are shown below:
Descriptive.
General Evaluative.
Aesthetic Evaluative.
Utility Evaluative.
Mood.
Potency.
Symbolic.
Classification.
Process.
The result of Carseldine's analysis is: 30% Design process, 20%
Aesthetics, 15% Design style, 14% Functional requirements, 11% Vitality,
7% Psychological environment, 3% Symbolic expression. This result is
similar to the General description’s graph (1970-1979) of the present
study. (See pl64)
Carseldine raises the problem of defining the concept of ’quality’
in architecture, a difficulty attaching to the present study because
everyone who tried to define the concept of ’quality' had a different
definition (Carseldine,1 1977. p43), none of which would satisfy all. (See
-33 -
Pilot studies in Appendix 2)
What is important in a house: A comparison study of Architects
and Home owners. (Illingworth, 1980. pll2)
The purpose of this research was to generate a set of
individualised constructs pertaining to ’house’ and secondly to make a
comparison between architects and home owners. This research took
interviews from two selected groups, A total of 81 constructs (i.e.,
important attributes) were generated. Among those constructs, eight
identical constructs were shared by four or more subjects.
Illingworth Categories.
Relationship to the immediate environment.

Economic considerations.
Privacy.
Flexibility.
Amenity.
Aesthetics.
Convenience.
Self-Identity.
Content analysis.
"There are many ways of classifying buildings: by the ideas

they express, by the functions they serve, by the social patterns
they reveal, by the history they relate, by the structural systems
they use, by the financial viability they may or may not have,
and by the architectural styles they wear." (Apperly, 1989)
Notwithstanding the wealth of information such an approach might

i
bring to housing designs if analysed for along the cues that Apperly
-34 -
suggests, this study is not as above.
Since we started to discover ways to express what we do,
language has become an important tool. To record and express, we use
the written work comparatively more than other methods.
So this research is based on that common sense, 'a written work
is the method by which a writer expresses his intent.*
The text of the selected articles is firstly sorted in three ways -
so called 'sorting entries' or just 'entries': General description, Jury's
opinion and Architect's opinion. The General description is taken from
the writer of that article, the user or client of the house, and
infrequently an environment and behavior researcher. The Jury's
opinion is from the jury in the Awards competition. The Architect's
opinion is normally from the architect's written submission of the
house for the Award. The Jury and Architect's opinion is not always
their direct descriptions. Many indirect descriptions are also included.
That is why I specified them as opinion, not as description. For
example, "The entrance is an exercise in defensible space." says Ken
Woolley. This is the Architect’s opinion, directly. "Described as a
beautifully coloured building by the architect," is the Architect's
opinion, indirectly.
The articles in Chapter III have the three kinds of opinions -
three main entries (General description, Jury's opinion and Architect's
opinion). If an article had only one or two of them, it was not worth
analysing because it could not be compared with the other opinions.
So I have excluded all such articles from the case studies as
inadequate.
However, those articles which have only two kinds of opinions
35
- -
have been counted when I show the whole period's intention and each
architect's characteristics. This was to make up for the drastic
reduction of materials on a comparative analysis. These articles are
separately listed in an Appendix.
As a result, this analysis shows the characteristics of architects
who had been awarded by RAIA in new domestic single house
category.
Each selected architect had to be awarded more than twice, and
those materials of each architect had to contain and present all kinds
of the descriptions in its chart.
From a preliminary review of Award materials, five intentions -
five major categories - had been distinguished in architecture. A
simple and 'common sense' approach was adopted for understanding
what architects and juries were saying about the buildings they
examined. This was the way in which the categories were finally
decided. (See pp44-51)
Context in Australian architecture seemed to be given great
emphasis in Australian architecture over the study period and
especially recently.
" My basic hypothesis, then, is that house from is not simply
the result of physical forces or any single casual factors, but is
the consequence of a whole range of socio-cultural factors seen
in their broadest terms. There is in turn modified by climatic
conditions (The physical environment which makes something
impossible and encourages others) and by methods of
construction, materials available, and the technology (the tools for
achieving the desired environment). I will call the socio-cultural
forces primary, and the others secondary or modifying."
\
(Rapoport, 1969, p47)
- 36 -
Regarding this emphasis, it is tried to assess a number of sub
values separately. For example, in counting a comment as Contextual, if
any entries (sub-category) were related to Contextual, I put them into
the category. As a result, Siting (as in aesthetic view, harmonisation
with surroundings) and Climatic (functional value, weather conditions)
are included in Contextual.
The categories were tested by a pilot study of two people who
are professional and academic in this study area. Two pilot people had
been asked to analyse two articles on the basis of the category
formulations and then the category formulations had been adjusted to
take into account their concerns and suggestions. Those analysed
articles are shown in Appendix and the adjusted categories have been
used for the full analysis.
In general, the pilot study people agreed with the formulation of
categories. However, they argued for clearer definitions of sub
categories, in order to make a more accurate assignment of concepts
to each main category. I subsequently introduced revisions with more
accurate definitions and examples as used in the text of Chapter III to
each category.
This pilot study also showed that even if people in their analysis
of an article place particular values into different sub-categories, the
main categories remain the same in most cases because they are
general enough to contain fine variations in meaning. For example, if
Person A thought an adjective was about Function and Person B
thought it about Planning, the category would still be the same. The
sub-categories might easily differ from one analysis to another, but
the final results shown in the histogram would remain fairly constant.
-37 -
This effect was helpful in producing an accurate histogram.
Graphic presentation.
The result of each analysis has been presented as a histogram
for ease of understanding and clarity which show's the categories for
each house counted and numbered. The categories assembled from each
article and their relative importance is basically determined by
frequency of each category, i.e. the number of times a theme or
concept is mentioned.
In this process, the intention of a house can be translated to a
histogram, a visual image. The graphs are 100% bar charts.
The first chart from each awarded house’s analysis is merely
based on the category frequencies. However, when the first result is
used again for the next sequence of calculation - for example, if it is
counted in the compilation of the whole period’s histogram - category
frequencies are ignored. Instead, the percentage of the chart is used
to give the same weighting for each article. Otherwise, the importance
of a certain category may be decided by the length of an article. It’s
application is shown generally as below. The alpha - numeric (not the
bold one) refers to the position of the frequency in the chart shown
in the example.
General description =E3/(E3+E4+E5+E6+E7)*100

PLANNING. Jury’s opinion =F3/(F3+F4+F5+F6+F7)*100
Architect's opinion =G3/(G3+G4+G5+G6+G7)*100

AESTHETIC. Jury's opinion =F4/(F4+F5+F6+F7+F3)*100

TECHNICAL. Jury’s opinion =F5/(F5+F6+F7+F3+F4)*100
-38 -

CONTEXTUAL. Jury's opinion =F6/(F6+F7+F3+F4+F5)*100
Architect’s opinion =G6/(G6+G7+G3+G4+G5)*100

SOCIAL. Jury's opinion =F7/(F7+F3+F4+F5+F6)*100
ft ft GENERAL ft JURY ft ARCHITECT ft ft

ft 3 ft 11 ft 7 ft 3 ft PLANNING ft
ft 4 ft 5 ft 5 ft 4 ft AESTHETIC ft
h 5 ft 11 ft 14 ft 2 ft TECHNICAL ft
ft 6 ft 2 ft 1 ft 1 ftCONTEXTUAL!!
ft 7 ft 3 ft 3 ft 1 ft SOCIAL ft
ft ft E ft F ft G ft ft
Example of % Histogram.
a
m
K
o
o
GENERAL JURY ARCHITECT

GU PLAN M AES M TECH
M CONT S SOC
Awards system.
The assessment of the award system has been a major side
benefit of this work. This is also examined by the graph system. This
paper compared each result from General description, Jury’s opinion
and Architect's opinion, then the comparison itself simply presented
the differences between them. If they produce quite different results,
maybe this is one indication that perhaps the jury misunderstood the
design of the house. Certainly, this analysis also depends on the
attitude of the editor, and the writer's attitude as well. So this study
examines the writers' and editors' attitudes, especially where one
-39 -
magazine did not mention a certain category yet all others did
(assuming the house had several sources). Such differences seem to
be caused by the different attitudes of editors or writers towards
each house. Sometimes it seemed that the editors or writers modified
them to give more emphasis to their opinions of the award.
To support these examinations, I have included the plans of each
house at the end of each article.
In regard to references: if an article relating to a particular
house has identical sections of text (i.e. taken from the same original
source), I put the article first which talks most about the house,
followed by the lesser articles.
Some articles seemed to be copied and have not cited the original
source. Unfortunately, this has been found in several cases. In these
cases, I show all of the presented sources even if the articles have
copied or modified each other.
Principles in analysis.
The method used in this study is a content analysis of articles
which describes each one of the awarded houses.
The expression in language, especially written work, not only
depends on the emphasis or accent of the words, but also on the
meaning itself. To be close to the meaning itself, I made several rules
in analysis.
The purpose of this is to identify some of the major intentions
held by authors of articles published in Architecture Australia or
other relevant periodicals and newspapers.
For analysis, a description had to be specific, so, comments such
-40 -
as 'that is good’ could not be analysed into any one of the categories
shown below and were therefore ignored.
The analysis of each article needed to be based on a specific
breakdown of paragraphs, sentences, clauses, and phrases. The
minimum subject for analysis is a clause.

"The highest rank on the rank scale is clause rank. There is
a very important principle here for functional interpretations of
grammar: clauses are not constituents of other units, while
groups/phrases, words, and morphemes are. This means, among
other things, that clauses serve as the gate-way to text."
(Matthiessen, 1983, p23)
A single word can not be analysed by itself. In Caseldine's study,
the smallest unit, a word was applied. (Caseldine, 1977. pl2) In this
present study, the next larger unit of content analysis, the sentence
is mostly used.
" The next larger unit of content analysis is the theme. In
its most compact form, the theme is a simple sentence, i.e.,
subject and predicate." (Berelson, 1971. pl38)
Generally, this study has tried to focus the meaning around an
adjective and a verb to gain the fullest intention. Therefore each verb
and its associated concept is recorded as one entry. In some cases,
two or more verbs were used to present only one concept or quality
in which case only one category was assigned.
For clarity and ease of classification, if there is more than one
adjective in a sentence with one verb, only one category was assigned
unless there was a compelling reason to assign more.
If the terminology of an article was unclear, as it was in some
cases, it was categorised on the basis of presumed meaning.

i
Sometimes, more than one category was required to capture the full
-41 -
meaning of a sentence.
Development of Categories.
From the time the first set of categories was developed, this
study attempted to examine three kinds of opinions (General, Architect,
Jury). From the start of this study, the formulating of categories and
any changes in each set were trialled on several articles and accepted
only after detailed discussion.
The first set of categories formulated was: Planning, Aesthetic,
Function, Metaphor, Siting and Placement, Climatic, Materials, Colour,
Personal stamp, Form, Geometry, Stylistic motif, Philosophical base,
Social, Political.
The second set of categories formulated contained five major
categories and several sub-categories: Social (General, Philosophical,
Theoretical, Cultural, Political), Planning (General, Spatial organisation,
Space), Aesthetic (General, Interior, Colour, Texture, Style, Geometry,
Metaphor, Form, Mass, Landscaping), Contextual (Siting, Climatic,
Orientation), Functional (General, Materials, Technology).
From this set, an attempt was made to present a graphical or
visual result instead of a numeric one. Moreover, to avoid certain
ambiguities and make more accurate result, the five categories -
Social, Planning, Aesthetic, Contextual, and Functional - were selected
as the major categories and the one new category, Contextual, was
decided as major because, after several tests on specially 1960’s
articles, it was the best way of relating the three sub-categories of
Siting, Climatic, Orientation.

i
The third set of categories formulated became the final. In this
- 42 -
set, Functional was included under Planning and a new category,
Technical was created to include Materials and Technology.
The first set of Carseldine categories (p33) is similar to this
third set of Seo categories (p44). The concept of the five major Seo
categories is often found in that set of Carseldine categories. Both
final categories are shown below.
Underlined Carseldine categories appear too general in the sense
of present study. Descriptive does not relate to any factor. General
Evaluative can not be related to any particular factor because this
was designed for adjectives on more than one factor.
Ross Carseldine Seo categories.

categories.
Descriptive.
(Without making any quality judgement)
General Planning.
evaluative. Social.
(Making a quality judgement) Contextual.
Aesthetic------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aesthetic.
Evaluative.
Mood.
Potency.
Symbolic.
Classification.
Process.
Utility----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Technical.
Evaluative.
The Seo categories has been examined from three kinds of
writer’s opinion of obtained articles. For the reason, the different
attitude among the writers - General, Architect, and Jury - could be
also examined as Carseldine partly mentioned in his recommendations
for further study. All these things are detailed in the Content
Analysis section.
-43 -
Categories of intention.
------------------------- Planning
General, Functional, View,
Lighting, Privacy,
Circulation, Space,
Spatial organisation,
User needs.
----------------------- Aesthetic
General, Spatial quality,
Image, Colour, Pattern,
Texture, Style, Geometry,
Metaphor, Type, Form,
Landscaping,
Light, Details,
User needs.
----------------------------Technical
General, Detailing, Materials,
Economical, Structure,
System, Construction,
User needs.
-------------- Contextual
General,
Siting(Aesthetic),
Climatic( Functional),
Environmental,
Location,
Relationship to,
User needs.
---------------------------- Social
General,
Philosophical/Theoretical,
Cultural,
Regulatory,
User needs.
44
- -
Definition of the categories.
* Guide for Symbols.
'!': Own description.
Example of usage in the analysis.
’/’: Meanings from other sources.
Instead of the word itself after '/'.
’General'! Quality composed of more than one entry.: Possible other
entries! If needed to specify and define certain qualities, it can be
used without denoting separately.
’User needs'! Desires in each category from the point of view of
the users. This could be presented in the General description only.
See Content analysis section.
* I didn't specify the sources of each definitions because they
are mostly presented in References, unless they are mine.
// PLANNING [ A functional or a functional relationships in between
spaces which intend to regulate or relate to human behavior on a
purpose. / Plan: Arrangement for doing or using something, considered
in advance.
; ” The top one is a sort of gallery for working and sleeping
area(P-Functional)." ; " This effectively turns the living areas of
the houses into giant verandahs (P-General)."
Functional ! A spatial activity, function of space. / Function:
Spacial activity or purpose or use of a person or thing.
; " Those open-sided areas were used as summer living-rooms
(P-Functional)." ; " A storage space for clothes (P-Functional)."
45
- -
View [/ Functional quality of space that must be considered in
established openings in the enclosure of a space, its focus and
orientation, given by a view to the outdoors or an adjacent space.
; " The house was to be built to take advantage of views
across the river (P-View).”
Lighting,1 Providing light, becoming bright in spatial organisation.
; " He says that they got sick of having to switch on the
light in the kitchen in the morning to read the paper (P-User
n eeds/Ligh ting).”
Privacy / State of being away from others, alone and undisturbed.
; " Sheltering a courtyard from the street (P-Privacy).”
Circulation | Convenient traffic relationship between spaces. / The
thread that links the spaces of a buildings, or any series of interior
or exterior spaces, together.
; " The approach to the house via a narrow winding road
termination. (P-Circulation)."
Space ; Limits or size of place or area. / The real dimensions of
form, its length, width, and depth.
; " To design a house of 120 square metres (P-Space).”
Spatial organisation ; How the spaces are met, formed together
and related to. Spatial relationships. / The buildings are normally
composed of a number of spaces that are related to one another by
function, proximity, or a circulation path.
; " The space is arranged to have a separate, but integral,
"restaurant” section (P-Spatial organisation)."
// AESTHETIC | The values influenceable to or from the visual
image, qualitative assessment of visual satisfaction. / The provision of
-46 -
a satisfying sensory and intellectual experience.
; " This house is a delight (A-General), almost deceptively
simple (A-General).”
Spatial quality J Feeling or atmosphere, of or from a space.
; " It is not large, hut appears very spacious (A-Spatial
quality). ”
Image J Mental picture or idea, based on the concept of something.
; " The house carries all the memories and sentiments of
beach holidays (A-Image)."
Colour / The hue, intensity, and tonal value of a form’s surface;
color is the attribute that most clearly distinguishes a form. It also
affects the visual weight of a form.
; " Weathered silver grey end warm grey stain are the
colours of driftwood (A-Colour)."
Pattern \ Regularly repeated ornament or divisions.
Texture / The surface characteristics of a form. / Texture affects
both the tactile and light reflective qualities of a form’s surfaces.
Style / In architecture, a manner or mode or fashion of building
practised at any one period (e.g. the Gothic style), or in any
particular region in that period (e.g. the German Gothic style), and
distinguished by certain characteristics of general design,
construction, and ornament.
; " The older style of building, with large verandas running
around a house is there (A-Style).”
Geometry / Geometry is the study of spatial order through the
measure and relationships of forms. The properties and relations of
lines, angles, surfaces and solids.
-47 -
; " The house behind the courtyard, designed from circles
and squares (A-Geometry),9 •
Metaphor J The use of meaning to indicate something different
from the actual image or meaning.
; " Both houses are built in the manner of barns or
woolsheds (A-Metaphor)."
Type / Class or group considered to have common characteristics.
; " This house is typical of the terrace house (A-Type)."
Form / Outward or visible appearance resulting from the specific
configuration of surfaces and edges.
; ” The rear of this tall brick box of a house is chamfered at
45 degrees (A-Form/Geometry). "
Light J Effects of lighting.
; " Light is Altered by exterior wooden Venetian blinds as a
decoration inside (A-Light)."
Details / (in aesthetic aspect) Particular fact or item.
The house is beautifully detailed (A-Details)."
Landscaping J Gardening. / Landscape: The laying out of grounds
and gardens in imitation of natural scenery.
it TECHNICAL | Mecnanical term. This is about the technology,
related to physical aspect and commodity. / Systematic application of
knowledge to practical tasks.
; " It could be moved to another site (T-System)n ; " The
new finishing process, Zincalumbe, differs from the old method of
galvanising (T-Materials)."
Detailing / (in Technical aspect) The smaller or less important
-48 -
parts.
Materials / Made of, connected with. Matter or substance.
; " Simple timber and galvanised iron houses (T-
Materials), •••”
Economical J Cost effectiveness. / Careful in the spending of
money, time, etc and in the use of goods.
; " Murcutt estimates brick and tile runs out at between
$4,000 and $5,000 per square (100 sq.ft). The iron and timber
houses cost around $2,500 today (T-Economical)."
Structure / Any complex, framework of a building. Way in which
something is put together, etc.
; " The structure is post and beam, with infill walls (T-
Structure). ”
System / Group of things or parts working together in a regular
relation, for a purpose.
; " Heat and light control comes from the use of external
timber Venetian blinds (T~System).,f
Construction / Being constructed: Act or manner of constructing.
/ Construct: Build, put or fit together.
; " With simple and consistent timber construction (T-
Construction )•••."
# CONTEXTUAL J The relationships to the site. How a house can be
related to its site, how the design of the house is influenced and
regulated from its environment (all kinds of suroundings).
; " The colours are appropriate to the seaside (A-Colour/C-
Environmental)."; " Glenn Murcutt has been able to create a new
space without detracting or intruding on what is already there
-49 -
(C-General).
Siting I In aesthetic view, about harmonisation with the
surroundings. / Site: Place where something was, is, or is to be.
; " Jurors were impressed by "a sense of place" (C-Siting)."
Climatic / Climate: Weather conditions of a place or area,
conditions of temperature, rainfall, wind, etc. Area or region with
certain weather conditions.
; " The form and disposition of the dwelling focus attention
on the landscape, the sun, the wind, the moon, the spatter of
rain • • • (C-En vironmen tal/Clima tic)."
Environmental | Non-Physical values. / Surroundings,
circumstances, influences.
; " •••with gently sloping ground to the north (C-
En vironmen tal)•••."
Location / Proximity to work, public transport, schools, shops and
other facilities.
Relationship to J Being related to the established conditions.
; " Subtle relationships exist between the siting of both
houses (C-Relationship to) •••."
// SOCIAL | About the generality of post-nature, like spiritual,
philosophical, and generally social aspect. / Of people living in
communities, of relations between people and communities.
Philosophical / Philosophy: The search for knowledge, especially
the nature and meaning of design. System of thought resulting from
such a search for knowledge.
-50 -
Theoretical \ Conceptual principals in design. / Based on theory,
not on practice or experience. / Theory: General principles of an art.
Reasoned supposition put forward to explain.
; " The jury praises its skilful avoidance of simplistic
historicism (S-Philosophical/Theoretical). ”
Cultural / Having to do with culture / Culture: People created a
spiritual environment based on ideology, rituals related to religion,
magic or tribal loyalty. All the arts, beliefs, social institutions, etc
characteristic of a community, race, etc.
; " The planning of the house makes many references to
Italian models, but has been translated to the demands of the
Sydney climate and a contemporary lifestyle (S-Cultural/A-Style).”
Regulatory J Council’s regulation for public. / Planning permits
and restrictions.
; " •••the technology wouldn’t necessarily get council
approval in the suburbs (S-Regulatory) • • •.”
* References.
1. Everyman’s Concise Encyclopaedia of Architecture. A

volume in Everyman’s Reference Library/Martin S.
Briggs, J.M.Dent & Sons Ltd., 1959.
2. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of

Current English /A.S.Hornby, Oxford University
Press, 1987.
3. Architecture: Form, Space & Order /Francis D.K.

