Architecture Of Australia
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Architecture of Australia has generally been consistent with architectural trends in the wider
Western world The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to the various nations and state (polity), states in the regions of Europe, North America, and Oceania.
, with some special adaptations to compensate for distinctive Australian
climatic Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorologic ...
and cultural factors.
Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...
produced a wide range of structures and places prior to colonisation. Contemporary Indigenous practitioners are active in a broad range of built environment fields. During Australia's early
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
history, it was a collection of British colonies in which
architectural style An architectural style is a set of characteristics and features that make a building or other structure notable or historically identifiable. It is a sub-class of style in the visual arts generally, and most styles in architecture relate closely ...
s were strongly influenced by
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
designs. However, the unique climate of Australia necessitated adaptations, and 20th-century trends reflected the increasing influence of
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
urban designs and a diversification of the cultural tastes and requirements of an increasingly
multicultural The term multiculturalism has a range of meanings within the contexts of sociology, political philosophy, and colloquial use. In sociology and in everyday usage, it is a synonym for "Pluralism (political theory), ethnic pluralism", with the tw ...
Australian society. Notable Australian architectural adaptations include the Queenslander and
Federation A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...
styles of residential architecture. Iconic Australian designs include the
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
listed
Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
, Melbourne
Royal Exhibition Building The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage-listed building in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, built in 1879–1880 as part of the international exhibition movement, which presented over 50 exhibitions between 1851 and 1915 around the glo ...
,
Brisbane City Hall Brisbane City Hall, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is the seat of the Brisbane City Council. It is located adjacent to King George Square, where the rectangular City Hall has its main entrance. The City Hall also has frontages and entranc ...
and the 11 remnant penal colony sites selected for World Heritage protection in 2010.


