Assignment-1_Glenn Murcutt.pptx

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GLENN
MURCUTT

“Glenn Murcutt is a modernist, a naturalist, an
environmentalist, a humanist, an economist and
ecologist encompassing all of these distinguished
qualities in his practice as a dedicated architect who
works alone from concept to realization of his projects
in his native Australia.”
A BO UT
MPavilion,
2019
https://www.pritzkerprize.com/biography-glenn-murcutt

Glenn Murcutt, the son of Australian parents, was born
in London in 1936. He grew up in the Morobe district of
New Guinea, where he developed an appreciation for
simple, primitive architecture.
When his family left New Guinea they established
themselves in Sydney, Australia.
EA R LY CHILDHO O D
Sydney,
Australia,
1958
Morobe
Porvince

Until the age of five, he lived with his parents in the New Guinea, land which would leave an important imprint on
his memory, and later will influence also his way of seeing things and designing.
His first home was built by his father and was lifted from the ground, to protect it from reptiles and water coming
in, and the roof was made of lightweight corrugated iron. These two elements will become later in his career,
Symbolic for his designs. Another interesting memory of his, which will give us a clue of why he is so keen on using
metal in his projects regards the planes.
EA R LY CHILDHO O D

When his family left New Guinea, they established themselves in Sydney, Australia, and his father opened a joinery
shop where he had to spend all his holidays, from 11 years onwards, but in this way, by making casement
windows, box-frame windows, Glenn learned to pay attention to details and to observe everything that
surrounded him.
But the influence of his father did not stop here, he subscribed to Architectural Forum, and thus transmitted to his
son the appreciation for, Frank Lloyd Wright, Philip Johnson, Charles Eames.
His father was not only interested in modern architecture, but he designed and built himself some of the houses
where they lived, and when Glenn was 13, he did a model of their home, following his father’s request.
EA R LY CHILDHO O D

He is grateful for many things to his father, from his who would later become perhaps his favorite philosopher, in a
teachings about the environment to the ones regarding for his contribution to ecology and environment
EA R LY CHILDHO O D

the age of one, it’s no wonder that Glenn Murcutt would later visit nearly every continent as a lecturer or visiting
professor at leading universities. Of this, he says, “Teaching has proved a wonderful way to learn. Not only have my
students provided challenges, but they are sounding boards for ideas, and my association with other teachers has
provided great stimulus.”
E X PE R IE NCES

Murcutt wanted to experience his Marie Short house for a 24-hour period, which he did starting after the evening
meal and every two hours going to a different part of the house to see what was happening. Says Murcutt, “It was
wonderful to be there. I was in command. I was able to say if I wanted the wind to come in or not. I wasn’t
enslaved by the building. I could hear the frogs, the crickets; I could tell the day was coming by the sounds of the
birds waking. The moon came through the skylight—patches of blue light entered the room. You can’t experience
that easily in the forest because you would be eaten by mosquitoes. Here I was in a man-made environment that is
insect meshed, but able to experience ninety per cent of the outside environment. I could open up the house and
freeze or close it and stay warm. That’s what a house should do—to operate the building like sailing a boat.”
E X PE R IE NCES

INFLUNCES
Apart from the ‘simple living’ philosophy of Henry David Thoreau, Murcutt has
been deeply influenced by the modernist architecture of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
and Alvar Aalto, the Californian architecture of Richard Neutra and Craig Ellwood,
and the works of Pritzker Prize winning Danish architect, Jørn Utzon.
Glenn Murcutt today readily credits his father as being a
strong influence toward his architectural career.
Alvar
Aalto
Henry David Thoreau
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Jørn
Utzon.
Richard
Neutra
Craig Ellwood

1950-55 Manly Boys High School, Sydney
1956-61 Studies at Sydney Technical College, Part of University of New South Wales, Sydney.
1956 Works at Levido & Baker
1958-59 Works at Nevile Guzman
1962 Works at Allen & Jack
1962-64 Spends a period in London, Works with the firm Ian Frazer & Associates.
Travels in Europe to Italy, Yugoslavia, Greece, France, Holland, Germany, Poland, Denmark,
Sweden and Finland.
1964-69 Returns to Sydney. Works with the firm Ancher, Martlock, Murray & Wooley.
1969- Founds the Glenn Murcutt firm, Carries out his work predominantly as a sole practionar using
creative collaborations on a project by project basis.
E DUCATIO N A ND A PPR E NTICES HIP
El Corquis- Glenn Murcutt, Leaves of Iron