Ching, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. 1979.
4. Encyclopedia of Australian Art /Alan McCulloch,

Hutchinson of Australia, 1984.
5. Dictionary of Architecture /John Fleming, Hugh

Honour, Nikolaus Pevsner, The Penguin 3rd Edition.
6. Architectural Awards, Jury Assessment Guidelines,

from National Architecture Awards, RAIA.
51
- -
III. Critiques & case studies of award winning domestic
architecture, 1960-1990.
-52 -
Critiques & case studies.
* Guidance.
At the end of each article from different sources, Writer, Title of
the article or book or both, Date (if needed), Month (if needed), Year
(if needed) and Page number follow. It will be acknowledged using the
system of abbreviations.
Architect: Edgard Pirrotta.
Project: Brighton Home.
Award: H-S, 1972
^GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
••• Getting back to the house that is the subject of this article,
it is noteworthy for several reasons: (a) the clever design that
enabled an extraordinarily livable house of 23 squares to be built on a
narrow allotment only 45 feet wide (P-Space); (b) the manner in which
Monier natural grey concrete blocks are used externally and internally
(T-Materials) to provide a unifying effect (A-Unity) as well as a
contrasting background for the rich colours used in decorative trim
and furnishings (A-Colours);
The house is actually built on three levels (A-Form). The master
bedroom suite at the front and the gallery are at the slightly elevated
street level (A-Form). From the gallery, steps lead down to the living,
dining, and family rooms, the kitchen, and the laundry. Other steps
lead up to a second livingroom, a study, three more bedrooms, and a
terrace (P-Circulation/ Spatial organisation).
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A handsome effect is provided by the exclusive use of the Monier
natural grey concrete blocks for the wall finish throughout the house
(A-Materials/Colour), including an island chimney which serves as a
divider (A-Metaphor) between the living and dining rooms (P-Spatial
organisation). These big concrete blocks, 16 inches by 4 inches by 8
inches, are also used for the external walling, including that of the
carport, the front fence, one side fence, and an island letterbox wall
(T-Construction). (HA, 2-73, pl6)
//JURY’S OPINION.
According to RAIA Director John Barker, the owner of the award
winning house had no preconceived ideas for the design of his new
home. He simply told Architect Pirrotta what his accommodation
requirements were, and left the rest to him.
’’The result was a linear concrete block house (A-Form/T-
Materials) utilising several levels to squeeze it onto the narrow site”
(P-Spatial organisation/Space), the RAIA Director said. ’’Planning is
arranged along a circulation gallery which replaces the wasteful
concept of a passage (P-Spatial organisation).”
’’With a roof of clear acrylic sheet and walls of glass (T-
Materials), the elevated gallery overlooks a sculpture court on the cool
south side of the block (A-Spatial quality). Internal spaces create
interest (A-Spatial quality) by changing scale (A-Geometry) and
admitting light from unexpected angles (A-Lights).”
’’The natural grey block is also used internally, contrasting with
primary reds and blues in furnishings and fittings (A-
Colour/Materials). Externally the volumes are expressed by angular
-54 -
primary reds and blues in furnishings and fittings (A-
Colour/Materials). Externally the volumes are expressed by angular
roof forms (A-Form) clad in galvanised steel decking" (T-Materials).
(HA, 2-73, pl6)
//ARCHITECT’S OPINION.
The architect said that he used concrete blockwork (T-Materials)
throughout the home because of its interesting surface texture (A-
Texture), and because the modular sense created by the large blocks
(T-Materials/Construction) would give added coherence and precision to
the overall design (A-General). He added that the masonry's natural
grey finish provides an ideal offset to the rich colours used elsewhere
- the blue fascia on the carport, the red doors, and the deep blue
wall-to-wall carpeting (A-Colour). (HA, 2-73, p!6)
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FIRST FLOOR
hh BEOROOM
TERRACE
STUDY UPPER
T> BEDROOM LIVING
GROUND FLOOR
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Architect: Geoffrey.T.Malone, Kerr & Smith Pty.Ltd.
Project: Malone residence, Castlecrag.
Award: M-S, 1973
//GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
The house was designed by the young Sydney architect Geoff
Malone for his parents. They must be very tolerant people, for the
house must be completely different from anything they can have lived
in before. •••
It is a house of extraordinary spaces (P-General), strong forms
(A-Forms), new materials (T-Materials) and, most of all, fantasy (A-
Spatial quality).
It sits on a dramatic site, overlooking a wooded gully to the north
and Middle Harbour on the east (C-Environmental).
The dominant features are four circular towers between which the
floor slabs are slung (A-Form). Balconies and terraces cantilever out
between the towers which are left in natural grey concrete block (A-
Form). All other surfaces have a smooth white finish (A-
Texture/Colour).
The central space penetrates the whole house, ending in a
skylight above the top floor and a ’’floor light” on the entrance floor.
This is a glass area set in the floor from which the garden underneath
the house can be overlooked (A-Spatial quality/P-Spatial
organisation/P-Lighting).
The effect is quite beautiful (A-General). The garden is between
the four towers (A-Form) which, on the ground level, are free-
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standing (T-Structure).
They contain a wine cellar, a tool store, the laundry and stairs(P-
Functional). Because of the fall in the land, all this is one storey
below the main level (P-General).
The entrance level is reached over a bridge (P-General). A
generous entry area floored with black quarry tiles (A-
Colour/Materials) has a free-standing curved column (T-Structure)
which turns out to be a lavatory (P-Functional) of aeroplane-type
shape (A-Type) and dimensions (A-Geometry). Half-a -dozen steps lead
down to the main living area (P-General), which has continuous foam
rubber seating covered in turquoise to match the carpets (A-Colour).
Rounded perspex windows reveal the water views and glass
sliding doors lead out to a partly covered terrace (A-General/P-
General).
On this level two of the circular tower spaces contain a bar and a
music centre (P-Functional).
The semi-circular perspex windows are repeated in the dining
area (P-General). In the adjoining kitchen, sink and hot plate are set
into grass -green moulded benches (P-General). A planter box is
incorporated in the sink and the third round tower-space contains the
pantry (P-Functional).
The stairs are in the fourth tower (P-General). Upstairs bridges
connect the rooms (P-General/Circulation) and overlook living and
entrance areas below (P-View). A girl’s bedroom has sliding doors to a
private balcony (P-Spatial organisation) and is decorated in brilliant
red (A-Colour).
Its white-painted ceiling is made of metal and a lamp with metal
shade and long cord (A-Colour/T-Materials), is stuck to it by a magnet
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(T-System). The light fitting can be moved freely around the ceiling
(A-Light/T-System).
A large part of the top area is an open sewing room (P-General).
It is amazing how many small circular spaces can be used in a home if
you want them for aesthetic reasons (A-General). On this floor one is a
bathroom, one a storage space and the third a dressing room off the
main bedroom (P-Functional).
The most surprising room of all is the huge bathroom (P-Space),
which is open to the dressing area and only partly closed off the all
space (P-Spatial organisation). Bath and shower recess are set into two
circular projections (P-Spatial organisation) which are expressed
clearly on the entrance side just above the front door (A-General) and
topped with perspex bubbles (A-Form).
On the underside they are bright green to match the kitchen (A-
Colours), which can be seen simultaneously from the entrance bridge
(A-General). (SMH, 14-9-73, pl6)
He was very aware of the steep upthrust of cliff, with its
splendid water views from the top and green luxuriance of rain forest
below, visually anchored the house to its setting with one of the
massive columns continuing down the cliff to a lower rock ledge (P-
View/T-Structure/C-Environmental). As the top was reasonably level,
construction proved "fairly simple" (A-Form). Entrance to the house is
across a small bridge from drive and gravel walkway (P-Circulation);
below it, a small pool and fern garden (P-Spatial organisation).
The Malone’s house in Castlecrag is spacious (A-Spatial quality),
open to sky, sunlight (C-Climatic) and beautiful bushland views (A-
Opening/View), the living room ceiling soaring two storeys to a
skylight (T-Materials), sliding glass doors leading to wide terraces (P-
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General); at night, it takes on a special drama with interplay of
curves, columns, shadows (A-Spatial quality). Bedrooms and bathrooms
(including the light -filled spa (A-General/T-General) on the cover of
this issue) are suspended above the living areas on an open mezzanine
floor (P-Spatial organisation). Adjacent to the steps leading from
entrance down to the living area (P-Circulation) is a lightwell with
sliding panels of glass (T-Materials), allowing a view of azaleas and
ferns in the rock garden below (P-View), adding the bonus of cooling
flow of air when opened in summer (C-Climatic/T-System). Terrace off
the living room juts out over the cliff (A-Form), so that one can see
birds at treetop level (”We waste such a lot of time, just watching the
birds,” says Mrs.Malone), or look down on to the feathery tops of
maples, wattles, casuarinas, and symmetrical fans of tree ferns (P-
View/A-Geometry). For Mr.and Mrs.Malone, both keen gardeners, the
steep incline into a natural bush gully is the perfect place to plant
the seemingly casual mix of native plants and deciduous trees they
love (C-Environmental). Tree fern seedlings spring up everywhere in
unexpected places, which the Malones carefully gather and replant (C-
Environmental); their land continues into a public reserve where a
creek runs down to the harbour, and they are creating a unique tree
fern valley ’’for the enjoyment of everyone” (A-Landscaping). Stereo
and bookshelves, incorporated to Geoff's design into one of the main
support columns (P-General); he had the acrylic domes specially made
(T-Materials). In the other column is a well-equipped bar (P-
Functional).
Two bays of glass at one side of the living area, give the Malones
a far-flung view of Sydney’s Middle Harbour (P-View). Foam seating
was made to echo the flow of line (A-Image), is covered in deep blue
-60 -
to match carpet and full-length curtains (A-Colour). Kitchen is white
with lime green cupboards detailed to Geoff’s design (A-Colour/A-
Details). Wall oven is suspended inside a support column (T-Structure);
walk-in pantry is concealed by a sliding door (A-General). Mrs.Malone’s
collection of cherished house plants grows very happily in the window
(P-General). Vanity unit in the main bathroom, which adjoins a
spacious dressing room leading in turn to the master bedroom CP-
Spatial organisation). The Malone's daughter, Barbara, has her own
bathroom, set into one of the large columns (P-Spatial organisation). In
her bedroom is a wall desk devised by Geoff (P-General) and low
circular tables (A-Form) he had made from concrete-forming cardboard
tubes (T-Materials), coated with red Imperite (A-Colour), topped with
mirror (A-General). A wall of glass overlooks "the best view” (P-View).
Despite its open plan, this house has a warm, personal feeling (A-
Spatial quality). By concentrating various functions into specific areas,
Geoff Malone never lets sheer space overwhelm the people who live in
it (P-Functional). (VL, 4-74, p??)
//JURY’S OPINION.
"A house of strong fantasy (A-Spatial quality)” is how judges
described this award-winning home at Castlecrag, Sydney. (A, 13-9-73,
p5)
ÂRCHITECT'S OPINION.
The philosophy behind Geoff’s design for his parents’ cliff-face
block of land at Castlecrag, NSW, was that "communications and service
61
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areas should be solid, circular, with horizontal elements (A-Form)
lightly slung between (P-Spatial organisation/A-Spatial quality/S-
Philosophical/Theoretical)". (VL, 4-74, p??)
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The Ma1od« boose