History

In the period before
European settlement of Australia European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...
, there were diverse forms of
Indigenous architecture The field of Indigenous architecture refers to the study and practice of architecture of, for and by Indigenous people. It is a field of study and practice in the United States, Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Canada, Arctic area of Sápmi and m ...
across Australia. The rich architecture traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples generally went unrecognised, and when it was recognised generally downplayed by the European Settlers. However, many early colonists and explorers including
Sir Thomas Mitchell Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell (15 June 1792 – 5 October 1855), surveyor and explorer of Southeastern Australia, was born at Grangemouth in Stirlingshire, Scotland. In 1827 he took up an appointment as Assistant Surveyor General of New Sout ...
and
Charles Sturt Charles Napier Sturt (28 April 1795 – 16 June 1869) was a British officer and explorer of Australia, and part of the European exploration of Australia. He led several expeditions into the interior of the continent, starting from Sydney and la ...
recorded many Indigenous building styles including stone houses and houses grouped in villages. As a
British colony The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remnants of the former Bri ...
, the first European buildings were derivative of the European fashions of the time. As most of the colonialists where from England the first buildings reflected English ideas.
Georgian architecture Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I, George II, Georg ...
is seen in early government buildings and the homes of the wealthy. The architect
Francis Greenway Francis Howard Greenway (20 November 1777 – September 1837) was an English-born architect who was transported to Australia as a convict for the crime of forgery. In New South Wales he worked for the Governor, Lachlan Macquarie, as Australia's ...
, who appears on the
Australian ten-dollar note The Australian ten-dollar note was issued when the currency was changed from the Australian pound to the Australian dollar on 14 February 1966; it replaced the £5 note, which included the same blue colouration. There have been four different is ...
designed early buildings in the Georgian style. Examples include the Hyde Park Barracks, St James' Church and St Matthews Church at
Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
. Another European style to gain favour in 19th century Australia, particularly in churches, was
Gothic Revival architecture Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
. Pointed arches, turrets, battlements and gothic ornaments could also be found on bank, insurance offices, university buildings and homes. One of the best examples of this style can be seen at the lower end of Collins Street in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
. With the
Australian gold rushes During the Australian gold rushes, starting in 1851, significant numbers of workers moved from elsewhere in Australia and overseas to where gold had been discovered. Gold had been found several times before, but the colonial government of Ne ...
of the mid-19th-century major buildings, largely in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
and
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
and to a lesser extent in regional capitals such as
Ballarat Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...
and
Bendigo Bendigo ( ) is a city in Victoria, Australia, located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately north-west of Melbourne, the state capital. As of 2019, Bendigo had an urban population of 100,991, makin ...
were built in the style of
Victorian architecture Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. ''Victorian'' refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the styles known as Victorian we ...
. From about 1850 to 1893
Italianate architecture The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style drew its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian R ...
was also popular as it allowed greater displays of prosperity through rich and ornate decorate features such as
cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content more than 2%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its color when fractured: white cast iron has carbide impuriti ...
lace work and slate roofs. Towards the end of the century the style was pushed to an extreme by some architects. Buildings became over-burdened with excess columns, balustrades, exaggerated entrances and other lavish decorations.
Medley Hall Medley Hall is the smallest residential college of the University of Melbourne in Australia. Established in 1954, it is situated on 48 Drummond St in Carlton, Victoria, away from other residential colleges in Parkville. It is home to approxima ...
in
Carlton Carlton may refer to: People * Carlton (name), a list of those with the given name or surname * Carlton (singer), English soul singer Carlton McCarthy * Carlton, a pen name used by Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), American educator, Presbyterian ...
is an example of this style which became known as the Boom Style from 1880 to 1893. One of the most significant architectural movements in Australian architecture was the
Federation architecture Federation architecture is the architectural style in Australia that was prevalent from around 1890 to 1915. The name refers to the Federation of Australia on 1 January 1901, when the Australian colonies collectively became the Commonwealth of Au ...
style of the turn of the 20th century, where Australia began to play with the idea of a "style of our own", and the modern styles of the late 20th century which sought to reject historicism.
Walter Burley Griffin Walter Burley Griffin (November 24, 1876February 11, 1937) was an American architect and landscape architect. He is known for designing Canberra, Australia's capital city and the New South Wales towns of Griffith, New South Wales, Griffith and ...
was an American
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
and landscape architect who, with fellow architect
Marion Mahony Griffin Marion Mahony Griffin (; February 14, 1871 – August 10, 1961) was an American architect and artist. She was one of the first licensed female architects in the world, and is considered an original member of the Prairie School. Her work in ...
, played a key role in designing
Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
's capital city. A legacy of their unique architecture remains in a small number of Melbourne buildings and the Sydney suburb of
