The iconic Robin Boyd House II at 290 Walsh Street, South Yarra, Melbourne, is to be auctioned on 21st July 2007. We are people who give a damn about the loss of this house and the Robin Boyd Foundation. We believe there's enough good will and commitment out there to save it for all Victorians - all we need is a bit of coordination, leadership and a determination to make it happen. This is an information blog and coordination point for others who feel the same way.
Courtesy of Bennison Mackinnon Carmichael www.bennmac.com.au
5
comments:
Anonymous
said...
What an amazing and inspiring piece of design and melbourne history. Definitely worth saving. Commendable effort and GOOD LUCK with your quest. I hope Melbourne wakes up to this before it's too late.
I think the previous comment sums up the situation quiet well. It's a tragic reflection of the state of historical Australian architecture when this is even an issue - an urgent one at that. Hopefully, this house can be used as a means of encouraging an appreciation of unique design to the wider public, then perhaps the greater community will be more educated about the wonderful examples of Australian living that is his great legacy.
Robin Boyd was Australia's premier residential architect of the mid-20th century. It would be a tragedy if this house were to revert from public hands back to private ownership. What will happen to his papers which are being maintained by the Boyd Foundation? The Victorian Government must step in and save the house from being sold.
Where are the high profile and monied architects, dipping into their pockets and speaking with passion on behalf of this house and what it represents? To say nothing of the RAIA and the architecture establishment. Someone once told me that every architect thinks they should have a foundation named after them. Possibly true, but surely artistic ego is too facile an explanation for why the architecture community has gone AWOL on the subject of Boyd's house and Foundation. The deepest irony is that by not leaping to the defence of either, the concept that architecture is part of our cultural DNA and worth cherishing erodes just a little further, dragging all architects down with it. The impact of this apathy is felt not only in the vast fields of fringe dwelling McMansions (no architects involved, but plenty of "Wow Factor") but also by the army of exhausted architecture graduates working 80hr weeks for $30k pa.
Thanks for your comments. Tim: perhaps the Foundation can clarify the location of Boyd archives. I thought the archives were at the LaTrobe and State Libraries. Anne: Ouch. I can't speak in defence of the RAIA (perhaps an RAIA member can reply to you) but I hear you: we need more registered architects weighing in on this issue. Re. McMansions: inappropriate and unsustainable building practices have been left to fester for too long. Suburban Mums and Dads need to be exposed to informed architectural debates in plain language. Boyd was a master at this. The Boyd Foundation, given the chance, is the perfect vehicle for touching those that can't afford/have little interest in architects, but perhaps need them most of all.
1. Your help! Leave a comment, canvass others who might be interested to get involved, get in touch direct with the State Government, help us draw together the support that's out there! Contact us: nicdowse@gmail.com
2. Leadership from the State Government, the National Trust (Victoria) and the RBF Board to come together and do what has to be done to ensure the Robin Boyd House II is purchased for the Victorian public;
3. If worse comes to worst and the house must be sold into private hands, we ask the Boyd Foundation Board to abandon the planned auction in favour of a more heritage-consistent sale process, for example sale by tender.
5 comments:
What an amazing and inspiring piece of design and melbourne history. Definitely worth saving.
Commendable effort and GOOD LUCK with your quest. I hope Melbourne wakes up to this before it's too late.
I think the previous comment sums up the situation quiet well. It's a tragic reflection of the state of historical Australian architecture when this is even an issue - an urgent one at that. Hopefully, this house can be used as a means of encouraging an appreciation of unique design to the wider public, then perhaps the greater community will be more educated about the wonderful examples of Australian living that is his great legacy.
Robin Boyd was Australia's premier residential architect of the mid-20th century. It would be a tragedy if this house were to revert from public hands back to private ownership. What will happen to his papers which are being maintained by the Boyd Foundation? The Victorian Government must step in and save the house from being sold.
Where are the high profile and monied architects, dipping into their pockets and speaking with passion on behalf of this house and what it represents? To say nothing of the RAIA and the architecture establishment. Someone once told me that every architect thinks they should have a foundation named after them. Possibly true, but surely artistic ego is too facile an explanation for why the architecture community has gone AWOL on the subject of Boyd's house and Foundation. The deepest irony is that by not leaping to the defence of either, the concept that architecture is part of our cultural DNA and worth cherishing erodes just a little further, dragging all architects down with it. The impact of this apathy is felt not only in the vast fields of fringe dwelling McMansions (no architects involved, but plenty of "Wow Factor") but also by the army of exhausted architecture graduates working 80hr weeks for $30k pa.
Thanks for your comments. Tim: perhaps the Foundation can clarify the location of Boyd archives. I thought the archives were at the LaTrobe and State Libraries. Anne: Ouch. I can't speak in defence of the RAIA (perhaps an RAIA member can reply to you) but I hear you: we need more registered architects weighing in on this issue. Re. McMansions: inappropriate and unsustainable building practices have been left to fester for too long. Suburban Mums and Dads need to be exposed to informed architectural debates in plain language. Boyd was a master at this. The Boyd Foundation, given the chance, is the perfect vehicle for touching those that can't afford/have little interest in architects, but perhaps need them most of all.
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