Architect: Donald Gazzard.
Project: Gazzard house, 88 Hargrave St., Paddington.
Award: M-S, 1976
This house is prominently located in an area of Sydney which has
a very complete 19th century character (C-Siting). Its exterior makes
some concessions to the scale and character of the streets surrounding
it (A-General/C-Relationship to), •••o
It is, however, a strong statement and an interesting attempt to
fit another style of building into Paddington (A-Style).
Its interior is very elegant (A-Spatial quality)-the occupants can
soak up the sun (P-Lighting) and one of Paddington’s best views from
all parts of the major two storey indoor-outdoor space (P-View), all of
which is put together very nicely and finished with gallery- like
perfection (A-Spatial quality). The double height deck is roofed with
tinted glass and there is tinted glass in the sliding windows (T-
Materials/A-Materials) which soften Sydney’s harsh light and produce
many gradations of brightness on a light-coloured tile floor and on the
white and timber finishes of the living, dining, kitchen, study and
bedrooms (A-Colour/Spatial quality/T-Materials).
The scale of this space is twice (P-Space) that which might be
expected in Paddington- which adds significantly to its impact- and
probably also to its difficult relationship with the surrounding
streetscape (C-Relationship to). (AA, 10-76, p40)
Architects frequently take a long time to get around to their own
-63 -
houses. Other people’s problems are more pressing. Don Gazzard
designed his only after his wife had started asking people at parties
if they knew a good architect!
b>*»* The corollary is that they live in renovated houses while
screwing up courage to make the definitive statement. Gazzard was
pressed into his, not just by Marea Gazzard’s hints, but by a
developing obsession for light and space in quantities not readily
available in a conventional Paddington terrace (P-Lighting/P-Space).
However they were not about to turn their backs on Paddington,
where they have lived since they moved into a flat in Goodhope Street
as students during the ’50s.
The Cinderella story of Paddington, inner Sydney suburb, is well
known. Condemned in the 1948 County of Cumberland Planning Scheme
as a slum, Paddo was lesignated as totally substandard- requiring
replacement either immediately or within 25 years.
The 25 years have passed and a remarkable change has taken
place. The close-to-the city eastern suburb is now one of the very few
areas in Australia that has won a conservation zoning where demolition
is not allowed and only terrace houses can be built. Its citizens are
passionate about preservation. The real estate columns regularly use
trendy- the in word of the 60s- to describe its character. But back
there in the ’50s there was just one house painted white and that
belonged to John and Pat Thompson who later pioneered the campaign
to have the Victorian attractions of the Paddington street scene
recognised and protected (S-General). •••<h
The vacant corner site he chose was surrounded by advertising
hoardings and had gone unnoticed for years. It was a double block 40
feet wide and 100 feet deep ••• small by suburban standards but
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enormous for Paddington (C-Environmental/P-Space). Gazzard passed it
many times before deciding to find out what was behind the hoardings.
The answer was empty space. It was too good an opportunity to pass
up and he bought it. The house came much later.
While the street elevation is substantially masonry (A-Materials) to
block out the noise from a busy street(T-System) (there’s a famous
Paddo restaurant on the opposite corner) (C-Environmental), the
northern garden side of the house is completely glazed (A-
General/Materials).
The view stretches across a Paddington gully, taking in the
backsides of streets and the grass of tennis court and bowling green
••• an explosion of space over Edgecliff and Rushcutters Bay (A-
Opening/View).
There's also a Gazzard-designed building in the picture.
At Edgecliff, off to the right, a retirement village built for the
Church of England rises in a tiered, town house development. More
recently Gazzard has been working on the design for 100 Housing
Commission courtyard townhouses at Mount Druitt, a departure from
type for both Commission and Mount Druitt.
His belief in town housing is as strong as his devotion to
Paddington and to stick with both, he was prepared to invest heavily
in Paddington’s last bit of space.
Like its neighbours, it is a three level house with the entrance on
the middle level (P-General/A-Form). The lower level is occupied by
children’s bedrooms and bathroom (with a sauna) and by the studio
where Marea Gazzard carries out her work as potter, teacher and
chairman of the Australia Council's Crafts Board (P-Functional).
c>,#* walking over to a couch and giving it a tug which instantly
65
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converts it into a double bed (T-System).
d>*** forestalling my question, which is prompted by the fact that
the house with its glass back wall and north facing sky lights is so
successful as a light and space trap that the gallery seems to be open
to both the sky and the rest of Paddington (A-Spatial quality/P-
Lighting/P-View). •••<e f>*#* And when we’re back on the middle
level I see that he’s right. From below the gallery is remote, hidden
away at the top of a central staircase which bisects the huge open
space of this middle level (P-Spatial organisation), so that it falls
naturally into sitting and eating areas (P-Functional).
A conservatory opens directly off the living room and glass-
roofed terrace (P-Spatial organisation) ••• the ultimate toy for someone
who wants a garden without having to work at it- a greenhouse with
thermostatically operated fans and automatic sprays which come on
twice a day and cover plants and grass in a fine mist (T-System). So
the sky doesn't matter to the plants, but it does to the Gazzards who
claim that with all that out there, they don’t need pictures on the
walls and in fact those they own have stayed packed away (P-
Landscaping/A-Opening/View).
The furniture has been chosen with due respect for delineation of
space without being allowed to dominate the all over picture with
tricky surface details (A-General). •••<g
White plaster walls and Tasmanian Oak boarded ceiling and
joinery complement tiles and low key colours (A-Colour/T-Materials).
Cretan weaving and craft objects give interest without disruption of
the all over plan (A-Spatial quality). Thermostat operated underfloor
electric cables heat the house in winter, creating a different kind of
snugness from the more conventional wall to wall carpet (T-System).
66
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Three and a half years were spent on the design and construction
of the house (T-Construction), and the Gazzards, both of whom
separately travel overseas at least twice a year in pursuit of their
professional concerns, like to think that this is home base for the rest
of their lives (S-General). (POL, Spring-76, p73)
//JURY’S OPINION.
a>*** but in the view of the jury, not enough (C-Relationship to).
(AA, 10-76, p40)
The reluctance, he thinks, springs partly from fear. ’’Every
architect has the dream of building the ideal house for his own
preoccupation, but the thought frightens a lot of them.” •••<b
He says that they got sick of having to switch on the light in the
kitchen in the morning to read the paper (P-User needs/Lighting).
h>**« The Gazzards were deeply involved too, so any new house
built by Don Gazzard would be obliged to conform to his own well-
developed view of what Paddington was all about (S-
Philosophical/Theoretical/P-View).
”I’ve never thought you shouldn’t build new houses here, ” he
says, ”or that everything should be Victorian. The important thing is
that you do something that’s in sympathy with everything else (C-
Relationship to).
"This roof, for instance, completes a row of terraces, so it slopes
(A-Form/P-General) ••• I’ve put slates on it (T-Materials) and it’s in
67
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character with the rest of the row(A-General). It changes character at
the back, but that doesn’t matter, because most of these houses do
that (A-General/C-Relationship to)- and we had this great view to take
advantage of (P-View).”
The middle level, says Gazzard, is ’’where we meet” and the top
one is a sort of gallery for working and sleeping (P-Functional). ”I’ve
always thought a bedroom separate from the rest of the house was a
bit of a waste (S-Philosophical/Theoretical),” he says, •••<c
"Of course, it’s sometimes a nuisance when you come home a bit
sloshed from a party and have to make up the bed, but it's marvellous
in the morning. You just get up and fold it away. And it’s quite
private,” he says (T-System/P-Privacy), ***<d
e>... ’*You just pull these curtains (P-Spatial organisation/T-
System)". •••<f
g>*** Gazzard says he’s sick of those (A-General).
’’These chairs and the tables were actually designed during the
f30s by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. The couch is Swiss- metre
length segments which you can adjust as you like. They’re covered in
natural canvas, and in the kitchen- a galley- we’ve got stainless steel
on one side and scrubbed timber on the other. It gets scrubbed once
a week (T-General/Maintenance). It means some worm, sure, but all the
very nice surfaces have to be looked after. The tiles on the floor are
Spanish farmhouse tiles and you have to polish them. But certain
things are not unpleasant to do (T-Materials).” (POL, Spring-76, p73)
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CONT soc
5 RumooS Room
6 Bairnoom
7 Sauna
8 Beoioom ^v
9 Ravea Court
10 Kitchen
12 Living
13 ftash'oom
i< Covered Terrace
15 Entry B'Oge .
16 Conservatory
17 Upoer f ©or Ove*
18 AOfO«n«ng Terrace House
19 Study
20 Balcony
21 Bea-Sitting Room
22 Dressng Room
23 Open to Living Room Detow
24 S*yhgni over
25 Glared Roc< over Tarrace De<cw
69
Architect: Glenn Murcutt.
Project: Short residence, Terry Hills.
Award: W-S, 1976.
The house, built for a young married couple, stands on a two-
hectars site in bushland overlooking Ku-ring-gai Chase (C-General).
Mr.Murcutt saw a site burnt by bushfire and dotted with scraggy
gums (C-Environmental) and created a design that reflected its sparse
"bony" quality (A-Image).
The prize-winning home has three bedrooms, a kitchen, combined
lounge and dining room, two bathrooms, separate toilets, a laundry and
a ’’filling system" of storage space for clothes (P-Functional).
Special features include roof areas for light penetration, a large
courtyard off the family room where sun filters make for even year
round warmth and a multi-purpose louvred screen, 26 feet long which
extends part way around the courtyard (T-System/P-Lighting/A-Light).
Mr.Murcutt lives and practices in Mosman. (DNP, 20-10-76, p2)
#JURY*S OPINION.
"The Award has been made to Glenn Murcutt, A.R.A.I.A., Architect,
for a house at Terry Hills." (CR, 17-11-76, p2)
The owner wanted a house which did justice to his austerely
beautiful five acres of land overlooking the uplands of Ku-ring-gai
Chase (C-General). The view is big and open (P-View) from the simple
-70 -
bold Miesian frame of this house standing well within it and, from
within, frames it superbly (A-General).
Pavement, lawn, grass, scrub form a natural progression to the
bush which surrounds the site (C-Environmental). No screening,
softening garden is being established- or need be (A-Landscaping),
the house is strong enough for its surrounding and this is no mean
achievement (C-Relationship to). The use of the black tiles and black
steel structure (A-Colour/T-Structure) are also highly successful in
the landscape (A-Landscaping).
It is far, however, from being a brutal and/or academic exercise.
It is, in fact, designed around the family (S-Philosophical/Theoretical).
During the inspection two small, unself-conscious children were
running inside and out and can, and did, leave their junk around
without creating aesthetic or practical disaiêrs. The kitchen and
family room with a separate, but adjacent study form the centre of the
house (P-Spatial organisation) and enjoy the best of its views (P-View)
and access the outside (P-Circulation).
Planning is economical (P-General) and straightforward- as can be
seen (A-Form). It is not large, but appears very spacious (A-Spatial
quality). The detailing is direct and simple: non load-bearing walls,
both interior and exterior, being steel stud AC clad, insulated and
tiled on the outside (T-Detailing). (AA, 10-76, p34)
”It is a place where nature has left its mark for thousands of
years (C-Environmental)."
"I had to design a building that would not be at war with the
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landscape (C-General/Relationship to) so it became a black (A-Colour)
stumpy building (A-Form), made of glass and concrete and raw
sections of steel (T-Materials).”
"The concrete roof is flooded with water as an insulation measure.
Because the site is subject to bush fires a sprinkler system operates
around the home (T-System).M
"I see it as a timeless building,” Mr.Murcutt said. ”1 am not
interested in fashions in architecture. My interest lies in solving
architectural problems in a rational way and the whole structure of
nature is essentially rational (A-Metaphor). Architecture, as a formal
art, is undergoing vast changes,” he said (S-Philosophical/Theoretical).
(DNP, 20-10-76, p2)
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Project: Farmhouse, Kempsey.
Award: B-S, 1977
This building is an answer to the question: Who needs architects?
The client had accumulated a stock of timber which could have served
as a display for representative timbers of the north coast of New
South Wales (T-Materials). The house was to be built to take advantage
of cooling sea breezes (C-Environmental), views across the river (P-
View), to have a separate, but integral, ’’restaurant” section (P-Spatial
organisation), to be warm and sunny in winter (P-Orientation), open
and spacious in feeling (A-Spatial quality), so constructed that it could
be moved to another site (T-Construction), would need minimum
supervision (T-General) and would be within the competence of locally
available skills (T-General). •••<a (AA, 12-77, p58)
An award-winning farmhouse on a property near Kempsey, in the
green northern NSW country side, could bring a second look at some
of the house styles which have been built in Australian country areas
recently (a-General/C-General).
In contrast to the leisurely, comfortable style of earlier
farmhouses, with their large verandas, the recent crop have tended to
be much the same as the brick veneer project homes spreading in the
reaches of outer metropolitan suburban areas (A-Style).
However, the Kempsey farmhouse, which won the Blacket Award
this year in the design awards of the NSW branch of the Royal
- 74 -
Australian Institute of Architects, is something quite different (A-
General).
It was designed by architect Glenn Murcutt in traditional country
building materials, including timber which the client had been
stockpiling for a couple of years (T-Materials).
The difference lies mainly in the treatment of the walls, which
don’t have conventional windows (A-General), but are mostly built out
of mosquito wire and aluminium louvres (T-General).
Thus it is possible to have a wall of a room opened up to the
surrounding countryside, or to have the louvres closed to create the
normal enclosed room space (P-Spatial organisation/T-System/P-View).
A detached wooden pergola which runs along one side of the
house raised some demurs from the design award jury, which was,
however, very taken with the farmhouse itself (P-General).
The farmhouse, really two separate buildings side by side (P-
General), is reported to have cost about $60,000 to build (T-
Economical). • • • <b
Reaction of laymen to the house tends to be uncomprehending at
first. Two laymen (one a pilot) in the car bringing the design award
jury to the house are reported to have commented pithily in unison on
nrst sighting the structure (T-Structure).
But the design concept has stirred a lot of interest among
architects (S-General).
The design, in an unconventional way, does reiterate the
advantages of having a country house open to the surrounding
countryside (P-General).
The older style of building, with large verandas running around a
house (before post-war stringencies put the veranda out of fashion
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among builders) (A-Style) also provided the same ability to enjoy the
outdoors from the house (P-Functional). (AFR, 18-11-77, p25)
Murcutt designed, and later bought, this award-winning farm
house at Kempsey, which exemplifies his theories of sun control (P-
Functional/S-Philosophical/Theoretical). • • *<c
d>,#* By angling and overlapping roof slats, which take account
of the position of the sun at different times of year, he can cut out
the sun from mid-September until the following autumn (T-System/C-
Climatic).
Project builders have not adopted this particular idea (T-General).
• • *<e (NT, 2-11-80, plO)
//JURY’S OPINION.
The jury for that award commented on the elegance of the
solution which had been achieved through the use of standard
components (A-General) and cheap materials: galvanised iron, standard
louvres, mosquito wire and weatherboard (T-Materials). (AA, 12-77,
P58)
"This house is a delight (A-General), almost deceptively simple in
concept (P-General) and beautifully realised without the need for
obvious historical reference (S-Philosophical/Theoretical)," the design
award jury citation said. (The absence of "obvious historical
reference” is an architectural way of saying it doesn’t look like
farmhouses of the past) (A-Type).
"Unlike most recent country houses which are straight copies of
the most mundane suburban bungalow, this house borrows subtly from
the single farmshed (A-Type) and is a fine addition to the beautiful
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Kempsey countryside (C-Siting).”
’’The detailing throughout is consistent, strong and sophisticated
in the true sense with no signs of compromise to the difficulties of
building (T-Detailing) on a small scale on an isolated site (T-
Construction).”
’’Despite its detached pergola, the building promises to be one
whose significance will extend beyond the attention (P-General)
bestowed upon it by this award.”
The raised eyebrows at the pergola are explained by Terry
Byrnes, the chairman of the design award jury: ”It pretends to be
separate from the building, it just has no place (P-Spatial
organisation).”
b>.»* "it's quite innovative (T-Economical),” said Terry Byrnes.
”It proves that you don’t have to have a veranda all round the
house to have a country house (P-General/A-Type). Mosquito wire and
louvres constitute most of the walls (T-Detailing).”
’’There’s an enormous room (P-Space) which is completely ganze-
wired in (T-Construction).We have the assurance of the occupants
that it’s warm in winter (T-General).”
”It’s just out of Kempsey. It certainly makes the red brick
bungalow (A-Type) with its tile roof look ridiculous (A-Image).”
’’The materials are not expensive (T-Economical), but produce an
elegance (A-General) not normally associated with galvanised iron and
timber (T-Materials). It’s traditional in its use of materials, but quite
contemporary in its use of design (S-Cultural).”
’’Quiet a lot of the tradesmen were used to building their own
boats, so there was scope for detailing sometimes more akin to
shipwrights’work (T-Detailing), holding timber in the grain which was
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strongest. A lot of this arose from an ingrained sense of tension in
timber as opposed to compression (T-Structure)."
"They wanted the house to be transportable (T-General). They’ve
got a couple of thousand acres.”
’’Whole walls pivot. With one open room, they can open up the
bedroom to it, or close the whole wall (T-General/P-Functional).” (AFR,
18-11-77, p25)
a>*,# The architect has satisfied all these requirements and
others, transforming difficulties to advantages (P-General). (AA, 12-77,
P58)
c> • • • ’’Wherever possible I get those areas to be warmed by the
sun facing as due north as possible (C-Environmental).
’’Heat and light control comes from the use of external timber
Venetian blinds. There is no point in having interior blinds; once the
heat’s in, it’s in (T-System).”
Murcutt aims to allow the midwinter sun to penetrate fully into
the depths of the house (P-Lighting). •••<d
e>... "They don’t know the individual topography or which side
the house will face- they haven’t time, think it’s too complex. But it’s
a very simple procedure. It would take only one man half an hour to
make calculations for each house (S-General/C-General/T-General).”
(NT, 2-11-80, plO)
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Architect: Bruce Rickard & Associates Pty. Ltd.
Project: Fienberg house, 19 Ocean Road, Palm Beach.
Award: M-S, 1977
Bruce Rickard and Associates designed the Fienberg family house
at Ocean Road, Palm Beach, NSW, for husband, and wife and two
daughters.
The accommodation was to be arranged so that when the
daughters left home the parents could live in a compact, self-contained
area of the house, while the vacated areas could accommodate
occasional guests and possibly permanent residence of the
grandparents (P-Spatial organisation/P-Functional).
The Fienbergs wanted their living areas to take advantage of the
views of the beach and coast from north to east but to have obscured
the unsightly view of the dressing sheds across the road immediately
in front of the house (P-View). In addition, they wanted to live out of
doors as much as possible (P-General).
The brief was answered by arranging the master bedroom,
bathroom, kitchen and living areas, verandah and deck on the first
floor, and two bedrooms, laundry and bathroom on the ground floor
with a third unenclosed covered area which could be used for table
tennis and games, and later converted into a bed-sitting room for the
grandparents (P-Spatial organisation/P-Functional). Skewing the house
on the block allowed all the bedrooms and living rooms to face north
to catch winter sunshine and the view. A verandah on the east shades
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the house from summer morning sun and allows the view to the east
(P-Lighting/P-View/C-Climatic). (AA, 8-76, p72)
//JURY'S OPINION.
Very competent and understated, the house is free from any
evidence of contrived or self-conscious manipulation of spaces (A-
Spatial quality)* •• The plan is simple (P-General) yet versatile with
thoughtful and consistent detailing (T-Detailing).
The house conveys a strong sense of personality; it is the second
designed by the architect for the same client (S-General). (AA, 12-77,
p46)
/ÂRCHITECT'S OPINION.
The Fienberg family consists of husband and wife, who both work,
and two daughters who attend University. The house was planned so
that when the daughters left home the parents would have a compact
self-contained living area with the vacated areas arranged to suit
visits from daughters and guests and to provide permanent
accommodation, if needed, for grandparents (P-Functional).
The living areas were to take in views of the beach and coast
from north to east but not the unsightly dressing sheds across the
road (P-View).
They wanted as much outdoor living space as possible (P-General),
the house oriented for maximum winter sunshine and summer shade
indoors and out (P-Lighting) and minimum maintenance (T-General).
The master bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living areas, verandah
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and deck are on the first floor. Two bedrooms, laundry and bathroom
are on the ground floor with an unenclosed covered area suitable for
table tennis and later conversion to a bed-sitting room (P-Spatial
organisation/P-Functional).
Skewing the house allowed all the bedrooms and living rooms to
face north to catch winter sun and the view; an eastern verandah
shades the house from summer morning sun and gives a view to the
east (P-Lighting/P-View).
The balcony running the full length of the northern side can be
divided into "rooms" by hanging canvas vertically for walls and
horizontally for roof and shade. The slab turns up vertically then
horizontally to form a seat. A rail forms a back rest (P-Functional/T-
System/A-Form).
Sliding doors ."'low the whole of the living-dining-kitchen area to
be opened to the deck and verandah for an unobstructed length of 10
metres (T-System/P-Spatial organisation). Floors are reinforced
concrete, carpeted inside, quarry tiled on verandah and deck. Walls
are common brick except boarded partition walls on the first floor. The
asbestos cement roof is supported on a timber post and truss system.
Windows and doors are brown anodized aluminium. External timber
pergolas, fascias, rafters are untreated, belt-sanded Canadian red
cedar. The off form ceiling on ground floor and plasterboard ceilings
on first floor are painted. All other concrete work is unpainted (T-
Materials/T-Structure). (AA, 12-77, p46)
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Architect: Glenn Murcutt, ARAIA
Award: W-S, 1979
When designing the Farmhouse, Kempsey, Glenn Murcutt was
requested by the client to make it as cool as standing under the
mulberry tree in summer and warm during the days in winter. The
result is a house which takes full advantage of the cooling summer
north easterly winds, avoids the winter westerlies and identifies with
the different aspects and views offered on the site (C-Climatic/P-
General/P-View). (AW79, p2)
Of timber construction, the Farmhouse sits on traditional low piers
(C-Siting), with a galvanised iron roof and timber linings (T-Materials)
and is designed to be transportable, if necessary, to another site (T-
General). Construction details were simple and readily available
components, metal and glass louvres, patent glazing, and corrugated
iron, used throughout (T-Materials/T-Construction). The house has
enclosed verandahs with a separate sleeping wing and bathrooms and a
separate ’’restaurant” wing (P-Functional) which contains the living,
dining and kitchen areas (P-Spatial organisation).
In 1975, Glenn Murcutt was asked by the owner of a large rural
property to design a house of 120 square metres (P-Space) that would
be ”as cool as under the mulberry tree (P-General/T-General),’’ and
transportable (T-General). (SMH, 12-10-79, p??)
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house at Kempsey, which exemplifies his theories of sun control (S-
Philosophical/Theoretical). • • *<a
b>*** By anging and overlapping roof slats, which take account of
the position of the sun at different times of year, he can cut out the
sun from mid-September until the following autumn (T-System/C-
Climatic).
Project builders have not adopted this particular idea (C-
Siting/Relationship to). •••<c (NT, 2-11-80, plO)
//JURY’S OPINION.
Jury members who visited the house say, ’’Photographs do not
convey how sensitively the building is related to its site to complement
the landscape and to make the most of the picturesque views from
within (C-Siting/P-Landscaping/P-View); or how the details of its
construction, although contemporary in concept and technique, seem to
reflect the vernacular tradition of other nearby farm buildings” (S-
Cultural/T-Detailing).
”It is an object lesson, in the application of simple materials (T-
Materials) and contemporary techniques (T-General) to produce an
architecture with outstanding qualities of economy (T-Economical) and
elegance (A-General), yet with remarkable affinity to the traditional
rural dwellings of eastern Australia (C-Relationship to).” (AW79, p2)
//ARCHITECT'S OPINION.
’’The house being above the ground has quite a significant
psychological effect, taking the farmer away from the property where
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he has been working all day (S-Philosophical/Theoretical),M Mr.Murcutt
says.
He believes there is a need for a new approach to Australian
farmhouses (S-General).
"The farmhouse has not developed. It has gone backwards to the
point where most farmhouses are mundane copies of suburban
bungalows (A-Style/S-Philosophical/Theoretical).
"They are sometimes shameful crimes to the sites on which they
are built, with little regard to the climate or building materials
(S-General /C-Climate /T-Materials)."
"Having a client with few preconceptions about the status of
materials, coupled with a very adequate knowledge of the work of
architects, has made a considerable contribution to the design of the
house (S-General)." (SMH, 12-10-79, p??)
a>... '’Wherever possible I get those areas to be warmed by the
sun facing as due north as possible (P-Lighting).
"Heat and light control comes from the use of external timber
Venetian blinds. There is no point in having interior blinds; once the
heat’s in, it’s in (T-System)."
Murcutt aims to allow the midwinter sun to penetrate fully into
the depths of the house (P-Lighting). •••<b
c>... "They don't know the individual topography or which side
the house will face- they haven't time, think it's too complex. But it's
a very simple procedure. It would take only one man half an hour to
make calculations for each house (C-Siting/Relationship to)." (NT, 2-
11-80, plO)
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Architect: E.M. Due.
Project: Residence, 13x Greville St., Chatswood West.
Award: M-S, 1979
a>«** designed for a family of six (P-General) and built using
readily available industrial components (T-Materials).
The house is in the closely settled suburb of Chatswood (C-
General), and approval to erect a house using unfamiliar components in
a domestic building led to a court case, which found in the architect’s
favour. (T-Materials/S-Regulatory)
Spaces within the house are flexible (P-Spatial organisation) and
components can be changed without structural work. Similarly services
may also be relocated without disturbing finishes (T-General).
All elements are light weight and easily handled by two men for
moving and fixing (T-Construction).
Post prototype work on the carport, •••<b c>*#* and service
packages (A-Type), should overcome the problems in this first concept
(P-General).
Overall the building demonstrates the design and construction
philosophy (S-Philosophical/Theoretical) of long life, loose fit, low
energy structures (T-Economical/Structure). (AW79, p26)
#JURY’S OPINION.
"Highly innovative, a bold leap into industrialised housing" stated
-88 -
the jury of Ed Due’s house (T-General)
With mostly hard materials (T-Materials), the jury commented on
"a surprisingly comfortable atmosphere that has been achieved in the
space of an average house (A-Spatial quality)."
The jury were impressed by fast construction and said: "Rapid
assembly to lock up stage is effected by relegating site service work
to a late position in the construction programme (T-
Construction/Economical)." They added, "unfortunately, this has limited
the affinity between site and house (C-Relationship to)."
b>««« which the jury found "unsympathetic" (A-General), ***<c
(AW79, p26)
Ed Due also constructed the house and was aware of the problems
of long construction times, which, along with the cost of materials and
labour (T-Economical), are the major obstacles to commencing new
building projects (T-Construction). (AW79, p26)
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Architect: Terry & Heather Dorrough.
Project: Dorrough residence, Paddington.
Award: M-S, 1980
After living for some years in terrace houses, the Dorrough
family- Architect's family- had a strong desire for a garden (P-User
needs). Almost incongruously their house is sited in the leftover
centre of a Paddington block (C-Location), surrounded by 22
neighbours (C-Environmental).
The design of three pavilions, one for adults- bedroom and studio,
one for children- bedrooms and play area, one for family- living,
dining and kitchen, allows every room a garden view (P-View). (AW80,
Pl8)
Mr. Dorrough and his family, after living in terrace houses for
some years, began to wish for a garden (P-User needs).
He found a site left over in the centre of a Paddington block
surrounded by 22 existing houses (C-General/Location).
In this unusual setting he designed a hc,ise of three pavilions in
a U-shape around a courtyard (A-Form/P-General).
The pavilions provide every room with a garden view (P-View).
The house, of timber on a concrete slab with a corrugated iron
roof (T-Materials), has cultural roots to the colonial era (S-Cultural),
••• <a (SMH, 8-10-80, p6)
#JURY'S OPINION.
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Of timber construction, on a concrete slab, with a corrugated iron
roof (T-Materials), "its cultural roots are evident, but not self
consciously so,” said the jury (S-Cultural).
The jury were able to visualise, when the garden develops, the
future effects of shelter, oasis and privacy (A-Metaphor/P-Privacy).
However, a more extensive use of shade frames, particularly to protect
the glazing of the west facing sunroom, would in the jury's opinion
reinforce these effects (P-Lighting/T-System).