Castlecrag Castlecrag is a suburb on the lower North Shore (Sydney), North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 8 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the Local government in Australia, local government ...
. Castlecrag was planned by the Griffins and also features a number of houses designed in the organic
Modernist Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...
style they developed after the
Prairie School Prairie School is a late 19th- and early 20th-century architectural style, most common in the Midwestern United States. The style is usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in ...
architecture that marked his earlier career in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. The simple, flat-roofed cottages that the Griffins designed in Canberra used their innovative, patented techniques for
concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wi ...
construction. One of the most important local introduction to Australian architecture was the
verandah A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure. Although the form ''veran ...
. As pastoralists took up land and built solid, single story dwellings the addition of verandahs proved popular as they provided shade and looked attractive. They were often integrated into the symmetry of Georgian style homes. Like elsewhere in the world, socio-political factors have played their roles in shaping Australian architecture. During the early 20th century, cities across Australia had placed building height limits, typically 150 feet (45 m), thus hampering the development of American-style
skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...
s until the limits were lifted in the late 1950s. Likewise the popular notion of the "
Australian Dream The Australian Dream or Great Australian Dream is, in its narrowest sense, a belief that in Australia, home ownership can lead to a better life and is an expression of success and security. The term is derived from the American Dream, which f ...
", in which families seek to own their free-standing houses with backyards, meant that high-density housings were rare in Australia until the end of the 20th century. The design of housing in Australia after World War II, which was mostly undertaken by builders, has been described as poor aesthetically and environmentally. Significant concern was raised during the 1960s, with
green ban A green ban is a form of strike action, usually taken by a trade union or other organised labour group, which is conducted for environmentalist or conservationist purposes. They were mainly done in Australia in the 1970s, led by the Builders Labo ...
s and heritage concerns responding to the destruction of earlier buildings and the skyscraper boom, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne, but affecting other major cities including Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane. Green bans helped to protect historic 18th-century buildings in The Rocks from being demolished to make way for office towers, and prevented the Royal Botanic Gardens from being turned into a carpark for the
Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
. In Melbourne a battle was fought to preserve historic
Carlton, Victoria Carlton is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, 3 km north of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, Central Business District, located within the City of Melbourne Local government areas of Vic ...
from slum reclamation for
public housing Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, def ...
, while
gentrification Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and urban planning, planning. Gentrification ...
played a big part in the suburb's salvation. In Melbourne's city centre, the destruction was particularly profound:
Whelan the Wrecker Whelan the Wrecker was a family owned and operated demolition company that operated from 1892 until 1992, based in Brunswick in the city of Melbourne. The company became well known through the 1950s and 1970s when signs stating that "Whelan the ...
was a family owned and operated
demolition Demolition (also known as razing, cartage, and wrecking) is the science and engineering in safely and efficiently tearing down of buildings and other artificial structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a ...
company that operated from 1892 until 1992, which became well known through the 1950s, 70s and 80s when signs stating that "Whelan the Wrecker is Here" appeared on many of the grand Victorian era buildings of
Marvellous Melbourne ''Marvellous Melbourne: Queen City of the South'' is a 1910 documentary of Melbourne that takes the audience through the hotspots of its central business district and surrounding features. Published in 1910, the film stands as the oldest surviv ...
. One of the most lamented losses in Melbourne was the
Federal Coffee Palace The Federal Hotel and Coffee Palace was a large elaborate Second Empire style temperance hotel in the city centre of Melbourne, Victoria, built in 1888 at the height of Melbourne's Boom era, and controversially demolished in 1973. Located on C ...
on Collins Street and the APA Building (inspired by Chicago's early skyscrapers) at 49 Elizabeth Street. Many of the destruction occurred after the International Modernism style arrived in Australia, making Australians particularly conscious about Victorian architecture they felt was "dated". In the 21st century, many Australian architects have taken a more
avant-garde The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
approach to design, and many buildings have emerged that are truly unique and reflective of Australia's culture and values. As a result, many Australian practices are beginning to expand their influence overseas rather than the reverse which was often the case. Melbourne is seen as the city at the forefront of design ideas. Sydney is focusing on the
humanist Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humani ...
approach tending towards
minimalism In visual arts, music and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in post–World War II in Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include Don ...
and architecture in Queensland is interested in outdoor rooms and the filtering of light. Furthermore, greater appreciation for Australia's historic architecture has led to increased heritage protection for many buildings in Australia's cities, though not all buildings are protected, and some allow for
façadism Facadism, façadism, or façadomy is the architectural and construction practice where the facade of a building is designed or constructed separately from the rest of a building, or when only the facade of a building is preserved with new buil ...
if the interior is unsustainable or unsafe.


