Arthur Norman Baldwinson (1908–1969) was one of Australia's first generation of prominent

modernist architects Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architecture wa ...

to experience the European modernist movement first hand. His modernist contemporaries include Roy Grounds and Frederick Romberg in Victoria, as well as Sydney Ancher and

Walter Bunning Walter Ralston Bunning (19 May 1912 – 13 October 1977) was an Australian architect and urban planner. Early life Bunning was born in Brisbane. During the depression he moved to Sydney to study at National Art School, East Sydney Technical ...

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

; their respective Australian architectural careers in modernism began in the late 1930s. Baldwinson's active professional career as an active practising architect was relatively short (1938–1960).

Early life

A talented sketcher, Baldwinson was encouraged to study architecture and in June 1925 enrolled at the

Gordon Institute of TAFE The Gordon Institute of TAFE is the Technical and Further Education institute predominantly servicing the wider Geelong area. The Gordon opened in 1887 and celebrated 130 years of providing education in 2017. The Gordon provides education ...

, Geelong, Victoria. Baldwinson won the William Campbell sketching competition in 1930 and next year was admitted as an associate of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects (RVIA). (Bogle, M, 2011) He also won first prize in the 1930 RVIA Bronze Medal for measured architectural drawing (student prize). Baldwinson's winning entry was described in the RVIA Journal ''"to be congratulated upon the very excellent standard of his work throughout, which in the opinion of the assessors, in every way merits the award of the R.V.I.A. Bronze Medal. The composition of the sheets has been skilfully handled and the drafting and rendering in particular, are excellent. The field notes also exhibit evidence of considerable skill with the pencil on the part of the competitor and of precision and care in the measuring of the work."'' In 1931 Baldwinson was awarded first prize in the Drawing and Design (Silver Medal) for students by the RVIA. The Depression brought building to a standstill. After saving £42 for the fare, in April 1931 Baldwinson reached London where he was employed as a casual illustrator and in the office of the Australian-born architect Raymond McGrath. (Apperly & Reynolds 1993, Baldwinson) Baldwinson described his own work as being "in the real spirit of modern architecture" (Arthur Baldwinson, diary 1934). On his return to Australia in 1936 he worked in both Sydney and Melbourne before establishing his own practice in 1938. (Apperly & Reynolds 1993, Baldwinson) Baldwinson was inspired by modernism from his earliest designs. He looked to contemporary modernist principles and the theories of

Walter Gropius Walter Adolph Georg Gropius (; 18 May 1883 – 5 July 1969) was a German-born American architect and founder of the Bauhaus, Bauhaus School, who is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modernist architecture. He was a founder of ...

, the founder of the Bauhaus. He became convinced that new building techniques allowed the architect to create original forms, cleansed of surface ornament and free from historical style. (Apperly & Reynolds 1993, Baldwinson)

Biography

Baldwinson was born in

Kalgoorlie Kalgoorlie-Boulder (or just Kalgoorlie) is a city in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia, located east-northeast of Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway. It is referred to as Kalgoorlie–Boulder as the surroundi ...

, West Australia in 1908. He trained in architecture (1925–1929) under George R. King, the head of the architecture program at the Gordon Institute of Technology, Geelong, Victoria. Baldwinson's work, especially in the areas of drawing and rendering, was exemplary and this led King to ask him to stay on as 'Architectural Instructor'. Baldwinson held a teaching position from 1930 until 1932 when he left for London. In London, Baldwinson was first employed in the office of Raymond McGrath, an architecture graduate from the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

. While there, Baldwinson worked alongside such major talents like

Serge Chermayeff Serge Ivan Chermayeff (born Sergei Ivanovich Issakovich; ; 8 October 1900 – 8 May 1996) was a Russian-born British architect, industrial designer, writer, and co-founder of several architectural societies, including the American Society of Pl ...

and

Wells Coates Wells Wintemute Coates (December 17, 1895 – June 17, 1958) was an architect, designer and writer. He was, for most of his life, an expatriate Canadian who is best known for his work in England, the most notable of which is the Modernist block ...

. McGrath's practise at the time included designing the interiors for the BBC's studios at Portland Place, London. In mid-1934, Baldwinson worked for the firm Adams Thompson and Fry during the period when principal partner and co-founder of MARS (Modern Architectural Research Society),

Maxwell Fry Edwin Maxwell Fry, CBE, RA, FRIBA, F RTPI (2 August 1899 – 3 September 1987) was an English modernist architect, writer and painter. Originally trained in the neo-classical style of architecture, Fry grew to favour the new modernist style, ...