According to the jury, "A refreshingly serene and simple, U-
shaped courtyard scheme (A-Spatial quality/Geometry).” (AW80, pl8)
a>..."but not self-consciously”, says the jury (S-General). (SMH,
8-10-80, p6)
The architect and occupier, consciously attempted a layering of
space (A-Geometry), creation of multiple axis and vistas (P-Composition)
and various combinations of texture, pattern and light (A-Composition).
To result in, he hopes, a certain complexity and unexpected interest in
an apparently simple straightforward building (A-General). (AW80, pl8)
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Project: House, 58 John Street, Woollahra.
Award: M-S, 1980
This is a small house in Woollahra (A-General), really on the edge
of Paddington (C-Location), in a street of mixed development- terraces,
semi-detached and single dwellings (C-Environmental).
Inside the modest profile are two bedrooms (P-General), both
having their own dressing rooms and bathrooms (P-Functional), and a
combined living/dining room (P-Spatial organisation).
Kitchen with a large pantry, laundry, entry porch and entry area
are included in the introverted solution (P-General).
Materials used were face and plastered brick, glass and
corrugated iron, with tile finishes selected by the client (T-Materials).
Attention has been paid to screening of the glazed areas (P-Lighting),
maximising privacy (P-Privacy) •••<a (AW80,p20)
Mr. Glenn Murcutt, who won the Wilkinson award last year for his
unusal Kempsey farmhouse, followed the trend to the inner city this
year with a merit award for his small, two-bedroom house at Woollahra
on the edge of Paddington.
But he did not leave his liking for corrugated iron behind in the
country (T-Materials).
His Woollahra- Paddington house which he sought •••<d e>*## to
relate to a small house next door (C-Relationship to), used face and
plaster brick, glass and corrugated iron (T-Materials) •••<f (SMH, 8-
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10-80, p6)
#JURY’S OPINION.
c>#** According to the jury, "This relationship is one of its best
characteristics. It does not intrude (C-Relationship to)."
The jury liked the discreet placement of the bathing and storage
facilities (P-General), which they said, "Allows the living and bedrooms
to have the maximum exposure to the garden court (P-General)."
The jury were critical of, "the somewhat restless treatment in
detail of the street elevation, which is inconsistent with the generally
restrained character of the building as a whole (A-Composition)."
a>**« and the jury found modulated roof lighting had been used
to good effect (A-Lighting).
b>*** and the jury found, "The introverted plan layout is
disarmingly simple (P-General), whilst the general detailing (A-Details)
and rear elevation is a study in refinement and restraint (A-General)."
(AW80, p20)
d>*«* (very successfully, say the jury) •••<e
f>*• • which produced "a study in refinement and restraint (A-
General)." (SMH, 8-10-80, p6)
When considering the brief the architect, Glenn Murcutt says, " It
was of considerable importance to me that what was developed on our
site had to relate strongly to the small house to our west (C-
Relationship to)." •••<c
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Glenn Murcutt strove for context in what he considered a difficult
project (C-General) •••<b (AW80, p20)
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Project: Two houses, Danes way, Mt.Irvine
Award: M-S, 1981
The houses are similar (P-General), both containing the small
sleeping spaces, lofts and usual round of functions pertaining to farm
buildings (P-Functional). Because of the isolation from the building
scene (C-Environmental), the houses were designed using very
standard components (T-Construction) which could be carried from
Sydney by one utility (T-General). Materials such as galvanised iron,
louvres and external Venetian blinds formed the material component,
with local pine used for internal linings (T-Materials). Both houses
were built almost entirely by one man and sizes of timbers and other
materials were sized accordingly (T-Construction). (AA, 12-81, p28 /
SMH, 14-10-81, p??)
Farmhouses in the Blue Mountains show Murcutt's use of tin and
timber on the exterior (T-Materials). Light is filtered by exterior
wooden Venetian blinds as a decoration inside (A-Light). They were
built for just over half what they would have cost in brick and tile
(T-Economical). Murcutt estimates brick and tile runs out at between
$4,000 and $5,000 per square (100 sq.ft). The iron and timber houses
cost around $2,500 today (T-Economical).
Architect's fees vary, the average fee for domestic work ranging
between 10 and 14 per cent of the total cost. Murcutt usually charges
10 per cent for a straight house, 12 per cent for an alteration with a
-97 -
degree of complexity. He performs a full service: design,
documentation, job supervision and administration.
Woollahra Council is reputed to be one of the toughest in Sydney,
but because it is familiar with the iron roofs of Paddington it is more
accommodating than many.
Other councils are more conservative. Murcutt has had great
battles with Manly.
Murcutt has had no problems with rust and envisages none (T-
General). Insulation too presents no problems (T-General), but it must
be convective (fibreglass, polystyrene and others) (T-Materials) and it
must be set hard against the iron (T-General).
The new finishing process, Zincalumbe, differs from the old
method of galvanising (T-Materials). It is reputed to double the life of
the material (on the coast galvanised iron had a life of 10 to 20 years;
inland about 40) (T-Materials). (NT, 2-11-80, p9)
//JURY’S OPINION.
Glenn Murcutt’s two houses for two city families at Mt.Irvine must
immediately impress with what can be called "a sense of place (C-
Siting)’’, according to the jury, which says, "in a range of hilltop
fields, already long cultivated and possessing a natural sense of place,
Murcutt has managed to cultivate a new one without detracting from
what is already there (C-Siting).’’
"The houses themselves are constructed in such a way as to
exploit the conjunction of ground and sky (A-General) that is
manifestly part of the site (C-Relationship to), ’’says the jury. "Both
houses float over sloping ground (C-Environmental) and both contain
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roof forms and surfaces which are intentionally distorted (A-General)
to allow the sky to form part of the internal spatial perception (A-
Spatial quality). Sun, light, heat, breeze, etc. are all modified with the
traditional range of physical controls that Glenn Murcutt has
rediscovered (S-Cultural)." (AA, 12-81, p28 / SMH, 14-10-81, p??)
Of the site in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Glenn Murcutt
says, ’’The site is not typical of the Mountains region (C-General), as
it is much more rural in character (C-General) with gentle sloping
ground to the north (C-Environmental) and some open aspect to the
east towards Sydney (P-View).
The sites selected for the houses allow the buildings to vieone
and other (C-General) and the contours directed the buildings to face
slightly away from each other (C-General)." (AA, 12-81, p28 / SMH,
14-10-81, p??)
’’These two farmhouses were very particular buildings,” says
Murcutt, ’’not your traditional numbers (S-General). And the technology
wouldn’t necessarily get council approval in the suburbs (S-
Regulatory), nor would a building authority lend money on it. Councils
on the whole won’t accept tin at all (S-Regulatory).”
Murcutt says the new material doesn’t have the same design
potential as galvanised iron (T-Materials): ’’All the fantastic detailing
and soldering techniques can’t be used in the same way (T-General).
You have to design with the straight sheets of iron itself (P-General).
I am disturbed that there have been certain design and high-level
business decisions made on this: I’ve had meetings with Lysaght’s
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representatives about it.” (NT, 2-11-80, p9)
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Architect:Glenn Murcutt.
Project: Two houses, Danes way, Mt.Irvine.
Award: R-N, 1981
Farmhouses in the Blue Mountains show Murcutt's use of tin and
wooden Venetian blinds as a decoration inside (A-Light). They were
Architect’s fees vary, the average fee for domestic work ranging
battles with Manly.
General). Insulation too presents no problems (T-General), but it
must be convective (fibreglass, polystyrene and others) (T-Materials)
and it must be set hard against the iron (T-General).
-101 -
Two houses in the Blue Mountains constructed largely of
galvanised iron (T-Materials), which at first were refused approval by
the local council (S-Regulation), have won the first national
architecture award for housing.
A Sydney architect, Mr.Glenn Murcutt, designed the houses for
two Sydney barristers who jointly farm a property at Mt.Irvine, near
Mt.Wilson (C-General).
Mr.Murcutt has led a resurgence of galvanised iron and lighter
building materials with former award winning houses.
a> ••• They demanded tl.it the walls be changed to brick or
stone and the roofs to tiles or shingles (S-Regulation). (SMH, 10-11-
81, plO)
The country homestead has been reborn- in corrugated iron (A-
Style). The reborn style is at its most refined in two new houses
designed by Glenn Murcutt at Mount Irvine in the NSW Blue Mountains,
as country retreats for two city families (A-Metaphor).
The two houses float above a gentle grassy slope, their steel
roofs intentionally curved to join the house and sky (A-Form).
The houses look vaguely traditional (A-Style), but Murcutt has
rejected instant pastiche (A-General): instead the principle of the
verandah, for example, is transferred to exterior wooden Venetian
blinds which filter the sun and breeze (T-System/C-Climatic).
Structures that turn long-rejected materials into models of
elegence (T-Structure), the houses have an air of simplicity, light,
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space and refinement (A-Composition).
The houses perform the most difficult of tasks- establishing a
presence, a sense of place (C-Composition), while complementing and
not disrupting an Australian broadacre site (C-Siting). (NT, 14-11-81,
p8)
tfJURY’S OPINION.
In a large paddock on the edge of a spectacular easterly view
from the Blue Mountains (C-Siting), Glenn Murcutt has erected two
houses that are of some considerable importance in the development of
an Australian domestic architectural idiom (S-Cultural).
The houses most immediately impress with what can be called a
sense of place (C-Siting). Built in lightweight transportable materials
for two Sydney families who farm the property (T-Construction), they
are sited with great sensitivity (C-Siting) to retain privacy for each
(P-Privacy), yet provide the mutual support of a visible neighbour (C-
Relationship to). Both houses are built above the ground with minimum
modification to natural topography (C-Siting), in the manner of barns
or woolsheds (A-Metaphor). The simple forms of these earlier building
types are further evoked by the form of the houses themselves (A-
Metaphor). Both exploit that humble but ubiquitous material, corrugated
galvanised iron (T-Materials), deploying it for walls, roof and water
tanks (T-Construction), giving a considerable unity to the appearance
of the houses (A-Unity) and illustrating new possibilities for a common
material at the same time (T-General).
The first house is the simpler of the two (P-General). It is
essentially a steeply double-pitched roof over a narrow span, the
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whole extruded to a substantial length (A-Geometry). Within the long
rectangle a range of changes creates various spaces and
accommodation (P-Spatial organisation/A-Spatial quality).
The other house is more complex with a subsidiary section added
to the basic rectangular plan (P-Spatial organisation). In this section
are kitchen, bath and laundry with their own separate roof and
skylighting (P-Spatial organisation). The whole eastern end of this
house is one large verandah (A-Form), which is roofed to eliminate sky
glare (P-Lighting) but allow views of Sydney on the horizon (P-View).
One of Murcutt’s concerns has been that the potential walls and
roof have to become a sort of variable membrane (A-Metaphor) that can
moderate the outside environment in a number of different ways (A-
General). At Mt.Irvine this preoccupation has evolved to a
sophisticated level (C-Siting) using nothing but traditional materials
and methods (T-Materials/Construction). Large areas of insect screen
glass louvres are fitted with external timber Venetian blinds that are
tensioned to withstand high winds (T-System). It follows that almost
any seasonal or daily conditions of light, shade and breeze may be
experienced (C-Climatic). This effectively turns the living areas of the
houses into giant verandahs (P-General). No longer is the narrow and
ofien unusable traditional verandah required-any part of these houses
can become a verandah (P-Functional).
At $50,000 for 160 square metres each, these are not expensive
houses (T-Economical) and prove that good architecture need not be
costly (S-General). They are frugal in their use of resources both in
the initial materials and in running costs (T-Economical). If we can
overcome the official stigma that still seems to be attached to
corrugated iron as a building material (T-Materials), these two houses
104
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must be recognised as a step forward in Australian domestic
architectural development (S-Cultural). (AA, 12-81, plO)
The national award jury said in its report: "Both houses are built
above ground with minimum modification to natural topography (C-
Siting) in the manner of barns or woolsheds (A-Metaphor).
"Both exploit that humble but ubiquitous materials, corrugated
galvanised iron, deploying it for walls, roof and water tanks (T-
Materials)."
The jury said the houses featured large areas of insect-proof
screen glass louvres and external timber Venetian blinds (T-System)
which effectively turned the living areas into giant verandas (P-
General) giving light, shade and breezes in almost any season (C-
Climatic).
"If we can overcome the official stigma that still seems to be
attached to corrugated iron as a building material (T-Materials), these
two houses must be recognised as a step forward in Australian
domestic architecture development (S~Cultural),M the jury said. (SMH,
10-11-81, plO)
" These two farmhouses were very particular buildings," says
Murcutt, " not your traditional numbers (S-Cultural). And the
technology wouldn’t necessarily get council approval in the suburbs,
nor would a building authority lend money on it. Councils on the whole
won’t accept tin at all (S-Regulatory).’’
Murcutt says the new material doesn’t have the same design
potential as galvanised iron (T-Materials): "All the fantastic detailing
-105 -
and soldering techniques can't be used in the same way (T-General).
business decisions made on this: I’ve had meetings with Lysaght's
representatives about it." (NT, 2-11-80, p9)
At the ceremony yesterday he described his difficulties obtaining
approval for the Mt.Irvine houses from the Blue Mountains City Council
(S-Regulatory).
He said council officers were shocked when they found he was
asking to build mainly in galvanised iron, "-o
" But the council only approved because the houses could not be
seen from the road (S-Regulatory)." (SMH, 10-11-81, plO)
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Architect: Ken Woolley.
Project: Woolley house, 8a Cooper St., Paddington.
Award: M-S, 1981
/^GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
Located in a Paddington cul-de-sac, this house is within easy
walking distance of the city of Sydney (C-Location). Although the
street is narrow (C-General), at the rear of the site the land drops
away into old gardens with huge trees (C-Environmental), across which
are views to the city skyline and to the harbour (C-General).
As the site is 6.6 metres wide (P-Space), the design problem is
typical of the terrace houses in the district (P-General), but the
architect’s use of internal space is quite different (A-Spatial quality).
The living room and main bedroom are quite generous (A-Spatial
quality) and this is emphasised by deliberate small scale in the minor
rooms and secondary doorways (A-Spatial quality).
The architect settled for plain, direct construction based on
typical three storey residential flats buildings (T-Construction).
Walls are load bearing brickwork finished, bagged and painted (T-
Materials). Floors are reinforced concrete with ceiling paint finished
off ordinary sub-contract formwork (T-Materials). Windows are
standard aluminium framed (T-Materials) and the roof is corrugated
iron (T-Materials).
In the blank two storey street wall is recessed a small entrance
porch (P-Spatial organisation), which turns out to be a court partly
open to the sky (P-Functional). At the back of it is a steel grille gate
-107 -
(T-Materials), painted red (A-Colour), beyond which is the green front
door (A-Colour). Over the entrance court is an oriel opening from a
narrow upper court (A-General), which the architect relates in part to
the oriental concept- the symbolic window to the outside world (S-
Philosophical/Theoretical). (AA, 12-81, p26)
Ken Woolley’s Paddington, Sydney, town-house begins with a false
front (A-General): an enigmatic circle above a square door set in a
blank white facade (A-General), sheltering a courtyard from the street
(P-Privacy).
The house behind the courtyard, designed from circles and
squares (A-Geometry), is a sequence of formal aesthetic statements (A-
General). The formal spaces, defined mainly by squares (A-Geometry),
give way to more and more curves as one moves from public to private
space and downstairs to the beJrooms (the site slopes to the rear) (P-
General/A-Spatial quality).
Upstairs in the main living area there is a balance between
curves and planes, strait side walls and lattices, looping ceiling and
curved kitchen wall (A-Spatial quality).
The rear of this tall brick box of a house is chamfered at 45
degrees (A-Form/Geometry), pointing like a white, three storey grand
piano into the garden (A-Metaphor). This device orients the roof
terrace to the views and skews the bedrooms below into their curved
shape (P-Spatial organisation).
The rear of the house is designed to match the neighbouring
terraces, vertical and tower-like, picking up the proportions of its
neighbours (C-Relationship to). (NT, 14-11-81, p8)
//JURY’S OPINION.
- 108 -
The jury found the open space " a revelation, quietly tucked
away behind the density of the street facade" (C-General).
The jury says, "The importance of the work as an urban
paradigm- grading public to private, street to view, front to back,
closed to open, etc (P-General).- is more significant than any criticism
that could be made of its episodic, non-holistic formal nature- or
even the eccentricity of its ’signs' (S-Philosophical /Theoretical)."
(AA, 12-81, p26)
Described as a small townhouse by the architect, Ken Woolley, the
house is built right to the street boundary (C-General), with a blank
wall to the street (P-General) and all the windows and views at the
rear (P-View)- an arrangement which, says the architect, is a direct
response to its setting (C-Relationship to).
"The entrance as an exercise in defensible space (A-Metaphor),"
says Ken Woolley. (AA, 12-81, p26)
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1 Entry (beyond Garuge)
2 Living
3 Dining (Kitchen beyond]
4 Plantingcourt
5 Terrace
6 Main Bedroom
7 Dressing Room
8 Study/Bedroom
9 Garden Store
110
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Architect: Terry Dorrough.
Project: Cockburn Beach house, Avoca Beach.
Award: M-S, 1982
The client asked for a modest and economical holiday house with
accommodation for two adults and up to five or six children (P-User
needs/T-User needs/Economical).
In plan the house is a simple rectangle (A-Geometry), with a high
open roof to accommodate a sleeping loft (P-Functional). In the
daytime, almost the whole house can be opened up to become one big
room (P-Spatial organisation). •••<a
b>**» The colours are appropriate to the seaside (A-Colour/C-
Environmental). Weathered silver grey and warm grey stain are the
colours of driftwood and coastal tree trunk (A-Colour/C-Environmental)
and harmonise with the grey-green of the dune grass and the coastal
banksia (C-Siting).
Interiors of sunbleached blues, greens and pinks are the colours
of the manmade seaside (A-Colour/C-Environmental). (AA, 12-82, p28)
//JURY’S OPINION.
"The architect has provided,” said the jury, ”the idea and image
of a small holiday house at the beach (A-Image), appearing bleached
by the sun, sand and spray as a harmonised part of the seashore (C-
General).”
-Ill-
a>* • • The jury said, "The window seat bay windows and sleeping
loft with lunette windows are delightful touches (A-General)."• • *<b
The house is, according to the jury, "an uncomplicated and
familiar form (A-Form) neatly disciplined by plan, grid and structure
(A-Geometry), with simple and consistent timber construction (T-
Construction) all finely proportioned (A-Composition). The house is
thoughtfully coloured (A-Colour) and handsomely furnished without
demand or effort (A-Furnishing) and carries all the memories and
sentiments of beach holidays (A-Image)." (AA, 12-82, p28)
Aiming to capture the essence of the old seaside house (A-Image),
blended with other influences, including Finland and Japan (S-
Cultural), the architect said, "The formality of the street facade (A-
General) and the near symmetrical plan (A-Geometry), typical of many
old holiday houses (A-Type), contrasts with the open space interior
(A-Spatial quality) and the "natural" informal garden (A-Landscaping)."
(AA, 12-82, p28)
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Project: Two houses, Mt.Irvine
Award: W-S, 1982
Simple timber and galvanised iron houses (T-Materials), they
contain the small sleeping spaces, lofts and usual round of functions
pertaining to farm buildings (P-Functional).
Because the houses were isolated from suppliers of building
materials (C-Location), Glenn Murcutt designed them using standard
components (T-Materials) which could be carried from Sydney by one
utility (T-Construction). He used materials such as galvanised iron,
louvres, external Venetian blinds and local pine for internal linings (T-
Materials). (AA, 12-82, pl4)
Farmhouses in the Blue Mountains show Murcutt’s use of tin and
wooden Venetian blinds as a decoration inside (A-Lighting). They were
Architect’s fees vary, the average fee for domestic work ranging
-114 -
battles with Manly.
General). Insulation too presents no problems (T-General), but it must
be convective (fibreglass, polystyrene and others) (T-Materials) and it
must be set hard against the iron (T-General).
^JURY’S OPINION.
The jury said, ’’Subtle relationships exist between the siting of
both houses (C-Relationship to) which allow each to develop real
privacy (P-Privacy) whilst being virtually within sight of one another
(C-Relationship to).”
The jury said, ’’Glenn Murcutt amalgamates the materials with
starting effectiveness to create a unified and satisfying totality (A-
General).” The Wilkinson Award jury, like other jurors before them,
were impressed by ”a sense of place” when visiting the Mt.Irvine
houses (C-Siting). "The houses are sited like chess pieces in an open
hilltop field,” the jury said (A-Metaphor). ’’Glenn Murcutt has been
able to create a new space without detracting or intruding on what is
already there (C-General).” (AA, 12-82, pl4)
- 115 -
"The site is not typical of the Mountains region," says architect
Glenn Murcutt (C-General). "It is much more rural in character (C-
General), with gently sloping ground to the north (C-Environmental)
and some open aspect to the east towards Sydney (P-View)." (AA, 12-
82, pl4)
"These two farmhouses were very particular buildings," says
Murcutt, "not your traditional numbers (S-Cultural). And the
technology wouldn’t necessarily get council approval in the suburbs
(S-Regulatory), nor would a building authority lend money on it.
Councils on the whole won’t accept tin at all (S-Regulatory)."
Murcutt says the new material doesn't have tê same design
potential as galvanised iron (T-Materials): "All the fantastic detailing
and soldering techniques can’t be used in the same way (T-General).
business decisions made on this: I’ve had meetings with Lysaght’s
representatives about it." (NT, 2-11-80, p9)
-116-
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Architect: Linsay Clare Mitchell Pty. Ltd.
Project: White house, Fig tree pocket.
Award: H-S, 1982
Located in a semi-rural area on a slightly undulating site
overlooking the Brisbane River (C-General), the house is sited to take
maximum advantage of the river view and the north-easterly aspect
(P-View).
The concept of the building is a direct response to the client’s
stated requirements (P-General), which were that their house be of
timber, preferably on one level (T-Materials), with indoor and outdoor
living spaces related (P-Spatial Organisation). They had lived for some
time in outback Queensland and in traditional ’’Queensland” houses (S-
Cultural).
The structure is post and beam, with infill walls (T-Structure).
The exposing of the frame, where protection is afforded by large
verandah overhangs (T-General), is seen by the architect as a logical
extension of the design approach and to some extent as an economy,
although this is arguable (S-Philosophical/Theoretical/T-Economical).
(AA, 12-82, pll8)
//JURY’S OPINION.
In selecting this house to receive the House of the Year Award,
the jury felt they were recognising the Queensland idiom, re-identified
-118 -
by a sensitive designer (S-Cultural/A-Style).
In commending the house and the architect’s skill, the jury said,
’’The volumes internally are lofty and expansive (A-Spatial Quality), a
return to the spacious quality of early homes (S-Cultural). All strutted
with gymnastic verve, the huge roof is a perfect shelter for all the
living spaces (T-General/P-General). The mellow timber pine walls and
ceiling celebrate the freedom of technical resources that the architect
has displayed (T-Materials).” (AA, 12-82, pll8)
Lindsay Clare Mitchell, the architects, offer their own
commendations to the builder. They said, "They success of the building
is ■’ue in no small part to the sympathetic builder (T-Construction).
The timber throughout has been treated with care and attention
uncharacteristic in this age of mass produced houses (T-Construction).
This is not to say that traditional techniques of construction have
been used (S-Cultural). The builder became involved in the spirit of
the building (S-General) and made a very positive contribution to the
design of details (T-Detailing), much of which evolved on site and was
resolved by discussion and instruction rather than formal drawings
(C-General/T-Construction).’’ (AA, 12-82, pll8)
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Architect: Falk and Gurry Architects.
Project: Gurry house, Port Lonsdale.
Award: M-S, 1982
John Gurry designed this house for his parents* retirement on a
small block in a cul-de-sac at Port Lonsdale. The house is near a golf
course in an area popular with retired couples (C-General).
Apart from basic requirements the couple expressed a desire that
the house should be contemporary yet evoke memories and
recollections from the past (A-General/Style). The tan and black tiles,
for example, were inspired by those of their old church of St.Mary’s in
Hamilton (A-Image).
The exterior takes into account its beach setting (C-General).
There are nautical references such as the tower which recalls a
lighthouse or a balcony which distantly recollects the deck of a ship
(A-Image).
Built of brick, timber and glass (T-Materials), the house is low on
the east side with few windows (A-Form), out of respect for
neighbours (C-Relationship to), and builds to a mezzanine on the west
with views across the park to the salt lakes at the back of Port
Lonsdale (P-View). Teetree is used to soften the form (A-General) and
filter the light (T-System).
The architect adopted an axial framework to establish a formality
of order (P-Spatial organisation) which is reinforced by classical
references (S-Cultural). The act of arrival is celebrated by the mock
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grandeur of two oversized ionic pillasters at the centre of a
cylindrical portico (A-Spatial quality), which towers to a sky-coloured
ceiling (A-Colour).
The dining area appears like a stage platform ready for the ritual
of dining (A-Type). Two ionic columns mark a separation between
dining room and kitchen (P-Spatial organisation). Overhead the dining
space is articulated by a trussed vault which continues through the
kitchen (P-Spatial organisation). (AA, 12-82, p64)
//JURY’S OPINION.
The house is, according to the jury, "particularly interesting for
its progression of spaces (A-Spatial quality) and its succession of
scale (A-General). The symbolic tent-like ceiling of the living space (A-
Image) creates casualness (A-Spatial quality) which acts as a
counterpoint to the apparent formality of the dining space (A-
Metaphor). The volume of the lounge area gives a certain grandeur (A-
Spatial quality) which is accentuated by the drop in floor level (P-
General)."
The jury concluded, "The Gurry house is a remarkable and lively
example of a seaside dwelling (S-General)." (AA, 12-82, p64)
The architect said, "The house is, of necessity, an eclectic
collection of memories (A-Spatial organisation), rich in symbolic
metaphors and meaning (A-Metaphor). Its spaces are sculptural (A-
Spatial quality) but symbolically centered and focussed (A-General)."
-122 -
(AA, 12-82, p64)
100
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\
Architect: Robinson Chen Pty. Ltd.
i Project: Peel house, Rye.
Award: M-S, 1982
Robinson and Chen’s house at Rye inserts unusually articulated
shapes into an otherwise square box (A-Form) to create a surprising
reversal of effects (A-General).
The dwelling is located a few hundred metres from the sea in a
Melbourne bayside suburb (C-General), The landscape is relatively flat
with an even cover of teetree (C-Environmental).
The slender triangular site is compressed on its three longer
sides by adjoining houses (C-General). The fourth and tightest
boundary fronts the street (A-General). The form and disposition of
the dwelling focus attention on the landscape, the sun, the wind, the
moon, the spatter of rain*” (C-Environmental/Climatic)
By placing the building at a slight angle to the street (C-
General), the garden has become the primary space (P-Spatial
organisation), thus acknowledging the neighbouring houses and
gardens of the street (C-Relationship to).
Between the garden and the house is an ambulatory perimeter (P-
Circulation), ’’the boundary where light enters the building” (P-
Lighting).
The house itself enfolds another small and private garden which
completes the square plan (P-Spatial organisation). From this garden,
the tent-like roof rises toward the curious corner threshold (A-Form)
-124 -
where both sun and man enter (P-General).
The front door is recessed (A-Form) and is lit by a double skylight
(P-Lighting). In the top section three triangular shapes are cut out of
the roof (A-Form), and in the bottom section these shapes are echoed
in a constructed canopy (A-Spatial quality) which protrudes internally
into the living area (A-Form). The result is that the visitor has an
immediate awareness of an interrelationship between interior and
exterior (A-Spatial quality). From the front door one can see into the
house and beyond to the garden (P-General).
Areas for sleeping are contained within the corners of the square
(P-Spatial organisation). These spaces unfold towards the garden.
Spaces for washing and preparation of food nestle against the
perimeter wall (P-Spatial organisation), which is tall, solid and opaque,
a symbolic barrier to the outer world (A-Image).
Rooms are slotted in at unexpected angles (P-Spatial organisation)
and this results in unpredictable spatial relations which challenge mind
and eye (P-Spatial organisation). Colour has been used in a similarly
idiosyncratic way (A-Colour), where blue, grey, yellow and maroon may
all reside together in a small service area (A-Colour). The window
treatment is intriguing; the windows to the back of the house are
shaped into a convex view of the outside (P-General). The kitchen
windows are placed below eye level (P-General) and made to focus on
the teetrees and ground (P-View), and the bedroom windows are at
angles (P-General).
Intrinsically simple, the irregularity and juxtaposition creates in
the house an expressionistic mood (A-Spatial quality)* • *<a (AA, 12-82,
p68)
125
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//JURY'S OPINION.
a>* “which the jury described as something like the cabinet of
Doctor Calligari (A-Image). (AA, 12-82, p68)
The architect describes the house and its relationship to the site
as a progression of spaces (C-Relationship to). (AA, 12-82, p68)