Australian architectural styles

Architectural styles have been basically exotic and derivative. Only recently have
climate Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorologic ...
and
environment Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, all living and non-living things occurring naturally * Biophysical environment, the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism or ...
played a major role. During the 19th century,
Australian architects Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Au ...
were inspired by developments in
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. From the 1930s on,
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
n and International influences started to appear. Buildings were often heavily influenced by the origins of their patrons, hence while the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
would like to be reminded of their
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
churches and Tudoresque cottages of a perfect
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, the
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
,
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
,
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
,
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
,
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
and other nationalities would also attempt to recreate the architecture of their homelands.


Gallery


Victorian

File:General Post Office, Sydney.jpg, Sydney General Post Office, with an ornate
mansard roof A mansard or mansard roof (also called a French roof or curb roof) is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterised by two slopes on each of its sides, with the lower slope, punctured by dormer windows, at a steeper angle than the upper. The ...
and clock tower (1891) File:Sydney (AU), Queen Victoria Building -- 2019 -- 3580.jpg, The
Queen Victoria Building The Queen Victoria Building (abbreviated as the QVB) is a heritage-listed late-nineteenth-century building designed by the architect George McRae located at 429–481 George Street in the Sydney central business district, in the Australian st ...
(1898), Sydney File:Sydney Town Hall from George Street.jpg, The
Sydney Town Hall The Sydney Town Hall is a late 19th-century heritage-listed town hall building in the city of Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales, Australia, housing the chambers of the Lord Mayor of Sydney, council offices, and venues for meetings and ...
(1886) File:York Street, Sydney.jpg, A mix of various Victorian styles along Sydney's
York Street York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a m ...
File:Bank place melbourne 1.jpg, Victorian architecture featuring ornate heritage lamp posts and bluestone alleys in Bank Place, Melbourne. File:Royal exhibition building tulips straight.jpg, The
Royal Exhibition Building The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage-listed building in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, built in 1879–1880 as part of the international exhibition movement, which presented over 50 exhibitions between 1851 and 1915 around the glo ...
in Melbourne, built for the 1880s World's Fair is on the World Heritage Register File:Old meets new architecture in melbourne.jpg,
Collins Street, Melbourne Collins Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was laid out in the first survey of Melbourne, the original 1837 Hoddle Grid, and soon became the most desired address in the city. Collins ...
19th-century "boom style" buildings contrast with 20th-century corporate skyscrapers in urban Australia File:South Melbourne Town Hall 001.JPG,
South Melbourne Town Hall South Melbourne Town Hall is a civic building located on Bank Street in South Melbourne, Victoria, South Melbourne, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. It is of state heritage significance to Victoria being listed o ...
(1879)


Post-modernism

Image:NewParliamentHouseInCanberra.jpg, Parliament House,
Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
: The main entrance and the flag File:RG Menzies House June 2012.JPG, Australian architecture is characterised largely by an international style with moderate alterations, such as the
colonial style American colonial architecture includes several building design styles associated with the colonial period of the United States, including First Period English (late-medieval), French Colonial, Spanish Colonial, Dutch Colonial, and Georgian. T ...
R.G. Menzies House in Canberra. This is a modern recreation of early American Colonial. File:(1)Australia Square and Calder statue.jpg,
Australia Square Australia Square Tower is an office and retail complex in the central business district of Sydney. Its main address is 264 George Street, and the Square is bounded on the northern side by Bond Street, eastern side by Pitt Street and southern s ...
in Sydney, emblematic of 1960s modernism, was designed by Harry Seidler. File:Crown Sydney Barangaroo (cropped).jpg,
Crown Sydney Crown Sydney (also referred to as One Barangaroo) is a skyscraper in Barangaroo, New South Wales, Australia. Designed by WilkinsonEyre, it stands at a height of with 75 floors, making it the tallest building in Sydney and 4th tallest build ...
File:Southbank Melbourne Skyline.jpg, Melbourne is home to 71 skyscrapers, the two tallest being
Australia 108 Australia 108 (previously 70 Southbank Boulevard) is a residential Supertall structure, supertall skyscraper in the Southbank, Victoria, Southbank precinct of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. Having officially topping out, ...
(left), the Southern Hemisphere's only 100-plus-storey building, and
Eureka Tower Eureka Tower is a skyscraper located in the Southbank precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Construction began in August 2002 and the exterior was completed on 1 June 2006. The plaza was finished in June 2006 and the building was offici ...
(right). File:Q1 seen from the Isle of Capri, Queensland, 2022, 02.jpg, Q1,
Gold Coast, Queensland The Gold Coast is a coastal city in the state of Queensland, Australia, approximately south-southeast of the centre of the state capital Brisbane. With a population over 600,000, the Gold Coast is the sixth-largest city in Australia, the nati ...


Residential

File:House in Ascot, Queensland 2014 01.jpg, A typical Queenslander house in
Ascot, Queensland Ascot is a north-east suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Ascot had a population of 5,777 people. Geography Ascot is characterised by large Queenslander homes and is located approximately north-east of Brisbane ...
; a unique regional style influenced by location and climate File:GarthowenLaunceston.jpg, The
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
"Garthowen" in
Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () or () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, Launceston has a population of 87,645. Material was copied ...
File:(1)house Erskineville 004.jpg, Italianate terrace houses in
Erskineville, New South Wales Erskineville is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 6 kilometres south west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney. Erskinevill ...
File:23 Waimea Road, Lindfield, New South Wales (2011-04-28).jpg, Arts and Crafts shingle and bungalow-inspired style home in the
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
suburb of Lindfield on the
Upper North Shore The North Shore is a region within Northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, generally referring to suburbs located on the northern side of Sydney Harbour up to Wahroonga, and suburbs between Middle Harbour and the Lane Cove ...
File:Townhouses in Victoria Australia.jpg, Modern townhouses in
Boronia, Victoria Boronia is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 km east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Knox local government area. Boronia recorded a population of 23,607 at the 2021 census. The area wa ...
on a subdivided plot of land.


