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Glenn Murcutt, Architect and Environmentalist

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Glenn Murcutt

Glenn Murcutt

Pritzker Prize Photo © Reiner Blunck
Australian architect Glenn Murcutt pours his creativity into small, economical projects that conserve energy and blend with the environment.

Born:

July 25, 1936 in London, England

Primary Residence:

Sydney, Australia

Education:

Studied architecture at the University of New South Wales from 1956 to 1961

Awards:

Glenn Murcutt has won many important awards, including:
  • 1992: Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal
  • 2002: Pritzker Prize
  • 2009: American Institute of Architects Gold Medal

Important Buildings:

Early Influences:

Glenn Murcutt was born in London but grew up in the Morobe district of New Guinea, where he learned to value simple, primitive architecture. From his father, Murcutt learned the philosophies of Henry David Thoreau, who believed that we should live simply and in harmony with nature's laws. Murcutt's father also introduced him to the streamlined modernist architecture of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Murcutt's early work strongly reflected Mies van der Rohe's ideals.

Quotes:

One of Murcutt's favorite quotations is a phrase he often heard his father say. The words, he believes, are from Thoreau: “Since most of us spend our lives doing ordinary tasks, the most important thing is to carry them out extraordinarily well.”

Murcutt is also fond of quoting the Aboriginal proverb: “Touch the earth lightly.”

Upon learning of his Pritzker award, Murcutt told reporters, "Life is not about maximising everything, it's about giving something back - like light, space, form, serenity, joy. You have to give something back."

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."

More Modernist Architects:

About Glenn Murcutt:

The Pritzker Prize-winning architect Glenn Murcutt is not a builder of skyscrapers. He doesn't design grand, showy structures or use flashy, luxurious materials. Instead, Australian architect Glenn Murcutt pours his creativity into smaller projects that let him work alone and design economical buildings that will conserve energy and blend with the environment. All of his buildings (mostly rural houses) are in Australia.

Glenn Murcutt was inspired by the Californian architecture of Richard Neutra and Craig Ellwood, and the crisp, uncomplicated work of Scandinavian architect Alvar Aalto. However, Murcutt's designs quickly took on a distinctively Australian flavor.

Murcutt chooses materials that can be produced easily and economically: Glass, stone, brick, concrete, and corrugated metal. He pays close attention to the movement of the sun, moon, and seasons, and designs his buildings to harmonize with the movement of light and wind.

Many of Murcutt's buildings are not air conditioned. Resembling open verandas, Murchutt's houses suggest the simplicity of Farnsworth House of Mies van der Rohe, yet have the pragmatism of a sheepherder's hut.

Further Reading

Touch This Earth Lightly: Glenn Murcutt in His Own Words
In an interview with Philp Drew, Glenn Murcutt talks about his life and describes how he developed the philosophies that shape his architecture. This thin paperback is not a lavish coffee table book, but provides excellent insight into the thinking behind the designs.
Paperback. ISBN: 1875989463 (compare prices)

Glenn Murcutt: A Singular Architectural Practice
Murcutt's design philosophy presented in his own words is combined with commentary from architecture editors Haig Beck and Jackie Cooper. Through concept sketches, working drawings, photographs and finished drawings, Murcutt's ideas are explored in depth.
ISBN: 1876907754 (compare prices)

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