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i Architect: Glenn Murcutt & Associates Pty. Ltd.
Project: Farmhouse, Jamberoo.
Award: M-S, 1983

The intention of the design of this farmhouse, on a site
previously occupied by the original house (C-General), was to create a
building that would last one hundred years, both materially and in
design (T-General/A-General). The structure is entirely iron bark, and
stairs and bridges tallowood and ironbark (T-Materials).
The house is located around the existing fireplace from the
original farmhouse (P-Spatial organisation), is angled to the view and
the sun (P-View/C-Climatic), and turns its back on the prevailing
winds (C-Climatic).
The site was minimally disturbed so as to retain the quality of the
mini-plateau shelf (C-Siting/A-Image) that accommodated the original
house. The land drops quickly to the east and north (C-Environmental)
and is bounded on the northwest by a rainforest (C-Environmental).
However, the architect's consummate use of sunscreen devices (T-
System), general detailing (T-Detailing), relationship to ground and sky
(C-Relationship to) are convincing and worthy of this award. (AA,
12-83, p38)
This house is beautifully sited (C-Siting), beautifully detailed (A-
Details) and beautifully built (A-General/T-Construction).
The house is centred around an old fireplace (P-Spatial
organisation), angled to the sun (C-Climatic) and view (P-View) and
-127 -
turns its back upon the prevailing winds (C-Climatic).
The plan is well considered providing separate areas for children,
family and adults (P-Spatial organisation). Weaknesses that exist are
inherited from the preoccupation with the shed form (A-Type).
Other elements such as the small deck and external maintenance
path were not entirely satisfying and acted as artificial barriers to the
conjunction of house and landscape (A-Metaphor).
However, the architect's consummate use of sunscreen devices (T-
System), general detailing (T-Detailing), relationship between roof and
sky (C-Relationship to) •••<a b>*** are convincing and underwrite this
award. (ABT, 10-83, p8)
//JURY’S OPINION.
This house, comments the jury, "is beautifully sited (C-Siting),
beautifully detailed (A-Details) and beautifully built (T-Construction/A-
General)".
If there are weaknesses in this house, the jury suggests they are
inherited from the mannered adoption if the shed form (A-Form).
The jury further notes that some spaces fit into the extruded
section better than others (P-Spatial organisation). (AA, 12-83, p38)
The approach to the house via a narrow winding road termination
in glimpses through large rocks could not fail to impress the most
cynical juror (P-Circulation).
The jury noticed that some spaces fitted into the extruded section
better than others (ie living and loft bedrooms were better scaled
than the master bedroom which was smaller in area, yet of the same
height as the living/dining rooms) (P-Spatial organisation). (ABT, 10-
-128 -
83, p8)
a>mmm (feathering as Murcutt says) (A-Image) •••<b (ABT, 10-83,
p8 / AA, 12-83, p38)
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129
Architect: John Andrews International Pty. Ltd.
Project: House, Eugowra.
Award: M-S, 1983
The building has been well documented over the past few years,
and is held as an example of the potential of environmentally sensitive
energy systems and rural pre-fabrication (T-System).
a>"» its generating principles having a wide application for rural
dwellings throughout Australia (S-General). (AA, 12-83, p36)
This is an experimental or 'ave a go (obscure Australian dialect)
house (S-General) and is acknowledged on this basis.
Some experiments succeeded, viz:
* the idea of prefabricated rural buildings (T-Construction);
* the idea of subsidiary volumes contributing to the main volume
(A-General);
* ventilation ideas (T-General);
* the fireplace doubling as a combustion stove (T-General).
However, others failed, viz:
* the energy tower which does not yet include solar collectors
positioned above the water tank (T-System);
* the acrylic bathroom both visually (A-General) and mechanically
(T-System);
* landscape connection between house and dam (C-Siting).
The sprit of experiment pervades this house and cancels kitsch
elements (S-General). (ABT, 10-83, p8)
130
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Australian architect, John Andrews, designed a remote retreat for
himself (P-General), here pictured by David Moore. His design brought
the wide-spanned verandah (A-Form), once an essential feature of
Australian vernacular architecture (S-Cultural), back into practical use
(P-Functional).
In spite of the unconventional appearance of this farmhouse in
the Australian outback (A-Form), the design has many traditional
allusions, both European and antipodean (A-General). Its severe
symmetry and formal layout echo the sixteenth-century villas of
Palladio's Veneto (A-Image), while the verandahs hark back to
Australia's early vernacular buildings (S-General), in which those
open-sided areas were used as summer living-rooms (P-Functional). But
there the allusions end, for the way in which the house functions is
decidedly high tech (T-General). The house, which was prefabricated
before transportation to site (T-Construction), then bolted to a
concrete slab (T-Construction), is dominated visually (A-Form) and
practically (T-System) by its water system. The header tank is housed
at the top of the central tower (P-General) and supplies a system of
sprinklers which, in summer, keep the roof cool (T-System). Rainwater
is collected in huge circular tanks (T-System). Their siting, at the
corners of the structure, encourages breezes which are deflected by
screens to the centre of the house (T-General). (H&G, 12-82, pl04)
//JURY’S OPINION.
This is an experimental house (S-General), and is acknowledged by
the jury on that basis (T-General).
The spirit of experiment in the Eugowra farmhouse, says the jury,
-131 -
pervades this house, and cancels kitsch elements (S-General). (AA, 12-
83, p36)
The Jury was once again far more impressed with the reality
than photographic images (A-General) and experienced a relaxed
prototypical, modern ’’vernacular'’ farmhouse (S-Cultural/A-Form).
(ABT, 10-83, p8)
The architect describes the house as a ’’prototypical rural
retreat” (S-General/A-Form), •••<a (AA, 12-83, p36)
50 50 50
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House, Eugowra
-132 -
Architect: Allen, Jack & Cottier Partnership Pty. Ltd.
Project: Smith house, Paddington.
Award: M-S, 1983
Peter Stronach of Allen Jack and Cottier has sought to express
three separate identities in this house (P-General), as its contribution
to the streetscape of Sutherland Street, Paddington (C-Relationship to).
On the public side of the house, a "fake” Victorian cottage facade
has been constructed as a screen (A-Metaphor). •••<a b>**« The
screen is divided in two to maintain the vertical rhythm of the street
(P-Functional)- the entry side is solid, or positive, the other void,
negative (A-Spatial quality). At night, the image is reversed (A-
General).
The house internally has ’’skilful volumetric interplay (albeit New
York influenced) (S-General)” between the loft bedroom and the
circulation void below (A-Spatial quality). (AA, 12-83, p35)
This award is principally for the construction of the Smith House
to the streetscape (T-Construction), recognising the difficulties
architects encounter in building in an area controlled by a specific
interpretation of 2g zoning (P-General). •••<c
The technique used is one of dissection and reassemblage of
Victorian terrace house references in a fresh, original and yet
sympathetic way (A-General). It avoids simplistic historicism favoured
by local authorities (which tends to result in weakness in that it
defers to a previous age) (S-Philosophical/Theoretical) yet strongly
- 133-
reinforces the existing streetscape (C-Relationship to). (ABT, 10-83,
p8)
//JURY’S OPINION.
The jury recognises the building for its contribution to the
streetscape (C-Relationship to), and for its successful resolution under
the pressure of prohibitive zoning (S-Regulatory). The jury praises its
dissection and reassemblage of the typical Victorian terrace (P-
General), and its skilful avoidance of ’’simplistic historicism" (S-
Philosophical/Theoretical).
However, the jury considers the treatment of the rear deck and
courtyard inappropriate (P-General). (AA, 12-83, p35)
c>*** This house (and its relationship with its neighbour) (C-
Relationship to) is the only successful attempt in the opinion of the
Jury to solve this problem (P-General). (ABT, 10-83, p8)
a> ••• The screen, Stronach suggests, ’’has strong eclectic
overtones reminiscent of the existing Sutherland Street context" (C-
Relationship to). A giant dormer, concealing bathroom and kitchen,
peeps over the screen ”to suggest more truthful things” (A-General).
•••<b (AA, 12-83, p35)
- 134 -
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Architect: McIntyre Partnership Pty. Ltd.
Project: Seahouse, Mornington.
Award: M-S, 1983
The concept is based on the belief that how one feels by being in
and around a building, is as important as the building's function, if
not more so (A-Spatial quality/S-Philosophical/Theoretical). The
seahouse, therefore, is organised to produce positive human emotional
responses (A-Spatial quality/P-General).
Inspiration for the building's shed like forms came from the
timber beach boxes and gabled seaside houses that line Port Philip Bay
(A-Metaphor).
The Seahouse is sited upon a steep wind-blown cliff (C-General).
It is carefully positioned within a negative air pocket formed by the
wind ruching up the cliff face (C-Climatic). If the building's volume
were to have caused wind turbulence, adjoining vegetation vital for
soil stabilisation, would have been destroyed (C-
Climatic/Environmental).
The building is constructed with confidence, clarity and unity (T-
Construction/A-General), •••<b (AA, 12-83, p43)
//JURY'S OPINION.
b>*#* despite, suggests the jury, a rather complicated light
weight structure (T-Materials). (AA, 12-83, p43)
-136 -
Peter McIntyre set about to express in the design of this building
a philosophy of "emotional functionalism" which he says has guided
him through thirty years practice of architecture (S-
Philosophical/Theoretical). (AA, 12-83, p43)
100 100
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Seahouse, Mornington
-137 -
Architect: Espie Dods Pty. Ltd.
Project: Residence, Woollarah.
Award: M-S, 1984
To overcome the problems of noise and bad weather the house
turns its southern back to Wallis Street (P-General) and presents an
almost blank wall, penetrated only by the front door and some
necessary fenestration (P-Spatial organisation/circulation).
This is a wall between public and private, a barrier between
street noise and domestic tranquility (P-General/Functional).
The house opens its front generously to the north, the garden
and the pool (P-General/Openings). Because of the width of the block,
it was possible to run the passages on both levels along the south (P-
Circulation), allowing all bedrooms and living rooms to open to the
north making the house virtually one room (A-Spatial quality/P-
General/Openings) deep with a generous loggia recessed into the
facade (A-Form).
The planning of the house m^kes many references to Italian
models, but has been translated to the demands of the Sydney climate
and a contemporary lifestyle (S-Cultural/A-Style). (AA, 12-84, p47)
An abrupt monumental masonry facade provides a well-mannered
street boundary to this urban residence. This is a wall between public
and private, a barrier between street noise and domestic tranquility
(P-General/Functional). The beautiful brick detailing and idiosyncratic
oversized haunched concrete beams to the garage provide a richness
-138 -
and personality (A-Details/A-Materials) which is sadly missing from
most recent urban housing (S-General). The planning makes many
references to Italian models, but has been admirably translated to the
vagaries of the Sydney climate and the lifestyle of the ’80s (S-
Cultural/A-Style). The detailing is sensitive and restrained throughout
(A-Details); any historic references have a functional basis (P-General).
The single room depth of the house ensures that all rooms relate to
the marvellous rear garden to the north (P-Spatial organisation). This
garden is also a considerable achievement* a challenging and enriching
contrast to the more usual inner city bush garden (C-Siting). This is
Dods' third house for this client. It is a great achievement, providing
an eminently more sensible model for urban housing than the
strictures of the Victorian terrace (S-Cultural). (ABT, 10-84, p8)
The house sy Espie Dods at Woollahra is in total contrast to all
the other award winners, in that it relates very strongly to pre
modernist traditions in architecture, while retaining some of the
freedoms of modern movement work (S-Philosophical/Theoretical).
Dods* houses are best seen in the context of the Sydney neo-
Colonial tradition of Leslie Wilkinson and Hardy Wilson (S-
Philosophical/Theoretical), but stylistically he has probably learnt more
from English Edwardian architecture, particularly the subtle
manipulations of form in the work of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (A-Style/S-
Philosophical/Theoretical). However, there is evidence of much thought
in other aspects of design than the purely stylistic; the deep eaves
shade the major rooms in summer, but admit the winter sun, and, as in
Wilson's 'Eryldene* (T-System), the verandah is transformed into a
more useable outdoor room (P-Functional). It is revealing that while
the railings to the gardens are a modified Georgian type (A-Type), the
-139 -
balcony rail is of slender stainless steel and wire (T-Materials),
allowing unobstructed views from the bedroom windows (P-View)- Dods
is clearly no doctrinaire stylist.
The house is split into two halves (P-Spatial organisation),
allowing a view out into the garden as soon as one enters (P-View),
and providing an acoustic buffer between study and living room and
parents' and children's bedrooms (P-Functional).
The front of the house is extraordinarily monumental (A-General),
but I would not agree with the jury that it is 'well-mannered' (A-
General). Its heavy blankness is somewhat alien to the character of
Sydney housing (S-Cultural), which is usually lightened by balconies
or other decorative work (A-Composition), and the concrete details are
excessively cumbersome (A-Details). Nevertheless, the house has a
refreshingly individual character. (ABT, 10-84, p2)
//JURY’S OPINION.
The jury considered this word "a great achievement, providing an
eminently more sensible model for urban housing than the structures
of the Victorian terrace (S-Cultural)". (AA, 12-84, p47)
Espie Dods suggests the essence of this house is to be found in
the comparison of the contrasting north and south facades (A-Form).
(AA, 12-84, p47)
140
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FIRST FLOOR PLAN GROUND FLOOR PLAN

Project: House, Bingie Bingie.
Award: R-N, 1985
The site could be Murcutt's most challenging yet. It is a gentle
slope without trees or other prominent features to which a house
might be visually tied (C-Environmental). Yet it is deftly located in the
right place (C-Location) and our architectural romantics have already
said 'like a butterfly alighted' with wings tilted to the hill and the
view (C-Siting).
The house turns its back to the prevailing and fierce sea winds
(P-General). It opens its heart and mind to the magnificent coastal
view to the north (P-View/Openings).
Careful joining details, contemporary protective coatings and the
manufacturers, all give reassurance of longevity, and termites will be
very disappointed (T-General).
The unusual planning requirement for the holiday house of the
family of this client, have been accommodated in a typical Murcutt
linear plan (A-Form). The client's desire that their permanent house
should be redolent of the tent they had used on their site for many
years, has been skillfully met (A-User needs/Metaphor).
Perhaps this desire has been carried through at the expense of
thermal qualities for a long cold winter (T-User needs/Economical) and
the sorts of facilities one usually needs in a country house like a
vestibule for sodden rainwear and mucky boots (T-User needs/System).
- 142 -
The interior is finely detailed, polished, restrained and simply
furnished (A-Interior). The butterfly curves of the roof are reflected
in the structure and ceiling (A-Form). Ventilation can be controlled
with ease and the homespun external Venetians replaced by smart
European products internally operated (T-System).
People will love or hate this house - it accepts no compromise.
Murcutt’s clients are the leaders of the ’love it’ group and the
building will bring credit to Australian architecture internationally (S-
General). (AA, 12-85, p27)
//JURY’S OPINION.
The diversity calls for a process of elimination on a number of
criteria and the final result reflects the 1985 jury's desire to commend
a project which is no the one hand, an object of striking simplicity
and clarity, and on the other a significant step by one man in his
earnest and talented endeavour to create a true vernacular in this
young country of borrowed architectural style.
The jury was surprised by the bold use of steel in this harsh
coastal situation, not just the corrugated sheeting (T-Materials) but
also for the structure (T-Structure). However, here it is sensuously
curved reflecting the roof shape (A-Form). (AA, 12-85, p27)
It was very important for me that the building read strongly in
such a tough environment (C-Relationship to). I wanted the building to
be able to ’survive’ well. I felt that it had to be simple in form with a
-143 -
gentle roof (A-Form) which would respond to the rear topography (C-
Relationship to). I also wanted the roof to feel that it was in flight
and very light (A-Image) and that the walls were able to open and
close with a great number of variations in the control of internal light
(T-System/P-Lighting). External blinds which can move up, angle and
shut out the light (T-System) were included over opening glass doors,
insect -meshed (T-System). The facade takes on a very live stance
depending on the terms of the day (A-General).
The large main gutter, and its outlets, anchor the roof and feed
the huge water storage underground tanks (T-System). The metal roof
is unlined when exposed outside (A-General) and provides the thinness
I needed at the edges (A-General) and where it is very light at the
north, it is held down by a strutted purlin (T-Structure). The edge of
the roof in the four facades is very light (P-General). (AA, 12-85,
p27)
70
80
i 50
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20
10