Australian architects

Significant architects include: * Robin Boyd *
John James Clark John James Clark (23 January 1838 – 25 June 1915), an Australian architect, was born in Liverpool, England. Clark's 30 years in public service, in combination with 33 in private practice, produced some of Australia's most notable public buildin ...
*
Francis Greenway Francis Howard Greenway (20 November 1777 – September 1837) was an English-born architect who was transported to Australia as a convict for the crime of forgery. In New South Wales he worked for the Governor, Lachlan Macquarie, as Australia's ...
*
Roy Grounds Sir Roy Burman Grounds (18 December 19052 March 1981) was an Australian architect. His early work included buildings influenced by the Moderne movement of the 1930s, and his later buildings of the 50s and 60s, such as the National Gallery of V ...
* Neville Gruzman * Harry Howard * Bryce Mortlock *
Glenn Murcutt Glenn Marcus Murcutt AO (born 25 July 1936) is an Australian architect and winner of the 1992 Alvar Aalto Medal, the 2002 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the 2009 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal and the 2021 Praemium Imperiale. Gle ...
*
John Horbury Hunt John Horbury Hunt (1838 – December 30, 1904) was a Canadian-born Australian architect who worked in Sydney and rural New South Wales from 1863. Life and career Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, the son of a builder, Hunt was trained in B ...
*
Nonda Katsalidis Nonda Katsalidis (born 1951) is a Greek-Australian architect. He is currently a practising director of architecture firm Fender Katsalidis Architects in partnership with Karl Fender. Biography Early life Nonda Katsalidis was born in 1951 ...
* Joseph Reed *
Harry Seidler Harry Seidler (25 June 19239 March 2006) was an Austrian-born Australian architect who is considered to be one of the leading exponents of Modernism's methodology in Australia and the first architect to fully express the principles of the B ...
*
Walter Liberty Vernon Colonel Walter Liberty Vernon (11 August 184617 January 1914) was an English architect who migrated to Australia and pursued his career as an architect in Sydney, New South Wales. In his role as the New South Wales Government Architect he is ...
*
Mortimer Lewis Mortimer William Lewis (1796 – 9 March 1879) was an English-born architect, surveyor and public servant who migrated to Australia and became New South Wales Government Architect, Colonial Architect in the colony of New South Wales (now a state ...
*
George McRae George McRae (10 September 1857 – 16 June 1923) was a Scottish architect who migrated to Australia and pursued his career in Sydney, where he became Government Architect of New South Wales and designed some of Sydney's best-known buildi ...
*
Howard Joseland Howard Joseland (1860–1930) was an English architect who migrated to Australia and pursued a successful and influential career there. Early life Richard George Howard Joseland was born on 14 January 1860 at Claines, Worcestershire, Engl ...
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James Barnet James Johnstone Barnet, (1827 in Almericlose, Arbroath, Scotland – 16 December 1904 in Forest Lodge, Sydney, New South Wales) was the Colonial Architect for Colonial New South Wales, serving from 1862 to 1890. Early life Born the son of a ...
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Lily Isabel Maude Addison Lily Isabel Maude Addison (1885–1968) was a female architect who practised in Queensland, Australia. She practiced at a time when very few women worked as architects. Personal Lily Isabel Maude Addison was born on 12 March 1885 at St Kilda, ...
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Edmund Blacket Edmund Thomas Blacket (25 August 1817 – 9 February 1883) was an Australian architect, best known for his designs for the University of Sydney, St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney and St. Saviour's Cathedral, Goulburn. Arriving in Sydney from Engl ...
* Beverley Ussher * Muir and Shepherd * Amir Válá Meshkin * Ruth Alsop * Brit Andresen * Beverley Bolin * Eva Buhrich *
Stroma Buttrose Stroma Buttrose (20 October 1929 – 26 February 2020) was an Australian architect, who became the first female Planning Assistant in South Australia, joining the Town Planners Office in 1957 (later called the State Planning office). Buttrose is ...
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Kerry and Lindsay Clare Kerry Clare and Lindsay Clare are a wife and husband duo who are Australian architects, founders of Clare Design and joint recipients of the Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal. Professional career Kerry Clare and Lindsay Clare pract ...
* Louise Cox *
Eleanor Cullis-Hill Eleanor Cullis-Hill (4 November 1913 – 8 September 2001) was an Australian architect. Running a solo practice from her home between 1946 and 1981, she designed dozens of buildings and renovations, mostly residential, on Sydney's North Shore. ...
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Suzanne Dance Suzanne Dance is a Melbourne-based architect who has spent over four decades focusing on architectural conservation and residential work in the inner suburbs of Melbourne. She has been a resident of Fitzroy since 1975 and for eight years she was ...
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Maggie Edmond Margaret Leonie Edmond (née Suchestow; born 11 June 1946) is an Australian architect. Education and formative years As a child, Edmond's family lived in houses designed by notable Australian architects—the Bridgeford House in Black Rock, ...
* Rosina Edmunds *
Zahava Elenberg Zahava Elenberg is an Australian architect. She co-founded Melbourne-based architecture practice Elenberg Fraser and is the founder of turn-key accommodation fit out and interior furnishing company Move-in. Early years Zahava is the daughter ...