He was introduced to - Peter Muller, Harry Seidler, Neville Guzman and Bill Lucas.
Another architect he acknowledges as influential was Russell Jack.
‘
Murcutt acknowledges Russell taught me to detail and to draw and he had a very powerful affinity with, and
respect for, the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. It was also the first generation to become interested in the Australian
landscape and building.’
A DO LECENS E

Beyond the ecological impact, Murcutt’s design philosophy
also extends to the impact of the physical form of the building
on the landscape, especially in the way the structure interacts
with the immediate surroundings.
He whole-heartedly adheres to the well-known principle “less
is more,” and another that “form is not the aim of our work,
but only the result.”
TO UCHING THE EA RTH LIGHTLY W ITH
LEAV ES O F IRO N
Walsh
House
https://www.habitusliving.com/design-hunters/glenn-murcutt-houses-architecture-design-philosophy,
Keynote Lecture, 2015

In the foreword to Leaves of Iron: Glenn Murcutt : Pioneer of an Australian Architectural Form, he wrote: "Landscape in
Australia is remarkable. I have learned much from scrutinizing the land and its flora. There is an overriding horizontality. The
flora is tough. It is in addition, durable, hardy and yet supremely delicate. It is so light at its edges that its connection with the
deep sky vault is unsurpassed anywhere. The sunlight is so intense for most of the continent that it separates and isolates
objects. My architecture has attempted to convey something of the discrete character of elements in the Australian landscape,
to offer my interpretation in built form."
IN HIS OW N WO R DS

Murcutt says, "A building should be able to open up and say, 'I am alive and looking after my people,' or instead, 'I'm closed
now, and I'm looking after my people as well.' This to me is the real issue, buildings should respond. They should open and
close and modify and re-modify, and blinds should turn and open and close, open a little bit without complication. That is a
part of architecture for me; all this makes a building live."
IN HIS OW N WO R DS

Influences of his early exposure to simple and organic
architecture have never left his signature design style.
He displays a remarkable sensitivity to the environment,
with due consideration given to the climate, and
elements such as light, wind, water and temperature in
and around the site even before he puts pencil to paper.
CHA R AC TE R ISTICS
Kempsey
House
https://www.habitusliving.com/design-hunters/glenn-murcutt-houses-architecture-design-philosophy

Distinctly and consistently Australian in character, his
designs are not only economical, multifunctional and
energy-efficient, but also responsive to the environment
where they will be sited. His pragmatism extends to the
materials he uses in his builds, keeping his choices down
to those that can be produced and sourced locally such
as glass, stone, brick, concrete and corrugated metal.
Australian
Opel
Museum

His seminal body of work is a symbol of honest
architecture – a harmonious mixture of contemporary
design, basic materials, native craftsmanship and a
deep-seated respect for ‘site, climate, place and culture’.
Fredericks/
White
House

Design elements such as a lightweight frame, elevated
floors, and walls of shutters and louvres that can be
opened up to allow free flow of breeze, all come
together to create a building that sits lightly on the
ground, seamlessly and quietly merging with the
environment.
Marika-Alderton
House
Magney
House

“Life is not about maximizing everything, it's about giving something back - like light, space, form, serenity, joy. You
have to give something back.”
"Architecture is not created, it is discovered – the hand will find solutions before the mind can even comprehend
them."
"I cannot pursue my architecture without considering the minimization of energy consumption, simple and direct
technologies, a respect for site, climate, place and culture. Together, these disciplines represent for me a fantastic
platform for experimentation and expression. Of particular importance is the junction of the rational and the
poetic resulting hopefully in works that resonate and belong to where they reside."
QUOTES
https://www.azquotes.com/author/31784-Glenn_Murcutt

"We do not create the work. I believe we, in fact, are discoverers.“
“I see simplicity not so much as a disregard for complexity but as a clarification of the
significant.”
QUOTES

https://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/people/australian-architect-glenn-murcutt-houses-architec#
https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/know-your-architects/a310-life-and-works-of-glenn-murcutt/
https://futurecitiesenviro.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40984-017-0026-6
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Glenn-Murcutt
https://www.ozetecture.org/glenn-murcutt-profile
R E F E R E NCES

Assignment-1_Glenn Murcutt.pptx

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Assignment-1_Glenn Murcutt.pptx