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-144 -
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145
- -
Architect: Geoffrey Pie Architect/Planners Pty. Ltd.
Project: The Pie residence at Perigian Beach.
Award: R-N, 1986
This beach front house was designed by the Architect for his own
family use with an eye to the eventual escape from the rat race.
The house at Peregian Beach Queensland is a place for relaxation
(A-Spatial quality). It makes no demands but has a ’laid back’
atmosphere inviting the visitor to cast away cares and indulge in a
lazy stay (A-Image).
The house is in a street of houses behind sand dune ridge - a
typical Australian suburban beach development (C-General). But this
house fits in with its setting where its neighbours do not. The walls
of greying natural Australian timber blend with the subdued colours of
the native vegetation and are a back ground to splashes of mauve,
Chinese red and electric blue (A-Colours). The bright colours are
applied to windows, shades, handrails and the like in just the right
quantity to give vitality to appearance but no more (A-Colours). The
detailing is thoughtful tidy and well built but does not demand
reverence only respect (A-Details/T-Construction).
The house is planned to the slope of the site, its mature trees
and its views (P-General). It allows the parts of the family to come
together or disperse as they wish. It works beautifully for a family
and its friends on holiday (P-Functional).
The house makes no dramatic break-through but it consolidates
-146 -
the Australian domestic architecture of the present in an excellent and
unpretentious way (S-Cultural). (AA, 12-86, p26)
//JURY'S OPINION.
The jury were delighted with this house which brought comments
of ’a house in the spirit of Robin Boyd' (A-Image). (AA, 12-86, p26)
The house is built on a north-eastern slope overlooking a lake,
dune, banksias and the sea (C-Location). It is built as two double
storey pavilions (P-General) separated to produce a central courtyard
(P-Spatial organisation) covered by a rail (P-General). Great care has
been taken to preserve as much as possible of the natural vegetation
(P-General).
The design throughout is simple and one room thickness to
enhance through ventilation (P-Functional). The informal requirements
of a beach house have been met: open and hospitable living, dining
and kitchen areas with extensive open and covered decks; outside
shower, large internal 'ablution' block and ample towel hanging rails
(A-Spatial quality).
The house has been 'zoned' to allow parents, smaller children and
visiting friends to sleep at any time upstairs at extreme ends of the
house from more garrulous teenagers at the lower level (P-Functional).
They have their own self contained quarters (T-System). All 'meet' in
the middle living areas (P-Functional). The entrance from the road in
the south-west side is through lattice doors (P-Circulation). The
- 147 -
generous ’meat safe' entry space doubles as a cool overflow for
sleeping in the summer (P-funcdtional).
The structure is designed to cope with Category One wind
loadings (T-system). The roof is insulated zincalume, the frame is
timber and galvanized steel, sheeted in fibre cement and planked
vertically with spotted gum (T-Materials). Already this timber has
begun to 'grey off' to that colour of country farm sheds (A-Colour).
Powder coated aluminium window and door sections of a high standard
render the house highly cyclone resistant (T-Materials).
The final resulting house is a delight to use (P-Functional), and a
re-affirmation that good architecture need not be complicated (S-
General). (AA, 12-86, p26)
100
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- 149 -
Architect: Alex Popov Architects Pty.Ltd.
Project: "Griffin” house, Castlecrag.
Award: W-N, 1990
The suburb of Castlecrag was begun in the ’20s by Walter Burley
Griffin and his wife, Marion Mahoney, who came from the American
Midwest after he won the design competition for Canberra in 1912.
The house, designed by Alex Popov for a steep site overlooking
Middle Harbour, is close to three houses built by Griffin/Mahoney (C-
General), and Popov’s client requested that the four-bedroom house
(P-User needs) be "in a modern spirit of Burley Griffin (S-User needs
/Philosophical/Theoretical) ••• that it should look weathered (A-
General) and part of the landscape (A-Metaphor)’’.
Popov has created an irregular-shaped (A-Form), flat -roofed
structure of brick and sandstone (T-Structure /Materials). The open
plan consists of a series of pavilions linked by a gallery corridor (P-
Spatial organisation) with deep, brick columns (T-Materials). To
accommodate the sandstone shelves which step across the site, three
bedrooms and two bathrooms are located on a lower floor (P-Spatial
organisation).
As the Griffins had learnt much of their philosophy in Chicago
from the originator of "organic architecture", Frank Lloyd Wright,
Popov has acknowledged the "Wrightian memory" in the way (S-
Philosophical/Theoretical) he has used simple, strong forms (A-Forms),
with a horizontal emphasis externally (A-Geometry), and built -in
-150 -
furniture inside (T-Detailing). Consequently it is a very sculptured
building (A-General), with skylights dramatising the shaping of the
internal space (A-Light), and the rough-hewn exterior well-rooted to
the sandstone outcrops (A-Texture). (SMH, 14-8-90, pi)
//JURY’S OPINION.
’’This house has as its context a little slice of Castlecrag strata
down an easement; about all the land that is left at the end of this
century (C-General). It would be hard for a sensitive architect to
ignore the evocation of [Walter Burley] Griffin's early exercises,
perched along the ramparts and barbicans of this quintessentially
romantic suburb. [Alex] Popov does not disappoint us (S-
’’The layering of the surrounding sedimentary strata is amplified
as a theme in the language of the house (A-General). The wall coursing
(P-General), fenestration glazing (A-General) and the stepped forms (A-
Geometry) all sit easily • • •
’’The materials used here, seldom seen outside insurance company
foyers (where, as Rex Addison says, ’they have a kind of empty fizz’)
(A-Materials), are orchestrated calmly and confidently to give great
richness and repose to the interiors (A-Spatial quality).
”We felt the design solution for the garage stretched the language
metaphor too far and produced the only discordant element in an
otherwise accomplished building (A-Metaphor). ’Too miniature to be as
tough as intended (A-General).’ The vicissitudes of family life seemed
easy to cope with in this domestic environment (P-General)." (SMH,
28-8-90, p2)
-151 -
ÂRCHITECT’S OPINION.
’’This house [Griffin, after the late architect Walter Burley Griffin]
is situated on a steep, sloping site overlooking Middle Harbour (C-
General). However, within the characteristic typology of suburban
Sydney houses, this site is in Castlecrag close to three Burley Griffin
sandstone houses of the 20s and 30s, sharing Frank Lloyd Wright’s
philosophy of organic architecture (C-General).
’’The new brick house consists of three pavilions in deeply
corbelled brickwork connected by columned corridors which follow the
edge of the site (P-Spatial organisaion).
"Informal living generates the idea of the house (A-General). The
various parts of the house are eccentrically located (A-Spatial quality)
to capitalise on the views and breezes (P-General). The pavilions are
clearly defined by very large skylights in support of the changing
light for the various functional programs of the house (A-Light/P-
Lighting).’’ (SMH, 28-8-90, p2)
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Upper floor plan
- 153 -
Conclusion.
-154
Discussion of Results.
This thesis aimed to analyse design themes in Australian domestic
architecture and to evaluate the award system used by the Royal
Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) as they have been presented
in selected periodicals. Also, the analysis was expected to clarify the
emphasis each architect brought to their housing designs.
Even considering the difficulties involved in obtaining consistant
material for analysis, the study clearly shows the presence of certain
emphases in Australian domestic architecture.
A total of 83 housing award articles were collected, and 43 articles
which contained, at least, two sorting entries (any pair of General
description, Jury’s opinion, and Architect's opinion) were selected and
examined as case studies. Among those case studies, the housing award
articles which contained only two sorting entries are separated and
attached in the Appendix. Those 27 articles which contained all kinds
of opinions or sorting entries (General description, Jury's opinion and
Architect’s opinion) are shown in the Case studies section with the
histogram and house plan or photo.
One deficiency of this procedure is that it can not show properly
any unique characteristics of a house design because special features
are aggregated as percentages and are in effect lost. If there was any
material that contains much detailed information and has been better
categorised in some other way, a more finely or precisely categorised
analysis could be obtained and would yield more information about
design themes and values. Moreover, if the results from analysing the
five major categories could be detailed and individually analysed by
the sub-categories, ^t would be another constitutional interpretation to
obtained more information.
-155-
Overall results.
The overall results of the analysis of articles are shown by
histogram for clarity. All categories for each housing award have been
collated and the histogram shows the percentage response in each
category. This histogram achieved a contentment to recognise the
results. Before they read the numerical analysis result, the histogram
may let to know that which value is emphasised or disregarded.
The most noticeable emphasis in the charts is the difference
between Jury and Architect relating to Aesthetics. Generally they have
shown differences in details. Aesthetic being emphasised by the Jury
more than by the Architect. One reason appears to be differing views
on what constitutes 'quality' in architecture (Carseldine, 1977, p43),
juries seeing it reflected in aesthetics while architects see it more
broadly.
Rarely did juries point out any perceived lack of theoretical basis
in an architect's presentation or in the design itself. This may be
because either the major interested reader of the Jury's opinion is the
architect, or the jury shows a lack of full understanding of each
award winning house. Moreover, the architects' intentions seem to be
weighted towards the Social and Contextual categories as shown. This
is not so unexpected and might be considered a natural result,
especially since most architects design so as to consider social and
contextual values.
Usually, the early graphs of each period (1970-1975, 1980-1985)
show some changes from the former period's graph which suggests
that certain qualities shift in emphasis as architectural events and
fashions change. •
Generally, the Social category is opposite to the Planning
-156 -
category. It is interesting that this possibly means the council
regulatory or the social policy clearly influenced the Planning,
especially in the Architect's opinion. If only the articles which contain
both General and Architect's opinion are considered, this theme
comprises 15 out of 32 cases studied. However, the Jury's opinion on
this category seemed non-existent. The reason for these differences
appears to be that, firstly, the jury and architect have different
intentions. Secondly, the editors of the periodicals may insert own
opinion as like what they have to say or have not to say about the
awarded houses, or the critiques on the articles - the Jury's opinion
of awarded house. Actually, a number of cases have been found among
the studied periodicals, which are the articles (the Jury's opinion)
with the same writer (the Jury) have been edited and partly erased,
so differed to each other.
Emphasis over whole study period (1960 - 1990).
The Planning aspects of the General description rank frequently
higher than the same aspects of the other's opinion because the
General description mostly contained the user or client of the house,
the article's writer, and infrequently an environmental or behavior
researcher's opinion. They commonly mentioned many functional values.
During the 1960s, because of the drastic reduction of survey
materials, only General description has been shown.
During this period too, Australian architects because interested in
defining a purely Australian architecture:

"During the 1960s there emerged a desire for an architecture
more Australian than the pastiche of the international school.
Research into the history of Australian architecture resulted in a
renewed interest, in the Australian vernacular. (Philip Cox, An
architecture in an Australian landscape, 1983. Old continent New
-157 -
building, Edited by Leon Paroissien and Michael Griggs. p!6)
Despite this quest, Aesthetic and Social aspects of General
description are still less than in later periods - it seems that the new
interest had not yet caught the public attention.
In the early 1970s Aesthetic concerns were dominant in Jury's
opinion. While, Planning and Technical concerns started to become
important in Architect's opinion. The Aesthetic concerns of Jury and
Architect's opinion oscillated between 1970-75 and 1975-79. It seems
that the economic recession (by the mid-1970s), many redevelopment
programs, and the other social impacts influenced this result.
In the 1980s, the Aesthetic categories in each main entry (General
description, Jury's opinion, Architect's opinion) are higher when
compared with the 1975-79 period. This emphasis of Aesthetic aspect is
present in all entries. In both the 1980-84 and 1985-90 periods,
variations of Social, Technical and Contextual categories are noticeable.
In comparison with other opinions or other periods, the Social and
Contextual categories are more highly emphasised in Architect's
opinion. The Glenn Murcutt and John Andrews' corrugated galvanised
iron farm houses also became the exemplar for contextual fit,
community identity, and climatic control, as Jennifer Taylor makes
clear:
"Most significant for current architecture is corrugated
galvanised iron's regional associations which are deeply rooted
with historical and familiar references. Murcutt and Andrews have
given the material its most evocative expressions. In their work it
relates to both setting and history." (Taylor, 1984. p54)
- 158-
Emphasis over whole study period (1960 - 1990).
1960 - 1990.
to
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Cm3 PLAN SI AES O TECH
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- 159 -
Period’s Emphasis
General Description.
90
80
70
80
50
40 N
30
l
20
10
0 h4- u
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i i i i -4
89 70 123458789 80 123450789 90
(1980 - 1990)
AESTHETIC -4- TECHNICAL
-9- SOCIAL
160
- -
Period’s Emphasis.
Jury's Opinion.
100
90
60
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
3450789 80 123456789 90
(1960 - 1990)
PLANNING AESTHETIC TECHNICAL
*- CONTEXTUAL -0- SOCIAL
-161 -
Period’s Emphasis.
Architect's Opinion.
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
3458789 80 123458789 90
(1960 - 1990)
PLANNING AESTHETIC -4- TECHNICAL
CONTEXTUAL -0- SOCIAL
- 162 -
1960 - 1969.
50
45
40
100% B a r
30
20,.... | | LIB,.. 1® ,^.r.........
10
0
iiPi GENERAL JURY
i
i---------------------------------- j -------------------------------------
ARCHITECT
El PLAN DU AES EH TECH
m CONT Q soc
1960 - 1964.
100% B a r

El PLAN AES EH TECH
H CONT B SOC
1965 - 1969.
100% B a r

El PLAN AES EH TECH
m CONT B SOC
- 163 -
1970 - 1979.
100% B a r

EU PLAN EU AES EU TECH
O CONT Q SOC
1970 - 1974.
100% B a r
iii mm. i 0 0
HU PLAN AES El TECH
m CONT B SOC
1975 - 1979.
100% B a r

HD PLAN M AES El TECH
EU CONT B SOC
-164 -
1980 - 1990.
100% B ar
0+—1
DU PLAN M AES EH TECH
m CONT Q soc
1980 - 1984.
39
40
33
B ar
100%

m PLAN M AES EH TECH
m CONT B SOC
1985 - 1990.
B ar
100%
-7.....

DU PLAN AES EH TECH
EH CONT H SOC
t
Emphasis by State.
Each state shows a different professional environment despite the
limited amount of material for analysis in contain cases. Amos Rapoport
offered a reason:
"People with very different attitudes and ideas respond to
varied physical environments. These responses vary from place to
place because of changes and differences in the interplay of
social, cultural, ritual, economic, and physical factors." (Rapoport,
1969. p8)
In Tasmania and Queensland concern for Planning is emphasised in
all entries (General description. Jury's opinion, Architect's opinion).
In Victoria and New South Wales, both Jury and Architect's
opinion mostly emphasised Aesthetic concerns.
The Tasmania and Victoria graphs presented some restriction on
obtaining proper results. Some categories have not appeared on the
histogram because of unavailable data. However it seems that the other
categories which shown on histogram are still measurable and reliable.
In New South Wales, the Aesthetic concerns of the Jury and
Architect's opinion are higher than the other concerns. The graphs of
the General description seem to follow the same pattern as those for
the whole study.
In Queensland, the Architect's opinion emphasised Technical
concerns above other concerns. However, the Jury's opinion is
contrary and rated Aesthetics highly over Technical concerns. The
Planning concerns of all entries are more emphasised in comparison
with the other states' cases.
In Victoria, all entries highly emphasised Aesthetic concerns.
Moreover, Social concerns in both the Jury and Architect's opinion are
- 166 -
higher than the other states' cases. In General description, unusually,
Aesthetic concern is the highest.
Tasmania has an individual concern for Planning which possibly
suggests that satisfying functional aspect was of greater concern than
the other categories.
Emphasis by States.
New South Wales.
u
(0
03
K
o
o
3656843

\M PLAN AES El TECH
HI CONT SOC
167
- -
Queensland.
100% Bar

mi PLAN B AES O TECH
ES3 CONT E3 SOC
Victoria.
100% Bar

EU PLAN 10 AES fO TECH
O CONT B SOC
-168 -
Tasmania.
40
30
i
PQ
K 20
o
o
fH
10
0
HU PLAN EH AES TECH
El CONT B SOC
Individual Architects' Characteristics.
Among the case studies, only those articles which contained all
kinds of opinions (General description, Jury's opinion, Architect's
opinion) are examined for this analysis. Because of the variable amount
of written material, some of the charts are a bit ambiguous. However, a
difference of emphasis between Jury and Architect was observed. The
differences are more clearly recognised in this analysis of individual
architect's characteristics. For example, the Glenn Murcutt's graph
which resulted in comparatively longer and more detailed articles has
shown the contrast between Jury and Architect's opinion.
-169 -
Individual Architects’ Characteristics.
Alex Popov.
50
50
44
100% Bar

QH PLAN M AES M TECH
m CONT B SOC
Allen Jack & Cottier.
60
50 50
■ 1
— '& V ' .....
-
43
................... ...... .......
n J
100% Bar
■
y.
29 29
. X'..
"
...
■
-
____
v
____
■
,
0 0 ill 0 0 0
HU PLAN n AES M TECH
tn CONT B SOC
Bruce Richard.
100% Bar
0 = 0 0
CH PLAN AES M TECH
m CONT B SOC
- 170 -
Geoffrey Pie.
100% B a r

EU PLAN M AES El TECH
l—1 CONT S SOC
Glenn Murcutt.
B ar
100%
JURY ARCHITECT
m AES El TECH
□ CONT B SOC
Ken Woolley.
B ar
100%

EU PLAN AES TECH
m CONT 5 SOC
-171 -
Lindsay Clare Mitchell.
eoi £X
50
B ar
100%

HO PLAN EH AES M TECH
m CONT S SOC
Robinson Chen.
100 100
100
90
80 •
89
70
B ar
80
50 •
100%
40 -
30 •
20
10
0
9
o ri"Q 1... a "O'....o.....0"
:f: o.. a.. or
HD PLAN M AES El TECH
m CONT B SOC
Terry Dorrough.
B ar
100%

HD PLAN M AES ® TECH
m CONT B SOC
-172-
Merit Awards system.
The emphasis on aesthetics may be an inadequacy in the RAIA
awards system and raises questions about the Jury’s discretion for the
awards. This is more perceptible in the analysis of the Architect's
characteristics showing a lack of detailed consideration of other than
aesthetic matters by the jury. Juries may need to spend more time
examining these other areas as part of the award procedure. Another
possiblity of the differences could be that the journals choose
aesthetic things to write about more than planning things. If there is
such a bias in the journals, this study’s technique is directly affected
by that. Certainly architect Don Bailey is aware of the different
emphases between architects and the public.
” The public generally takes the view that awards are a self-
congratulatory process - a kind of corporate narcissism
whereby architects are being seen to pontificate on what is good
architecture, without apparent concern for the views of the
average person ”. (Bailey, 1985)
Overall, aesthetic concerns were dominant. This concern was
stronger in the Jury’s opinion than the Architect's opinion. The
General description was quite different to the other entries because
the General description has mentioned much planning things, which for
may represent the attitude of the writer of General description. The
writer of the General description includes the writer of that article,
the user or client of the house, and occasionally an environment and
behavior researcher. This could be another deficiency in the RAIA
awards system.
" They also have cynical view to the architectural awards. A
group takes the view that the system is designed to glorify the
173
- -
work of vocal minority of practitioners, and would have us believe
that the jury appointments tend to perpetuate certain fashions
within architecture and do little good in setting high standards in
the fullest sense of architectural practice, for the profession to
live up to ". (Bailey, 1985)
About the Editing of Articles.
Throughout all the articles, the periodical editors' attitude is
inconsistent. For instance, Architecture Australia, one of the major
information sources, does not maintain a consistant standard in the
writing of articles about the housing awards. It was difficult to use a
standard form of analysis when the format of the articles varied over
the thirty years describing the RAIA award. This, of course, is to be
expected as editors and policies change. If the articles commented in
the 3 areas studied, those three entries (General description, and
Jury's and Architect's opinion) in one year, they did not follow the
same format in the following year's articles. The articles of the 60's
illustrate this lack of information.
It would be much more informative, especially for the historian, if
each magazine evaluated, analysed, and criticised the awarded houses
based on its own characteristics and followed a constant format in the
articles. Some articles were merely copied from the original architect
submissions and jury responses without the author giving
acknowledgement.
Unfortunately, in a number of cases this made meaningful results
difficult to obtain. This occurs more often with houses which have
been awarded several times. Even if a house has been awarded only
once, the monthly or the other magazines published after the daily
- 174 -
newspaper’s announcement of the award merely copied articles from
those already published.
Recommendations for future study.
Regarding further study in this area, this procedure would be
applicable to any country which has proper published material. By this
I mean General descriptive statements and Jury and Architect
comments on awarded houses. However, sometimes it may be difficult to
apply this procedure because General descriptions of awarded houses
are mostly found in journals while material on the Jury and Architect's
opinions is rarely published. Korea in 1980s is a case in point.
It would be possible to apply the technique to draw out more
specific issues by defining further main categories or by actually
charting sub-categories and in this way regain more of the individual
characteristics of the house. For example, the Aesthetic category could
be broken down to highlight emphases relating to materials, colour,
spatial quality, openings, lighting, and so on. In other words the
technique may be applied in hierarchical fashion to any architectural
study.
This study has focussed on only the first or simplest level of
such a structure.
-175 -
References.
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Apperly, Richard. 1989.