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Cassandra Fahey Cassandra Fahey (born c. 1972) is an Australian architect and interior designer residing in Melbourne. She is Director of the architecture firm "Cassandra Complex". She emerged in the public spotlight in 2000 because of the controversial 'Newm ...
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Margaret Feilman Margaret Anne Feilman (21 June 1921 – 24 September 2013) was an Australian architect and Perth's first female town planner. She practiced as an architect and landscape designer. A founding member of the Western Australian Town Planning Inst ...
* Margaret Findlay * Abbie Galvin * Jill Garner * Eli Giannini * Eileen Good * Kristin Green *
Marion Mahony Griffin Marion Mahony Griffin (; February 14, 1871 – August 10, 1961) was an American architect and artist. She was one of the first licensed female architects in the world, and is considered an original member of the Prairie School. Her work in ...
* Winsome Hall Andrew * Laura Harding *
Ellison Harvie (Edythe) Ellison Harvie (18 May 1902 – 27 September 1984) was an Australian architect and an advocate for the professional development of women. In 1938, she became the first Australian woman to graduate with a Diploma of Architectural Design ...
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Beatrice Hutton Beatrice May Hutton (1893–1990), also known as Bea Hutton was an Australian architect. On 30 October 1916, she became the first female to be accepted into an institute of architects in Australia. This followed the rejection of earlier female a ...
* Louise St John Kennedy *
Helen Lochhead Professor Helen Lochhead is an Australian architect, urbanist and Dean of the Faculty of Built Environment at UNSW Sydney. She is also the 2019 President of the Australian Institute of Architects. Biography Helen Lochhead graduated from the U ...
* Bill and Ruth Lucas *
Kirsteen Mackay Kirsteen Mackay is a British and Australian architect, who is the South Australian Government Architect. She is a registered architect in the United Kingdom and South Australia. Mackay studied architecture at the Glasgow School of Art and co ...
* Kooi-Ying Mah * Nellie McCredie *
Margaret Pitt Morison Margaret Lillian Pitt Morison (3 December 1900 – 12 December 1985) was an Australian architect active in the 20th century. She was the first female architect member in Western Australia. As a practitioner, educator and historian, she mad ...
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Elina Mottram Elina Emily Mottram, (1903–1996) was an England-born architect trained in Brisbane. She was Queensland’s first and longest practicing female architect, practicing and establishing her own business in Brisbane from 1924 to 1975. Mottram died ...
* Phyllis Murphy * Andrea Nield *
Ellice Nosworthy Ellice Maud Nosworthy (25 February 1897 – 7 January 1972) was an Australian practising architect for approximately 50 years and graduated as one of Australia's first female architects in 1922. Early life and education Nosworthy, was a second ...
* Alexis Ord * Shelley Penn *
Christine Phillips Christine Phillips is an Australian architect, academic, writer and broadcaster based in Melbourne, Australia. Biography Since graduating from RMIT University in 2000, Christine Phillips has been an active part of Australia’s architecture cul ...
* Susan Phillips * Caroline Pidcock * Kelly Rattigan * Dimity Reed *
Penelope Seidler Penelope Alice Marjorie Seidler AM (nee Evatt, born 15 December 1938) is an Australian architect, former member of National Gallery of Australia Council, and current member of the NGA Foundation Board. She is also an accountant and director of ...
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Mary Turner Shaw Mary Turner Shaw (1906–1990) was born in Caulfield, Melbourne, Australia. She is one of the first women to be employed as an architect in the early 1930s in Australia and thus pioneered new pathways for female architects. Her career is widel ...
* Muriel Stott *
Florence Mary Taylor Florence Mary Taylor (; 29 December 1879 – 13 February 1969) was the first qualified female architect in Australia.De Vries, S. 1999. ''The Complete Book of Great Australian Women''. Harper Collins. She was also the first woman in Australia ...
* Jennifer Taylor * Cynthia Teague * Kerstin Thompson ( * Yvonne von Hartel *
Emma Young Emma Young is an Australian architect, born in Sydney in 1971. Career Young completed a Bachelor of Science (Environmental Design) at the University of Canberra before completing a Bachelor of Architecture at RMIT University in 1999. Prior to ...
Significant firms include: *
Ashton Raggatt McDougall ARM Architecture or Ashton Raggatt McDougall is an architectural firm with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide, Australia. The firm was founded in 1988 and has completed internationally renowned design work. ARM's founding directors were S ...
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Bates Smart Bates Smart is an architectural firm with studios in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1853 by Joseph Reed, it is known as one of Australia's oldest architectural firms. Over the decades, the firm's multidisciplinary practices involv ...
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Lyons (architecture firm) Lyons is an Australian architecture firm based in Melbourne. Established in 1996 by brothers Corbett Lyon and Carey Lyon, they were soon joined by third brother Cameron, Neil Appleton and Adrian Stanic, and are all now directors. Lyons is known for ...
* Searle x Waldron *
Kennedy Nolan Kennedy Nolan is a Melbourne-based architecture practice established in 1999 by Rachel Nolan and Patrick Kennedy (who both met while studying and living on campus at the University of Melbourne). Kennedy Nolan principally work on residential proj ...


