NEWS

October 2009
David Malouf and Glenn Murcutt in conversation at the Sydney Opera House

It was standing room only at the Sydney Opera House when academic Julianne Schultz moderated a conversation between eminent Australians, architect Glenn Murcutt and writer David Malouf, on the topic of how our built environment shapes our lives, for better or worse. Big ideas were discussed, with Murcutt's insights into architecture fed by Malouf's perceptive observations. As Malouf stated, writers need to articulate the world in which they move in. This free-flowing conversation ranged from planning, planners, beauty, materials, space and the shaping of experience, music, the creative act, and working methods, to Murcutt's meeting at age 70 with Joern Utzon.

On stage at the Sydney Opera House / Glenn Murcutt and David Malouf signing folios after the talk
(Images courtesy of Sydney Architecture Festival)

01 Editions first paired Malouf and Murcutt in our publication, the Glenn Murcutt, Architect folio and after the talk, David and Glenn joined 01 Editions in the new Utzon designed foyer where they signed folios for elated buyers. We have just 3 co-signed folios still available for sale (just note 'co-signed folio' if interested in buying one of these).

This talk was produced by Mark Wakely of the ABC's Radio National By Design program and broadcast on Wednesday 14 October 2009 at 3pm EST. Go to ABC Radio National to listen to the talk or download the file.

September 2009
Win a signed folio!

The Sydney Architecture Festival is sponsoring a Glenn Murcutt, Architect folio to be given away to a lucky winner through a raffle ticket sale. Two tickets to the Malouf Murcutt talk are included in the prize, and the folio will be signed by both Malouf and Murcutt after the talk. If you want to be in the running for this unique prize, you need to get down to Customs House where the tickets will be for sale in the evening of the Festival Launch on Wednesday, 30 September or on Monday, 5 October up until shortly before the drawing of the winning ticket at noon. The winner is expected to attend the talk and the signing.

For more information go to: www.sydneyarchitecturefestival.org/headline-talk/

July 2009
Glenn Murcutt on show at the Museum of Sydney

This exhibition is a modified version of the original shown last year at Gallery Ma in Tokyo, Japan’s only gallery dedicated exclusively to the promotion of architecture. The Sydney exhibition features the addition of a new video by renowned film maker Catherine Hunter in which Murcutt talks broadly about architecture and what keeps him going.

Although Murcutt does not use models, the exhibition display does include commissioned models to better show the variety of the cross-section designs that so strongly define Murcutt's houses. "Murcutt designs the kind of buildings the world needs most: economical, energy-efficient, graceful, small structures," commented Andrea Oppenheimer in her article on Murcutt’s AIA 2009 Gold Medal award, published in Architectural Record, May 2009 issue.

(Image courtesy of Lindsay Johnston)

Anyone interested in how such buildings are designed should book a visit in their diary. And whilst there, check out the bookshop where signed copies of our Murcutt folio are available for sale.

Museum of Sydney
Tel. 02 9251 5988
Corner of Bridge and Phillip Streets
Daily from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm

Links:
Historic Houses Trust
Architecture Foundation Australia

March 2009
Glenn Murcutt receives AIA Gold Medal

The American Institute of Architects has recognised Murcutt's mastery - and his international influence - in awarding him the 2009 AIA Gold Medal. At the 65th AIA Gold Medal presentation in February this year, Murcutt joined the ranks of previous Gold Medal recipients such as Frank Lloyd Wright (1949), LeCorbusier (1961), Louis Kahn (1971), I.M. Pei (1979), Cesar Pelli (1995), Santiago Calatrava (2005), and last year’s recipient, Renzo Piano.

When this publisher contacted Glenn Murcutt the day after the AIA announcement, Murcutt said he went to bed relaxed and slept well. Then at 2.30 in the morning he got the phone call from 2008 AIA President Marshall Purnell, and after that he did not sleep at all. "It's the most wonderful news!" Murcutt said. "Tod must have done a good job," referring to Tod Williams, of Tod Williams BillieTsien Architects in New York, who presented on behalf of Murcutt for the award to the AIA Board of Directors.

AIA President Marvin J. Malecha and AIA EVP Christine McEntee
present the Gold Medal to Glenn Murcutt, who received a standing ovation.
(Photo by Douglas Gordon, courtesy AIA)

It's a lovely realisation that Murcutt, who has won virtually every major architecture award there is, still gets excited enough to lose sleep, and that his relevance to the profession (and we argue to all designers) continues to be recognised around the world.

"OK, lets get it!" Williams said to Murcutt when he agreed to represent Murcutt for the award. He then asked Murcutt to supply him with material, drawings and images for the presentation. Murcutt scrambled to get a body of material together but then decided he would simply send Williams one of the 01 Editions folios. "Everything you need for the presentation is in there..." Murcutt told Williams.

In recognition of his legacy to architecture, Murcutt's name will be chiselled into the granite Wall of Honour in the lobby of the AIA headquarters in Washington, D.C.