Glenn Murcutt

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Glenn Murcutt (born 25 July 1936, London, England) is an Australian Architect. He is also the founding president of the Australian Architecture Association. He won the Alvar Aalto Medal in 1992, and the Pritzker Prize in 2002. Murcutt works as a sole practitioner, producing residential and institutional work all over Australia. Though he does not work outside the country, or run a large firm, his work has a worldwide influence, especially since Murcutt teaches master classes for beginning and established architects.

Murcutt was educated at Manly Boys' High School and the Sydney Technical College where he studied architecture from 1956 to 1961, where he became friends with other soon-to-be-prominent students, including director Jim Sharman, theatre designer Brian Thomson and film producer Matt Carroll.

Murcutts motto 'touch the earth lightly' convinces him to design his works to fit into the Australian landscape features. His works are highly economical and multi-functional. Murcutt also pays attention to the environment such as wind direction, water movement, temperature and light surrounding his sites before he designs the building itself. Materials such as glass, stone and timber are often included in his works.

As a testament to his influence, he was awarded the Pritzker Prize. In the words of the Pritzker Jury: "In an age obsessed with celebrity, the glitz of our 'starchitects', backed by large staffs and copious public relations support, dominate the headlines. As a total contrast, [Murcutt] works in a one-person office on the other side of the world ... yet has a waiting list of clients, so intent is he to give each project his personal best. He is an innovative architectural technician who is capable of turning his sensitivity to the environment and to locality into forthright, totally honest, non-showy works of art." ↑ 

[edit] Building Projects

• 1972-74 : Laurie Short House, Sydney (NSW)
• 1974-75 : Marie Short House, Kempsey (NSW)
• 1976-83 : Berowra Waters Inn, Berowra Waters (NSW)
• 1977-80 : Nicholas House, Mount Irvine (NSW)
• 1977-80 : Carruthers House, Mount Irvine (NSW)
• 1980-83 : Ball-Eastaway House, Glenorie, Sydney (NSW)
• 1976-88 : Museum of Local History and Tourist Office, Kempsey (NSW)
• 1981-82 : Fredericks House, Jamberoo (NSW)
• 1982-84 : Magney House, Bingie Bingie (NSW)
• 1986-90 : Magney House, Sydney (NSW)
• 1988-91 : Done House, Sydney (NSW)
• 1988-92 : Meagher House, Bowral (NSW)
• 1989-94 : Simpson-Lee House, Mount Wilson (NSW)
• 1991-94 : Marika-Alderton House, Yirrkala Community, Eastern Arnhern Land (NT)
• 1992 : Murcutt Guest Studio, Kempsey (NSW)
• 1992-94 : Bowali Visitor Information Centre, Kakadu National Park (NT), in collaboration with Troppo Architects
• 1994-96 : Schnaxl House, Newport, Sydney (NSW)
• 1996-98 : Fletcher-Page House, Kangaroo Valley (NSW)
• 1995-96 : Douglas and Ruth Murcutt House, Woodside (SA)
• 1996-99 : Arthur and Yvonne Boyd Art Centre, Riversdale, West Cambewarra (NSW), in collaboration with Reg Lark and Wendy Lewin
• 1997-2001: House in the Southern Highlands (NSW)

[edit] Notes

^[1] Additional Comments from Individual Pritzker Prize Jurors

[edit] References

• 2002 Laureate Announcement, http://www.pritzkerprize.com/2002annc.htm
• Dennis Sharp. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Architects and Architecture. New York: Quatro Publishing, 1991. ISBN 0-8230-2539-X. NA40.I45. p111.
• "Glenn Murcutt Pritzker Prize", by ArchitectureWeek, ArchitectureWeek No. 94, 2002.0417, pN1.1.
• "In the Landscape of Murcutt", by Brook Muller, ArchitectureWeek No. 66, 2001.0912, pE1.1.
• Francoise Fromonot. Glenn Murcutt : Buildings and Projects. ISBN 0-8230-2089-4. — Out of print at Amazon.com
• Philip Drew. Leaves of Iron : Glenn Murcutt : Pioneer of an Australian Architectural Form. ISBN 0-207-17327-3. — Out of print at Amazon.com
• Philip Drew. Touch This Earth Lightly: Glenn Murcutt in His Own Words. Duffy & Snellgrove, May 15, 2000. ISBN 1-875989-46-3. — Available at Amazon.com
• Three Houses (Architecture in Detail). Glenn Murcutt, E. M. Farrelly. Phaidon Press Inc. (October 1993). ISBN 0-7148-2875-0. — Listed "publisher out of stock" at Amazon.com
• The Drawings of Glenn Murcutt. Glenn Murcutt. Images, April 2000. ISBN 1-875498-98-2. — Scheduled for publication April 2000

v • d • e Pritzker Prize Laureates

Johnson (1979) • Barragán (1980) • Stirling (1981) • Roche (1982) • Pei (1983) • Meier (1984) • Hollein (1985) • Böhm (1986) • Tange (1987) • Bunshaft/Niemeyer (1988) • Gehry (1989) • Rossi (1990) • Venturi (1991) • Siza (1992) • Maki (1993) • Portzamparc (1994) • Ando (1995) • Moneo (1996) • Fehn (1997) • Piano (1998) • Foster (1999) • Koolhaas (2000) • Herzog & de Meuron (2001) • Murcutt (2002) • Utzon (2003) • Hadid (2004) • Mayne (2005) • Mendes da Rocha (2006) • Rogers (2007)