, in collaboration with social reformer Elizabeth Denby, was designing Kensal House, the progressive, modernist housing scheme for the Gas Light and Coke Company.

Early career

In October 1934,

formed a partnership with

with whom Baldwinson worked directly until early 1937. Gropius departed for the United States in March 1937. Baldwinson was actively involved in the design and drawings of Gropius's commissions including: Isokon 3 medium density project, Windsor; the E. W. Levy House, Chelsea; the Donaldson House, Sevenoaks; the Impington Village College, Cambridgeshire and the Christ's College project for Cambridge University.

Return to Australia

In January 1937, Baldwinson began his return trip to Australia with a determination to plant the flag of "the new architecture"; he took up a position with Stephenson & Meldrum, first in their Melbourne office, then later in Sydney as Stephenson & Turner. In early 1938 Baldwinson entered the annual Victorian Timber Development Association (TDA) prize for residential timber buildings and won in three categories. Soon after this success, he established his own practice in Pitt Street, Sydney. In 1938–1939, he formed a brief design partnership with fellow-West Australian, John Oldham (Oldham & Baldwinson) to design a workers' housing project near Coomaditchy Lagoon, Port Kembla, New South Wales. In 1938, Baldwinson had his first solo commission, Collins House at Palm Beach. Baldwinson designed a red-stained weatherboard house on a sandstone plinth comprising an external stair ramp, two bedrooms, upper-level verandah and playroom on the lower level. The house received considerable media attention.

World War II service and the Beaufort Division

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Baldwinson worked for the Commonwealth Aircraft Factory designing and constructing buildings engaged in the manufacture of aircraft. By 1943, he had been promoted Chief Architect of the Beaufort Division, Department of Aircraft Production (DAP). Baldwinson later developed an all-steel pre-fabricated 'Beaufort' house for DAP post-war sale to the Victorian Housing Commission in 1946. This was Australia's first fully factory-manufactured prefabricated steel house. Arthur Baldwinson's dream of the 'machine-made house' was part of the early 20th century modernist vision of standardised housing with factory-produced interchangeable components, modular plans and elevations produced at a price accessible to every citizen. The ambitious prefabricated steel house known as the 'Beaufort House' was designed and developed by the Beaufort Division of the Commonwealth Department of Aircraft Production (DAP). located at Fishermen's Bend, Melbourne and Essendon Airport. The highly efficient Beaufort Division manufactured twin engine Beaufort Bombers under license during

.The Beaufort House was designed by Arthur Baldwinson (Chief Architect) and the staff of the Beaufort Division. Eight models of the steel house were designed but only one prototype had been fabricated by the first exhibition date in 1946. While it is not clear if all models proceeded to prototype, two types were built (Type 2 and Type 8) and supplied as public projects in Melbourne and Canberra. The Beaufort House was first exhibited in 1946 in Treasury Gardens, Melbourne and its second appearance was in 1947 in the

Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...

suburb of Ainslie. (Bogle, M, 2011)

MARS

In 1939, Baldwinson became a founding member of the Modern Architectural Research Society (

MARS Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It is also known as the "Red Planet", because of its orange-red appearance. Mars is a desert-like rocky planet with a tenuous carbon dioxide () atmosphere. At the average surface level the atmosph ...

) which was disbanded late in 1943 when most of its members were away on war service. MARS Group, was a British architectural think tank founded in 1933 by several prominent architects and architectural critics of the time involved in the British modernist movement. The quiet, unassuming modesty which had so endeared Arthur Baldwinson to his friends may help to explain why his achievement was relatively unrecognised in his lifetime.(Bogle, M, 2011, MARS) Baldwinson was also on the organising committee for the formation Australia's first industrial design organisation, the 'Design and Industries Association of Australia' (DIAA).

Career after World War II

In 1946, Baldwinson returned to Sydney and formed a partnership with Melbourne engineer, Eric Gibson. As Gibson and Baldwinson, Gibson managed the office in Melbourne and Baldwinson supervised the Sydney office. In this partnership Baldwinson produced his best residential designs for a number of Sydney's Contemporary Artists Society (CAS) members. These avant-garde clients included Alistair Morrison,

William Dobell Sir William Dobell (24 September 189913 May 1970) was an Australian portrait and landscape artist of the 20th century. Dobell won the Archibald Prize, Australia's premier award for portrait artists on three occasions. The Dobell Prize is named ...

