Modern Heritage
John Andrews: Architect of Uncommon Sense
Tuesday, 20 August 2024, 6:30 pm
Singapore Theatre (B120), Basement Level, Glyn Davis Building (MSD)
Book Here (free)
Date and time
Tuesday, August 20 · 6:30 – 7:30pm AEST
Location
Singapore Theatre Melbourne School of Design Masson Road The University of Melbourne Australia
Public Lecture:
While John Andrews was one of Australia’s most revered architects in the 1970s and 1980s, several of his buildings have been recently demolished or unsympathetically altered: all three of his Australian convention centres (Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne) have been destroyed; most of Cameron Offices was demolished in 2006; the King George Tower in Sydney has been badly altered; the Australian School of Environmental Studies at Griffith University was destroyed in 2023; the Octagon in Paramatta is also slated for replacement. In this panel discussion, Hannah Lewi, Philip Goad, Paul Walker and Ruth Redden will discuss the particular challenges modern buildings represent when considered from a heritage point of view.
Hannah Lewi is professor of architecture and Philip Goad is chair of architecture, both at the University of Melbourne. They are directors of the Australian Centre for Architectural History, Urban Conservation and Heritage. Lewi and Goad co-edited the collection Australian Modern (Thames & Hudson, 2019). Paul Walker is professor of architecture at the University of Melbourne and editor and lead author of the book John Andrews: Architect of Uncommon Sense (Harvard Design Press, 2023). Ruth Redden is a Melbourne heritage architect, with a particular focus on heritage and sustainability.
Exhibition:
John Andrews: Architect of Uncommon Sense is a celebration of the great, yet under-recognised, architect’s work and its global impact. Now more than ever, Andrews’ designs are a shining example of how architecture can be used to address urgent environmental and urban concerns.
Toured previously at Harvard University’s Druker Design Gallery, Architect of Uncommon Sense showcases formerly inaccessible Australian archival holdings from the State Library of New South Wales, with a special focus on Andrews’ Melbourne projects including the RMIT library and student union (completed as Building 8 by Edmond & Corrigan), the Melbourne Convention Centre, a scheme for the renovation of Flinders Street Station, and a project for medium density housing at South Bank.
Beyond Andrews’ work, the exhibition highlights Australia’s late modern architectural heritage and the evolution of environmental sensibilities in Australian design culture, while investigating the challenges entailed in its conservation.
The Glyn Davis Building is wheelchair accessible. If you have any questions about your visit, email us at msd-exhibitions@unimelb.edu.au.
Parking is available at the Eastern Precinct Carpark
For your best public transport route, visit Public Transport Victoria
This event is held in collaboration with Docomomo.