A pictorial guide to Identifying Australian Architecture.
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Apps, Patricia. 1973.

"Is there a wider role for the architect in housing?”
AA, 6-73, pp53-55.
Attoe, Wayne. 1978.

Architecture and critical imagination.
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Bailey, Don. 1985.

Architecture Awards - Quo Vadis?
AA Awards 1985, p46.
Baird, John. 1984.

By design.
Melbourne, AE Press.
Beck, Haig. 1987.

CRITIQUES 1.
Dept, of Architecture, University of Melbourne.
Beck, Haig. 1988.

CRITIQUES 2.
Dept, of Architecture, University of Melbourne.
Beck, Haig. 1987.

Australian Architects: Denton Corker Marshall.
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Berdoukas, Anna. 1970.

Content analysis of New South Wales primary school.
Balmain, NSW, U.Windt.
Berelson, Bernard. 1971.

Content analysis in Communication Research.
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Boyd, Robin. 1967.

The state of Australian Architecture.
AA, 6-67, pp454-465.,
i
Boyd, Robin. 1978.
177
- -
Australia’s home.
Ringwood, VIC, Penguin Books.
Boyd, Robin. 1980.

The Australian Ugliness.
Afterword by Harry Seidler.
Ringwood, VIC, Penguin Books.
Brolin, Brent. 1980.

Architecture in Context.
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Carseldine, L. Ross. 1977.

Quality in Architecture.
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Cook, John W. 1973.

Conversations with Architects.
New York, Praeger Publishers.
Cottier, Keith & Sarah. 1990.

Monday Night Talk: Awards hindsight.
Architecture Bulletin, Oct, 1990. pp8-9.
Cox, Philip. 1973.

Housing over the past 10 years.
AA, 10-73, pp53-55.
Cox, Philip. 1985.

Grass roots.
H&B, 4-85, pp27-33.
Cox, Philip. 1985.

1985 - a review.
AA Awards 1985, p47.
Cox, Philip. 1988.

Australian Architects: Philip Cox, Richardson, Taylor and Partners.
2nd. Ed. Manuka, ACT, RAIA Education Division.
Cox, Philip. 1990.

It is time we grew up * ♦ • and acknowledged works not to our taste.
Architecture Bulletin, Oct. 1990. p9.
Day, Norman. 1984.

’’Australian Architecture: Survey in four journals.”
Transition, 10-84, pp29-30.
Derrida, Jacques. 1981.
-178 -
Dissemination. Translated by Barbara Johnson.
London, Athlone.
Dickson, Bruce. 1987.

Do awards work? Do they do any good? Are Awards important?
New Zealand Architect, No.3, 1987. p50.
Dunbar, Donald. 1991.

Awards in use - Design Myths versus User Reality.
ppl23-137, PAPER (People And Physical Environment Research)
Conference, Auckland New Zealand, 12-14, July, 1991.
Dunster, David. 1985.

Key Buildings of the 20th Century. Houses 1900-1944
Vol.l. London, Butterworth Architecture.
Dunster, David. 1990.

Key Buildings of The 20th Century. Houses 1945-1989
Vol.2. London, Butterworth Architecture.
Ellsmore, Donald. 1978.

Operation Villages: Tusson. AA, 4-78, p??.
Frampton, Kenneth. 1985.

Modern Architecture.
London, Thames and Hudson.
Freeland, J.M. 1968.

Architecture in Australia.
Melbourne, F.W. Cheshire Publishing Pty. Ltd.
Griggs, Michael. 1985.

Australian Built.
Edited by Micheal Griggs & Craig McGregor.
Sydney, Design Arts Board of the Australia Council.
Gutman, Robert. 1988.

Architectural Practice A Critical View.
Princeton, N.J., Princeton Architectural Press.
Hallen, Hans. 1992.

Harry Seidler, Exhibition review.
Architecture Bulletin, Nov. P21
Hansen, Neil. L. R. 1986.

"Living on the edge: A grammar for some country houses, By Glenn
Murcutt."
AA, 7-86, pp66-73. '
179
- -
Haraguchi, Hideaki. 1988.
A comparative analysis of 20th-Century Houses.
New York, Rizzoli.
Haskell, John. 1992.

Book Review, Harry Seidler: Four Decades of Architecture.
Architecture Bulletin, Nov. pp22-23.
Heilman, Louis. 1986.

Architecture for Beginners.
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Illingworth, D. 1980.
What is important in a house? A comparative study of architects and
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People & the man-made environment. Edited by Ross thorne & Stuart
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Univ. of Syd. May 19-23, 1980. ppllO-115.
Irving, Robert. 1985.

History and Design of the Australian House.
Melbourne, Oxford Univ. Press.
Jencks, Charles. 1985.

Modern Movements in Architecture.
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Ji, Kwang-Seok. 1987.

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Evaluating Housing Standards and Perfomance.
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A study on the contemporary interpretation of tradition of Korean
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A study on the aesthetic characteristics of contemporary Korean
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Klassen, Winand. 198,0.

History of Western Architecture.
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- 180 -
Lang, Jon T. 1987.
Creating Architectural Theory.
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Sacred Geometry. - Philosophy and Practice.
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"Koreaness of Korean Architecture:Complementary Dual Structure."
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Modern Houses.
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- -
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183
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184
- -
Appendix
APPENDIX !♦- List of articles & Award records (1960-1990), New
Domestic Single House Only.
1961 NSW Donald Gazzard.

Herbert residence.
W-S
1962 NSW Ken Woolley.
Architect’s own house.
W-S
1963 NSW Allen, Jack & Cottier.
Jacobs residence.
W-S
1963 TAS L.Parkes, ARAIA.
Architect's own house.
RD-S
1963 VIC Guilford Bell & Neil Clerehan.
House for Mr.R.Simon.
VAM-S
1963 VIC McGlashan & Everist.
House, Rye.
VAM-S
1964 NSW R.N. Johnson.
Johnson residence.
W-S
1964 QLD John Dalton, ARAIA. ARIBA.
Watson residence, Mt.Coot-tha Road, Toowong.
RY-S
1964 VIC Guilford Bell & Neil Clerehan.
House for Mr. R. Simon.
VAM-S
1965 QLD Hayes Scott & Henderson.
Miller residence, Southport.
RY-S
1966 NSW Harry Seidler & Associates.
Muller residence, Lilli Pilli.
W-S
1966 QLD Robin F. Gibson.
Mocatta residence, Feez St., Brisbane.
RY-S
1967 NSW Harry & Penelop Seidler.
Seidler residence, 13 Kalang Ave., Killara.
W-S
1967 QLD John Dalton.
Graham residence, Gower Street, Taringa.
RY-S
1969 NSW Philip Cox & Associates.
Hawkins residence, 19 Norma Crescent, Cheltenham.
W-S
1972 NSW Bruce Rickard.
Curry house.
M-S
1972 NSW H.I.Collins, ARAIA.
-185 -
Appendix
Ferguson residence, Victoria St.,

Tingira Heights, Newcastle.
M-S
1972 QLD John Dalton & Associates.
Residence for Vice-Chancellor
Queensland University.
C-S
1972 VIC Edgard Pirrotta. -> p53
Brighton Home.
H-S
1973 NSW Geoffrey.T. Malone, -> p57
a partner in Kerr & Smith Pty. Ltd.
Malone residence, 11 The Barbican,
Castlecrag.
M-S
1975 NSW Glenn Murcutt, ARAIA.
Short residence, Terry Hills.
M-S
1975 NSW Glenn Murcutt.
Murcutt residence, Belrose. (22 Yarrabin St.)
M-S
1975 NSW Suters Architects.
Suters residence, 87 Wolfe St., Newcastle.
M-S
1975 NSW Vivian Fraser.
Fraser residence, 54 Caledonia St., Paddington.
M-S
1976 NSW Donald Gazzard. -> p63
Gazzard house, 88 Hargrave St., Paddington.
M-S
1976 NSW Glenn Murcutt. -> p70
Short residence, Terry Hills.
W-S
Farmhouse, Kempsey.
M-S
1976 NSW Irene & Cohn Still.
House, 8 Victoria St., Watsons Bay.
M-S
1976 NSW Philip Cox, Storey & Partners Pty. Ltd.
Doctor's House, Kellyville
(Lot 30, Old Windsor Rd.)
M-S
1976 TAS Alex Kostromin.
Kostromin House, Battery Point.
TD-S
Farmhouse, Kempsey.
B-S
1977 NSW Bruce Rickard & Associates Pty. Ltd. -> p80
Fienberg house, 19 Ocean Road,
Palm Beach.
M-S
1977 NSW Irene & Colin Still.
House, 174 Queen St., Woollahra.
M-S
-186 -
Appendix
1977 QLD Gabriel Poole.

House Buderim Mountains.
BM-S
1978 NSW Everard Kloots & Leonard Morgan.
Babet house, The Scarp, Castlecrag.
M-S
House, Peacock Point.
M-S
1978 NSW Philip Cox & Partners Pty. Ltd.
House, 81 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point.
M-S
1979 NSW Glenn Murcutt, ARAIA. -> p84
Farmhouse, Kempsey.
W-S
1979 NSW E.M. Due. -> p88
Residence, 13x Greville Street, Chatswood West.
M-S
1980 NSW Brian Suters & Associates.
Suters residence, Newcastle.
B-S
1980 NSW Terry & Heather Dorrough. -> p91
Dorrough residence, 11 Elizabeth Place,
Paddington. 2021.
M-S
House, 58 John Street, Woollahra.
M-S
1980 QLD Peter Macrossan.
”BorooM Residence & Tea House for E.T. & C.M.
Williams Gilston Rd., Upper Gilston.
H-S
1980 QLD Robin Spencer & Associates Pty. Ltd.
Smith residence, 16 Ridge Crest Street, Kenmore.
C-S
Two houses, Mt. Irvine Lot 2, Danes way,
Mt.Irvine.
M-S
1981 NSW Glenn Murcutt. -> plOl
Two houses, Mt. Irvine Lot 2,
Danes way, Mt.Irvine.
R-N
1981 NSW Ken Woolley. -> pl07
Woolley house, 8a Cooper St., Paddington.
M-S
1981 QLD Maurice Hurst.
Architect’s own house, Sunshine Beach.
H-S
1981 QLD Michael Bryce & Associates.
Highclere, Caloundra.
H-S
1982 NSW Terry Dorrough. -> pill
Cockbum Beach house, Bareena Ave.,
Avoca Beach.
M-S
-187-
Appendix
1982 NSW Glenn Murcutt. -> pll4

Two houses, Mt.Irvine
W-S
1982 QLD Lindsay Clare Mitchell Pty. Ltd. -> pll8
White house, Fig tree pocket.
H-S
1982 TAS Michael Viney.
Viney house, Sandy Bay.
M-S
1982 VIC Daryl Jackson.
Abrahams house, Brighton.
RJH-S
1982 VIC Edmond & Corrigan.
McCartney house, Kew.
M-S
1982 VIC Falk and Gurry Architects. -> pl21
Gurry house, Port Lonsdale.
M-S
1982 VIC Howard Raggatt.
Capper house, Mcleod.
M-S
1982 VIC Robinson Chen Pty. Ltd. -> pl24
Peel house, Rye.
M-S
1983 NSW Allen, Jack & Cottier Partnership Pty.Ltd.-> pl32
Smith house, Paddington.
M-S
1983 NSW Bruce Rickard & Associates.
Curry house 2, Bayview.
M-S
1983 NSW Glenn Murcutt & Associates Pty. Ltd. -> pl27
Farmhouse, Jamberoo.
M-S
1983 NSW Glenn Murcutt & Associates Pty. Ltd.
Two houses, Mt.Irvine.
B-S
1983 NSW Harry Seidler & Associates Pty.Ltd.
House, Castle Cove.
M-S
1983 NSW John Andrews International Pty. Ltd. -> pl30
House, Eugowra.
M-S
1983 NSW Ken Woolley.
Woolley house, Paddington.
W-S
1983 QLD Lindsay Clare Mitchell Pty. Ltd.
Kinnear house, Sunshine Coast.
H-S
1983 QLD The Davis Heather Group Pty. Ltd.
Thiedke house, Gold Coast.
C-S
1983 VIC Gregory Burgess.
Hackford house, Traralgon.
M-S
1983 VIC McIntyre Partnership Pty. Ltd. -> pl36
Seahouse, Momington.
-188 -
Appendix
M-S
1984 NSW Espie Dods Pty. Ltd. -> pl38
Residence, Woollarah.
M-S
Ball/Eastaway residence, Glenorie.
W-S
1984 NSW Harry Seidler & Associates Pty. Ltd.
Bland residence, Rose Bay.
M-S
1984 QLD Robin Lamont.
Mulholand House, Brisbane.
C-S
1984 VIC Cocks & Carmichael.
Residence, Toorak.
M-S
1984 VIC Dennis Carter.
Hay residence, Ringwood East.
M-S
1984 VIC Peter Elliot & Robert McIntyre.
McLatchy residence, Fitzroy.
M-S
1984 VIC Tom Paciocco.
Paciocco residence, Carlton.
M-S
1985 NSW Glenn Murcutt. -> pl42
House, Bingie Bingie.
R-N
House, Bingie Bingie.
W-S
1985 NSW Harry Seidler & Associates.
House at Cammeray.
M-S
1985 QLD Daniel Callaghan Architects Pty. Ltd.
Beck Residence.
H-S
1985 QLD Lindsay Clare Villari Architects Pty. Ltd.
(Project Architects: Lindsay clare,
Chris Gee, Annabel Lahz)
Goetz house.
H-S
1985 VIC Kevin Borland.
Evans residence, Queenscliffe.
M-S
1986 NSW Paul Frischknecht.
House at Middle Cove.
M-S
1986 QLD Geoffrey Pie Architect/Planners Pty. Ltd. -> pl46
The Pie residence at Perigian Beach.
R-N
1986 QLD Geoffrey Pie Architect/Planners Pty. Ltd.
The Pie residence at Perigian Beach.
H-S
1987 NSW Ken Woolley, Ancher Mortlock & Woolley.
Woolley house, Florida Rd., Palm Beach.
-189 -
Appendix
R-N
1987 NSW Peter Stronach, Allen Jack & Cottier.
Young house at Waverley.
M-S
1987 QLD Rex Addison.
Mason house, Macleay Island, Moreton Bay.
H-S
1988 NSW Alexander Tzannes Architect.
Henwood house.
R-N
1988 NSW Alexander Tzannes Architect.
Henwood house.
W-S
1988 NSW Allen Jack & Cottier.
Nankervis house.
M-S
1988 NSW Philip Cox, Richardson Taylor & Partners.
Cardy house.
M-S
1988 NSW Terry Dorrough.
Swift house, Palm Beach.
M-S
1988 QLD Addison Associates.
Speculative house.
H-S
1988 QLD Russell Hall.
Holiday house, Barrier Reef.
M-S
1988 TAS Keith Streames.
Arnold & Warner house.
M-S
1988 VIC Lindsay Holland Pty. Ltd.
Harvey Beavis Residence, Eltham.
M-S
1988 VIC Robert Grace Architects.
Potter residence.
M-S
1989 NSW Lewin Tzannes.
Mackerel Beach house.
W-S
1989 QLD Donald Watson.
House at Graceville.
R-N
1989 QLD Donald Watson.
House at Graceville.
H-S
1989 TAS Barry McNeil.
Holiday Cottage, Binalong Bay.
M-S
1989 VIC Edmond & Corrigan Pty. Ltd.
Athan house, Monbulk.
M-S
1990 NSW Alex Popov Architects Pty.Ltd.
’’Griffin” house, Castlecrag.
R-N
1990 NSW Alex Popov Architects Pty.Ltd. -> pl50
-190 -
Appendix
"Griffin” house, Castlecrag.

W-N
1990 NSW Philip & Louise Cox.
Palm Beach house.
SMH-S
1990 QLD Lambert & Smith in Association with Annabel Lahz.
Lahz Residence, Spring Hill.
M-S
1990 QLD Lambert & Smith in Association with Annabel Lahz.
Lahz Residence, Spring Hill.
RBD-S
1990 TAS Eastman Heffernan Walch & Button.
Nichols house.
M-S
1990 VIC Denton Corker Marshall Pty. Ltd.
Corker residence, Middle Park.
M-S
1990 VIC Robinson Chen Pty. Ltd.
Wilson house, South Yarra.
M-S
-191 -
Appendix
APPENDIX 2.- Pilot studies.
Introduction to pilot study people.
The purpose of this study is to identify some of the major

intentions held by authors of articles published in Architecture
Australia. The authors can be categorised into three kinds, Architect
who designed the building, Jurors who judged, and the users or
researchers.
The method used in this study is a content analysis of articles
which describes each one of the awarded houses.
Your task is to sort the qualities the writer ascribes to the
building in the attached articles into the categories which are set out
below. The categories have been formulated to isolate a range of
different qualities.
Familiarise yourself with the five major categories before
attempting any sorting. I suggest you isolate qualities by underlining
or highlighting them in the context of the article, with consideration of
how and what each word describes in the article before sorting it. An
analysis has to be specific, so, ’that is good’ can't be analysed into
any one of the categories shown below. The analysis of each article
needs to be based on a specific breakdown of paragraphs, sentences,
clauses, and phrases. The minimum subject for analysis is a clause. A
single word can't be analysed by itself.
For clarity and ease of classification, if there is more than one
adjective in a sentence with one verb, assign only one category unless
there is a compelling reason to assign more.
In some cases, you may find that two verbs are used to present
only one quality in which case only assign one category. If the
terminology of the article is unclear in any case, it is to be
categorised on the basis of your presumed meaning. More than one
category may be required to capture the full meaning of the
sentences.
If you disagree with the following formulations of categories,
please give me your opinion or advice. It will be appreciated.
To support materials, I have enclosed two copies from original
articles.
Since I believe that sorting authors is the primary step in
analysing, I feel that it would be best if you could analyse one article
in my methodology before you start the analysing of the sorted
authors.
-192 -
Appendix
F'lrom jofllot: s Ci^j ciy jo Girson -

Award: Blacket Award, 1977
#GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
This building is an answer to the question: Who needs

architects? The client had accumulated a stock of timber (T-
Materials) which could have served as a display for representative
timbers of the north coast of New South Wales. The house was to
be built to take advantage of cooling sea breezes (C-Climatic),
views across the river (P-View), to have a separate, but integral,
"restaurant" section (P-Spatial organisation), to be warm and
sunny in winter (A-General/C-General), open and spacious (P-
General) in feeling, so constructed that it could be moved to
another site (T-System), would need minimum supervision and
would be within the competence of locally available skills (T-
Construction). •••<a
An award-winning farmhouse on a property near Kempsey, in
the green northern NSW country side, could bring a second look
at some of the house styles which have been built in Australian
country areas recently.
In contrast lj the leisurely, comfortable style of earlier
farmhouses, with their large verandas, the recent crop have
tended to be much the same as the brick veneer project homes
spreading in the reaches of outer metropolitan suburban areas.
However, the Kempsey farmhouse, which won the Blacket
Award this year in the design awards of the NSW branch of the
Royal Australian Institute of Architects, is something quite
different (A-General).
It was designed by architect Glenn Murcutt in traditional
country building materials (T-Materials), including timber which
the client had been stockpiling for a couple of years.
The difference lies mainly in the treatment of the walls (T-
Structure), which don't have conventional windows, but are mostly
built out of mosquito wire and aluminium louvres.
surrounding countryside, or to have the louvres closed (P-
Circulation) to create the normal enclosed room space.
house raised some demurs (S-Philosophical/Theoretical) from the
design award jury, which was, however, very taken with the
farmhouse itself (A-Type).
The farmhouse, really two separate buildings side by side, is
reported to have cost about $60,000 to build. •••<£>
Reaction of laymen to the house tends to be uncomprehending
at first. Two laymen (one a pilot) in the car bringing the design
award jury to the house are reported to have commented pithily
in unison on first sighting the structure.
architects (S-Philosophical/Theoretical).
-193 -
Appendix

coun tryside ( S-Philosophical/Theoretical/A-Type).
The older style of building, with large verandas running
around a house (before post-war stringencies put the veranda
out of fashion among builders) also provided the same ability to
enjoy the outdoors from the house.
house at Kempsey, which exemplifies his theories of sun control
(S-Philosophical/Theoretical). • • • <c
(£>*•• By angling and overlapping roof slats (T-System),
which take account of the position of the sun at different times of
year, he can cut out the sun from mid-September until the
following autumn.
Project builders have not adopted this particular idea. • • m<e
#JURY’S OPINION.