Notable structures

There are many notable structures, of particular importance are: *the
Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
, original design being by
Jørn Utzon Jørn Oberg Utzon, , Hon. FAIA (; 9 April 191829 November 2008) was a Danish architect. He was most notable for designing the Sydney Opera House in Australia, completed in 1973. When it was declared a World Heritage Site on 28 June 2007, Utzo ...
(
UNESCO World Heritage A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
) *the
Brisbane City Hall Brisbane City Hall, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is the seat of the Brisbane City Council. It is located adjacent to King George Square, where the rectangular City Hall has its main entrance. The City Hall also has frontages and entranc ...
*the
Royal Exhibition Building The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage-listed building in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, built in 1879–1880 as part of the international exhibition movement, which presented over 50 exhibitions between 1851 and 1915 around the glo ...
in Melbourne (
UNESCO World Heritage A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
) *
Federation Square Federation Square (colloquially Fed Square) is a venue for arts, culture and public events on the edge of the Melbourne central business district. It covers an area of at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets built above busy ra ...
, Melbourne *
Parliament House, Canberra Parliament House, also referred to as Capital Hill or simply Parliament, is the meeting place of the Parliament of Australia, and the seat of the legislative branch of the Australian Government. Located in Canberra, the Parliament building is ...
*
Sydney Harbour Bridge The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge in Sydney, spanning Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour from the Sydney central business district, central business district (CBD) to the North Shore (Sydney), North Shore. The view of the bridg ...


See also

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Urban planning in Australia Urban planning in Australia has a significant role to play in ensuring the future sustainability of Australian cities. Australia is one of the most highly urbanised societies in the world. Continued population growth in Australian cities is placin ...


References


External links


Australian Institute of Architects (AIA)Australian Architects under World Architects www.world-architects.comArchitectureAU - online repository of ''Architecture Australia'', the magazine of the Australian Institute of ArchitectsAustralian Design ReviewGallery of Australian ArchitectureGallery of Federation ArchitectureGallery of Sydney ArchitectureAustralian Architects
{{Australia topics