, Harold Clay, Geoff and Dahl Collings, James Andriesse,

Max Dupain Maxwell Spencer Dupain AC OBE (22 April 191127 July 1992) was an Australian modernist photographer. Early life Dupain received his first camera as a gift in 1924, spurring his interest in photography. He later joined the Photographic Society ...

and Elaine Haxton. In 1950 he concluded his partnership and applied for a lectureship at Sydney University School of Architecture, Design and Planning. By 1952, he was a Senior Lecturer in the architecture faculty. In 1953, Baldwinson formed a partnership with Charles Vernon Sylvester-Booth; in 1956 Charles Peters joined the firm to form Baldwinson, Booth and Peters. The partnership lasted until 1958 with Baldwinson concentrating on residential designs, which he favoured, while Booth and Peters pursued commercial work. One of their designs, Hotel Belmont, near Newcastle won the NSW RAIA Sulman Medal in 1956. During this partnership, Baldwinson also designed the Mandl House, Wahroonga (1953) and the Simpson-Lee House, Wahroonga (1957). He also designed and built his own residence at 79 Carlotta Street, Greenwich (1954) funded by his teacher's salary. The Carlotta Street house is the most precise essay on Baldwinson's restrained modernist philosophy. Baldwinson's palette of materials was consistent throughout his practice: bagged brick, weatherboard or vertical tongue-and-groove cladding and concrete contrasted against the irregularities of regional sandstone. Although his practice was occasionally involved in commercial commissions, his greatest accomplishments lie in the adaptation of the principles and materials of European modernism for site-specific suburban Australian houses. He helped to pioneer free-plan concepts, site-adjusted residential design, the 'scientific kitchen', flat roof treatments and the functional placement of windows and doors to create a distinctly regional variation of European modernism. In his development of a Sydney basin form of regional modernism, he is a precursor to the much-debated 'Sydney School' of residential architecture of the later 20th century.Michael Bogle. (2008) "Arthur Baldwinson. Regional Modernism in Sydney." School of Architecture and Design, RMIT, Melbourne, PhD Thesis. Internal disputes forced the dissolution of the Baldwinson, Booth and Peters partnership and Baldwinson immediately formed a new partnership with recent Sydney University graduate Geoffrey Twibill. The partnership lasted until late 1959. Late in 1960, Baldwinson closed his formal practice but continued to teach and accept private commissions in the Sydney suburbs, designing the Hauslaib House,

Point Piper Point Piper is a small, harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, east of the Sydney CBD, in the local government area known as the Municipality of Woollahra. Location The suburb of Point Piper sits ...

(1960), Pennington House, Whale Beach (1960), Robinson House, Castle Cove (1963) and his last completed house for the artist

Desiderius Orban Desiderius Orban, (; 26 November 18844 October 1986) was a renowned Hungary, Hungarian Painting, painter, printmaker and teacher, who, after emigrating to Australia in 1939 when in his mid-50s, also made an illustrious career in that country. ...

, in Northwood (1968). He continued to teach at the

until 1969. With Elspeth, he travelled abroad in 1961 and 1966–1967. At weekends he visited and photographed old buildings for the NSW branch of the

National Trust of Australia The National Trust of Australia, officially the Australian Council of National Trusts (ACNT), is the Australian national peak body for community-based, non-government non-profit organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's Ind ...

. Baldwinson died of

myocardial infarction A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

on 25 August 1969 in

Royal North Shore Hospital The Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) is a major public teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, located in the suburb of St Leonards. It serves as a teaching hospital for Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney, University of Technol ...

Gallery

File:Andriesse House Elevation.png, Front elevation of the Andriesse House, 1947 File:Andriesse House Floor Plan.png, Floor plan of the Andriesse House, 1947 File:Clay House.png, Photograph of the Clay House from Australian Home Beautiful (cover) File:The Collings House.png, Photograph of the Collings House, 1950 File:Collings House.png, Interior photograph of the Collings House, 1950 File:Davies House.png, Photograph of the Davies House, 1951 File:Davies House Floor Plan.png, Floor plan for the Davies House, 1951 File:Dobell House Sketch.png, Sketch design for the Dobell House with the final composition reversed. File:Dobell House Sketch 02.png, Sketch design B for the Dobell House 1947 File:The Abbot House.png, Photograph of the Abbot House, 1951 File:The Adnam House.png, Photograph of the Adnam House, 1950 File:The Beaufort House (Design no. 8).png, From the Beaufort Homes Brochure File:The Beaufort House (Design no. 2).png, Beaufort House under construction File:Wilkinson House Floor Plan.png, Floor plan for the Wilkinson House, 1947