solution (A-Abstract) which had been achieved through the use of
standard components and cheap materials (T-Structure):
galvanised iron, standard louvres, mosquito wire and
weatherboard.
"This house is a delight (A-General), almost deceptively
simple (A-General) in concept and beautifully realised (S-
Philosophical/Theoretical) without the need for obvious historical
reference," the design award jury citation said. (The absence of
"obvious historical reference" is an architectural way of saying it
doesn't look like farmhouses of the past).
"Unlike most recent country houses which are straight copies
of the most mundane suburban bungalow, this house borrows
subtly from the single farmshed (A-Type) and is a fine addition to
the beautiful Kempsey countryside (C-Siting)."
"The detailing throughout is consistent, strong and
sophisticated (T-Detailing) in the true sense with no signs of
compromise to the difficulties of building on a small scale on an
isolated site (S-Philosophical/Theoretical)."
"Despite its detached pergola, the building promises to be
one whose significance (S-Philosophical/Theoretical) will extend
beyond the attention bestowed upon it by this award."
Pvrnes, the chairman of the design award jury: "It pretends to
oe separate (S-Philosophical/Theoretical) from the building, it just
has no place.”
b>••• "It’s quite innovative (S-General)," said Terry Byrnes.
"It proves that you don’t have to have a veranda all round
the house (A-Type) to have a country house. Mosquito wire and
louvres constitute most of the walls."
"There's an enormous room which is completely ganze-wired
in. We have the assurance of the occupants that it’s warm in
winter (A-Comfort/Spatial quality)."
"It’s just out of Kempsey. It certainly makes the red brick
bungalow (S-Philosophical) with its tile roof look ridiculous."
"The materials are not expensive, but produce an elegance
not normally associated with galvanised iron and timber (A-
General/S-General). It’s traditional in its use of materials (T-
-194 -
Appendix
Materials), but quite contemporary in its use of design (S-

Philosophical). "
"Quiet a lot of the tradesmen were used to building their
own boats, so there was scope for detailing sometimes more akin
to shipwrights’work (T-Detailing), holding timber in the grain
which was strongest (T-Materials). A lot of this arose from an
ingrained sense of tension in timber as opposed to compression
(S-Philosophical)."
"They wanted the house to be transportable. They've got a
couple of thousand acres."
"Whole walls pivot (T-Structure). With one open room, they
can open up the bedroom to it, or close the whole wall."
#ARCHITECT'S OPINION.
a>m*m The architect has satisfied all these requirements and

others (P-General), transforming difficulties to advantages (S-
c># • • "Wherever possible I get those areas to be warmed by
the sun facing as due north as possible.
"Heat and light control comes from the use of external timber
Venetian blinds (T-System). There is no point in having interior
blinds; once the heat's in, it's in."
Murcutt aims to allow the midwinter sun to penetrate fully
into the depths of the house (P-General/T-System). •••cd
e>* • • "They don't know the individual topography or which
side the house will face- they haven't time, think it's too complex.
But it's a very simple procedure. It would take only one man half
an hour to make calculations for each house."

Award: State Merit Award, 1981

walking distance of the city of Sydney. Although the street is
narrow, at the rear of the site the land drops away into old
gardens with huge trees, across which are views to the city
skyline and to the harbour.
As the site is 6.6 metres wide, the design problem is typical
of the terrace houses (A-Type) in the district, but the architect's
use of internal space is quite different (A-Spatial quality). The
living room and main bedroom are quite generous (A-Spatial
quality) and this is emphasised by deliberate small scale in the
minor rooms and secondary doorways (P-Spatial organisation).
typical three storey residential flats buildings (T-Construction).
Walls are load bearing brickwork finished, bagged and
painted (T-Construction). Floors are reinforced concrete with
ceiling (T-Construction) paint finished off ordinary sub-contract
formwork. Windows are standard aluminium framed and the roof is
corrugated iron (T-Construction).
- 195 -
Appendix
In the blank two storey street wall is recessed a small

entrance porch, which turns out to be a court partly open to the
sky. At the back of it is a steel grille gate, painted red, beyond
which is the green front door (A-Color). Over the entrance court
is an oriel opening from a narrow upper court, which the
architect relates in part to the oriental concept- the symbolic
window to the outside world (S-Theoretical/Symbolic).
Ken Woolley's Paddington, Sydney, town-house begins with a
false front: an enigmatic circle above a square door set in a blank
white facade, sheltering a courtyard from the street.
squares, is a sequence of formal aesthetic statements. The formal
spaces, defined mainly by squares, give way to more and more
curves as one moves from public to private space and downstairs
to the bedrooms (the site slopes to the rear).
curves and planes, strait side walls and lattices, looping ceiling
and curved kitchen wall.
The rear of this tall brick box of a house is chamfered at 45
degrees, pointing like a white, three storey grand piano into the
garden. This device orients the roof terrace to the views and
skews the bedrooms below into their curved shape.
neighbours.
#JURY'S OPINION.
The jury found the open space " a revelation (A-Spatial

quality), quietly tucked away behind the density of the street
facade”.
paradigm- grading public to private, street to view, front to back,
closed to open, etc.- is more significant than any criticism that
could be made of its episodic (S-Philosophical/Theoretical), non-
holistic formal nature- or even the eccentricity of its 'signs' (S-
Philosophical/Theoretical)."
//.ARCHITECT'S OPINION.
Described as a small townhouse (A-Type) by the architect,

Ken Woolley, the house is built right to the street boundary, with
a blank wall to the street and all the windows and views at the
rear- an arrangement which, says the architect, is a direct
response to its setting (C-Relationship to).
”The entrance as an exercise in defensible space," says Ken
Woolley (S- Philosophical/Th eore deal).
Iîrom joilot: s iz>Girson B.

Award: Blacket Award, 1977
-196 -
Appendix
ifGENERAL DESCRIPTION.
This building is an answer to the question: Who needs

architects (S-Philosophical/Theoretical)? The client had
accumulated a stock of timber which could have served as a
display for representative timbers of the north coast of New
South Wales (T-Materials). The house was to be built to take
advantage of cooling sea breezes (C-Climatic), views across the
river (P-View), to have a separate, but integral, restaurant"
section (P-General), to be warm and sunny in winter (T-General),
open and spacious in feeling (A-Spatial quality), so constructed
that it could be moved to another site (T-System), would need
minimum supervision and would be within the competence of
locally available skills (T-General). • • *<a
An award-winning farmhouse on a property near Kempsey, in
the green northern NSW country side, could bring a second look
at some of the house styles which have been built in Australian
country areas recently (S-Cultural).
In contrast to the leisurely, comfortable style of earlier
farmhouses, with their large verandas, the recent crop have
tended to be much the same as the brick veneer project homes
spreading in the reaches of outer metropolitan suburban areas.
However, the Kempsey farmhouse, which won the Blacket
Award this year in the design awards of the NSW branch of the
Royal Australian Institute of Architects, is something quite
different (A-Image).
It was designed by architect Glenn Murcutt in traditional
country building materials, including timber which the client had
been stockpiling for a couple of years (T-Materials).
The difference lies mainly in the treatment of the walls,
which don't have conventional windows, but are mostly built out
of mosquito wire and aluminium louvres (T-Construction).
surrounding countryside (P-View), or to have the louvres closed
to create the normal enclosed room space (P-Spatial organisation).
house raised some demurs from the design award jury (A-Form),
which was, however, very taken with the farmhouse itself.
The farmhouse, really two separate buildings side by side (A-
Type), is reported to have cost about $60,000 to build. •••<b
Reaction of laymen to the house tends to be uncomprehending
at first (S-Cultural). Two laymen (one a pilot) in the car bringing
the design award jury to the house are reported to have
commented pithily in unison on first sighting the structure.
architects.
coun trysi de (P- View).
The older style of building, with large verandas running
around a house (before post-war stringencies put the veranda
out of fashion among builders) also provided the same ability to
enjoy the outdoors from the house.
house at Kempsey, which exemplifies his theories of sun control
(T-General). ••*<c
-197 -
Appendix
d>* • • By angling and overlapping roof slats, which take

account of the position of the sun at different times of year, he
can cut out the sun from mid-September until the following
autumn (T-General).
Project builders have not adopted this particular idea (S-
Cultural).
//JURY'S OPINION.

solution (A-General) which had been achieved through the use of
standard components and cheap materials: galvanised iron,
standard louvres, mosquito wire and weatherboard (T-Materials).
"This house is a delight, almost deceptively simple in concept
(A-Construction) and beautifully realised (A-General) without the
need for obvious historical reference (A-Image)," the design award
jury citation said. (The absence of "obvious historical reference"
is an architectural way of saying it doesn't look like farmhouses
of the past) (A-Type).
"Unlike most recent country houses which are straight copies
of the most mundane suburban bungalow, this house borrows
subtly from the single farmshed (A-Type) and is a fine addition to
the beautiful Kempsey countryside (C-Location)."
"The detailing throughout is consistent, strong and
sophisticated in the true sense (A-Details) with no signs of
compromise to the difficulties of building on a small scale on an
isolated site (C-Siting)."
"Despite its detached pergola, the building promiseu to be
one whose significance will extend beyond the attention bestowed
upon it by this award (S-Cultural/A-General)."
Byrnes, the chairman of the design award jury: "It pretends to
be separate from the building, it just has no place (A-Form)."
£?>*•• "It's quite innovative," said Terry Byrnes.
"It proves that you don't have to have a veranda all round
the house to have a country house (A-Type). Mosquito wire and
louvres constitute most of the walls (T-Materials)."
"There's an enormous room which is completely ganze-wired
in. We have the assurance of the occupants that it's warm in
winter (T-General)."
"It's just out of Kempsey. It certainly makes the red brick
bungalow with its tile roof look ridiculous (S-Cultural)."
"The materials are not expensive (T-Economical), but produce
an elegance not normally associated with galvanised iron and
timber (A-General). It's traditional in its use of materials, but
quite contemporary in its use of design (A-Type)."
"Quiet a lot of the tradesmen were used to building their
own boats, so there was scope for detailing sometimes more akin
to shipwrights'work, holding timber in the grain which was
strongest (T-Construction). A lot of this arose from an ingrained
sense of tension in timber as opposed to compression (T-
Materials)."
"They wanted the house to be transportable. They've got a
couple of thousand acres (T-Construction)."
"Whole walls pivot. With one open room, they can open up the
bedroom to it, or close the whole wall (P-Spatial organisation)."
-198 -
Appendix
#.ARCHITECT'S OPINION.
a> • • • The architect has satisfied all these requirements and

others, transforming difficulties to advantages.
c>... "Wherever possible I get those areas to be warmed by
the sun facing as due north as possible (T-General).
Heat and light control comes from the use of external timber
Venetian blinds. There is no point in having interior blinds; once
the heat’s in, it’s in (T-General)."
Murcutt aims to allow the midwinter sun to penetrate fully
into the depths of the house (T-General). •••<<?
e>m • • "They don’t know the individual topography or which
side the house will face (C-Siting) - they haven’t time, think it’s
too complex. But it’s a very simple procedure. It would take only
one man half an hour to make calculations for each house (T-
General). ’’

Award: State Merit Award, 1981

walking distance of the city of Sydney. Although the street is
narrow, at the rear of the site the land drops away into old
gardens with huge trees, across which are views to the city
skyline and to the harbour (C-Location).
As the site is 6.6 metres wide, the design problem is typical
of the terrace houses in the district (A-Type), but the architect’s
use of internal space is quite different (A-Spatial quality). The
living room and main bedroom are quite generous and this is
emphasised by deliberate small scale in the minor rooms and
secondary doorways (A-Spatial quality).
typical three storey residential flats buildings (T-General).
Walls are load bearing brickwork finished, bagged and
painted. Floors are reinforced concrete with ceiling paint finished
off ordinary sub-contract formwork. Windows are standard
aluminium framed and the roof is corrugated iron (T-Materials).
In the blank two storey street wall is recessed a small
entrance porch, which turns out to be a court partly open to the
sky. At the back of it is a steel grille gate, painted red, beyond
which is the green front door. Over the entrance court is an oriel
opening from a narrow upper court, which the architect relates in
part to the oriental concept- the symbolic window to the outside
world (A-Metaphor).
Ken Woolley’s Paddington, Sydney, town-house begins with a
false front (A-Image): an enigmatic circle above a square door set
in a blank white facade, sheltering a courtyard from the street.
squares (A-Geometry), is a sequence of formal aesthetic statements
(A-General). The formal spaces, defined mainly by squares, give
-199 -
Appendix
way to more and more curves (A-Geometry) as one moves from

public to private space and downstairs to the bedrooms (the site
slopes to the rear) (P-Spatial organisation).
curves and planes, strait side walls and lattices, looping ceiling
and curved kitchen wall (A-Geometry).
The rear of this tall brick box of a house is (A-Metaphor)
chamfered at 45 degrees, pointing like a white (A-Metaphor), three
storey grand piano into the garden (P-View). This device orients
the roof terrace to the views and skews the bedrooms below into
their curved shape (A-Geometry).
neigh hours (C- General).
#JURY'S OPINION.
The jury found the open space " a revelation, quietly

tucked away behind the density of the street facade (A-General)".
paradigm (A-Form) - grading public to private, street to view,
front to back, closed to open, etc (P-Spatial organisation).- is
more significant than any criticism that could be made of its
episodic,non-holistic formal nature (A-General) - or even the
eccentricity of its 'signs' (A-Image)."
#.ARCHITECT'S OPINION.
Described as a small townhouse (A-Type) by the architect,

Ken Woolley, the house is built right to the street boundary, with
a blank wall to the street and all tne windows and views at the
rear- an arrangement which, says the architect, is a direct
response to its setting (C-Relation ship to/Location).
"The entrance as an exercise in defensible space," says Ken
Woolley (S-User needs).
-200-
Appendix
APPENDIX 3.- Articles with two kinds of opinion.
Architect: Bruce Rickard.

Project: Curry house.
Award: M-S, 1972
(AIA, 6-73, p84)
^JURY’S OPINION.
(CR, 12-10-72, p??)

Award: M-S, 1976
(AA, 10-76, p42), (NT, 2-11-80, plO)
(NT, 2-11-80, plO)
Architect: Brian Suters & Associates.

Project: Suters residence, Newcastle.
Award: B-S, 1980
(AW80, p6), (SMH, 8-10-80, p6)
#JURY’S OPINION.
(AW80, p6), (SMH, 8-10-80, p6)
Architect: Michael Viney.

Project: Viney house, Sandy Bay.
- 201 -
Appendix
I l
Award: M-S, 1982
(AA, 12-82, p90)
j/JURY'S OPINION.
(AA, 12-82, p90)
Architect: Howard Raggatt.

Project: Capper house, Mcleod.
Award: M-S, 1982
(AA, 12-82, p66)
//JURY’S OPINION.
(AA, 12-82, p66)
Architect: Edmond & Corrigan.

Project: McCartney house, Kew.
Award: M-S, 1982
(AA, 12-82, p62)
(AA, 12-82, p62)
Architect: Bruce Rickard & Associates.

Project: Curry house 2, Bayview.
Award: M-S, 1983
-202 -
Appendix
(AA, 12-83, p37), (ABT, 10-83, p8)
//JURY’S OPINION.
(AA, 12-83, p37)
Architect: Harry Seidler & Associates Pty.Ltd.

Project: House, Castle Cove.
Award: M-S, 1983
(AA, 12-83, p39), (ABT, 10-83, p7)
//JURY’S OPINION.
(AA, 12-83, p39), (ABT, 10-83, p7)
Architect: Glenn Murcutt & Associates Pty. Ltd.

Project: Two house, Mt.Irvine
Award: B-S, 1983
(ABT, 10-83, p5)
(AA, 12-82, plA), (NT, 2-11-80, p9)

Project: Woolley house, Paddington.
Award: W-S, 1983
(ABT, 10-83, p4)
//JURY’S OPINION.
-203 -
Appendix
(ABT, 10-83, p4)
Architect: Lindsay Clare Mitchell Pty. Ltd.

Project: Kinnear house, Sunshine Coast.
Award: H-S, 1983
(AA, 12-83, p47)
//JURY'S OPINION.
(AA, 12-83, p47)
Architect: The Davis Heather Group Pty. Ltd.

Project: Thiedke house, Gold Coast.
Award: C-S, 1983
(AA, 12-83, p47)
(AA, 12-83, p47)
Architect: Gregory Burgess.

Project: Hackford house, Traralgon.
Award: M-S, 1983
(AA, 12-83, p41)
//JURY'S OPINION.
(AA, 12-83, p41)

Project: Ball/Eastaway residence, Glenorie.
-204 -
Appendix
Award: W-S, 1984
(AA, 12-84, p45), (ABT, 10-84, p4), (ABT, 10-84, p2)
//JURY'S OPINION.
(AA, 12-84, p45), (WA, 29-9-84, p36)
Architect: Robin Lamont.

Project: Mulholand House, Brisbane.
Award: C-S, 1984
(AA, 12-84, p49)
//JURY'S OPINION.
(AA, 12-84, p49), (CN, 6-84, p6)
Architect: Harry Seidler & Associates.

Project: House at Cammeray.
Award: M-S, 1985
(WA, 30-8-85, p30), (SMH, 26-9-85, p3)
(SMH, 26-9-85, p3)
Architect: Paul Frischknecht.

Project: House at Middle Cove.
Award: M-S, 1986
-205 -
Appendix
(AA, 12-86, p76)
(AA, 5-86, p64)
Architect: Peter Stronach, Allen Jack & Cottier.

Project: Young house at Waverley.
Award: M-S, 1987
(VL, 10-87, pill)
(VL, 10-87, pill)
Architect: Alex Popov Architects Pty.Ltd.

Project: "Griffin" house, Castlecrag.
Award: R-N, 1990
(AA, 11-90, p32), (SMH, 14-8-90, pi)
//JURY’S OPINION.
(AA, 11-90, p32)
Architect: Philip & Louise Cox.

Project: Palm Beach house.
Award: SMH-S, 1990
(SMH, 14-8-90, p6)
-206 -
Appendix
(SMH, 14-8-90, p6), (SMH, 14-8-90, p6)
Architect: Lambert & Smith in Association.

Project: Lahz Residence, Spring Hill.
Award: RBD-S, 1990
(QAW90, p??)
//JURY’S OPINION.
(QAW90, p??)
-207-

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Student Name: Seo, Kyoung-Hwa.

Submitted for the Degree of: Master of Architecture.

School of Architecture, The University of New South Wales.

Year of Submission: 1993.

process which results in a novel work that is accepted as tenable

or useful or satisfying by a group at some point in time" -

"I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and

that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no

material previously published or written by another person nor

material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the

award of any other degree or diploma of a university or other

institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement is

made in the text."

Seo, Kyoung-Hwa. /04/93

In particular, sincere thanks need to be given to my supervisor

Dr.Paul Alan Johnson who proved to be a most patient and appropriate

I would also like to thank Dr.Bruce Judd who acted as supervisor

during Dr.Johnson’s absence.

A special thanks to the Royal Australian Institute of Architects

North Sydney for providing me with the appropriate materials.

Nancy, Bruce, Gabi, Moon, Benedict, Craig (senior), and many

Warrane fellows have given me great help during my stay in Australia.

1 wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

I would like to thank my parents and the greatest friend, Jesus

Christ, for their encouragement and giving love.

This study aims to clarify the public and professional perception

of architectural values and standards. Analysis was made of award­

juries. As reported in Architecture Australia, the journal of the Royal

Australian Institute of Architects, and similar publications.

states, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania were

examined in the study using a form of content analysis.

Architectural concepts and notions mentioned by architects and

juries in these journals were extracted and categorised to find

emphases and trends.

Overall, out of the five categories studied, the research shows

that General descriptions emphasize functional and technical concepts

more than non-physical values where as Juries and Architects

emphasize aesthetic values in their judgements and submissions for

the Merit Awards. Moreover Architects emphasize more contextual and

social values than Juries do.

The characteristics of social and climatic environment of each

state were found to be emphasised by both juries and architects.

The study highlights the need for a thorough investigation and

possible reviews of award assessment procedures and argues for full

presentation of the ideas and opinions of architects and juries in

mode of writing of recent years.

Purpose of the study. 12

Critiques & case studies. 53

Discussion of results. 155

Recommendations for future study. 175

APPENDIX 1.- List of articles & Award records. 185

" Architects as a planners have a responsibility to their

professions, to their age, and to their country." (J.P.Adam.

Responsibility of the Architect and negligence. Architecture in

Aus., March, 1965. pl49)

analyse recent Korean architecture and the stages in its development.

decades comprehended traditional values in architecture and thereby

confronted the problem of Korean architecture: the seeking of her

traditional identity which seems to have been badly injured and

reduced by key events in her recent past.

they suffered a loss of dignity as a result of the Japanese education

system. A trend in colonial architecture was created during that

of architectural values and standards. Analysis was made of award