Handwritten draft for a speech, date uncertain. Considers the question of Australian identity: whether it exists, what can be done to foster it in the arts, design and culture as a whole. Boyd argues that the only route to a distinctive Australian identity is to develop and foster new ideas rather than taking cultural cues Britain or America.Handwritten, quarto, 3 pagessydney opera house, australian identity, australian culture, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses how the architect has broadened the visual perception of environment - from loud and gimmicky (as copied from America) to acceptance and recognition of how to incorporate environmental design into architectural plans.Original manuscript a lecture given at a seminar on the environment conducted in July 1970 by the Institute of Business Administration and the Victorian Employers Federation. The lecture was condensed into two articles published in "The Age" as 'Spoilers of our environment'. The manuscript appears to be Part 1 titled 'Legal vandalism', published in "The Age" on 09.07,1970. Part 2 was titled ' The more optimistic view of the future', published in "The Age" on 10.07.1970 as 'Digger-cult curse'. Typewritten, quarto, 15 pagesenvironment, visual environment, architect, australia, visual pollution, urban ugliness, robin boyd, manuscript

Outlines positive actions undertaken by local councils in Victoria.Typewritten, quarto, 6 pageslocal councils, preservation, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses the Australian television program Whiplash and how the use of guns is not as necessary as in the American television industry. Technique, poetry and drama appear to be the basis for the Australian film industry.Handwritten, quarto, 7 pagesWritten on scrap paper at Page 5.whiplash, australian film industry, australian television industry, robin boyd, manuscript

Reviews the Australian Industry Fair at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. While some items on display are fussy and ornamental, others are beautiful, sensible and useful. Boyd reflects on dichotomy of old and new.Original manuscript of an article published as 'Australian Made - good and bad' in "The Australian", 17.03.1965. d Typewritten, pencil edits, quarto, 5 pagesaustralian-made, victorian chamber of manufacturers, australian industries fair, robin boyd, manuscript

A look at Melbourne within a two month span: before and after and opposing views. Discusses Melbourne's good and poor buildings, planning, arts, aesthetics etc. Melbourne does however maintain an image and individuality when compared with other cities.Original manuscript of an article published as ‘Melbourne: The symbol of Australia’s split personality’in "The Australian", 01.09.1964. Typewritten (c copy), pencil edits, quarto, 4 pagesmelbourne, urban character, city, architecture, buildings, australian image, australian culture, robin boyd, manuscript

A critique of the adaption of American culture in Australian popular culture, where only the worst or silliest things from the US are adopted. Boyd suggests the colonial, unambitious and rigid brand of masculinity that characterises the "Aussie myth" hinders the development of an imaginative and creative social climate that manifests in a superficial appropriation of American culture. Boyd is not critical of US culture itself, in fact he has a great appreciation of US culture. He suggests that the Australian brand of Americanisation is only a superficial commercial exploitation of the American dream. It concludes with Boyd rallying for the development of a unique Australian originality with increasing connections to Asia.Typewritten, pencil edits (pages 22a and 22b added after page 22), quarto, 24 pagesamericanisation, american culture, australian culture, masculinity, cultural myths, australian values, social attitudes, ussr, asia, california, sidney nolan, alan moorehead, patrick white, donald horne, john anderson, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses American technological advancement and American tendency to look forward; Australia is 15 years behind and should be more forward looking; Australian private affluence and public poverty, motor cars, expressways and roads. America is described as looking to a future beyond cars; Boyd proposes that Australia skips expressway building. Discusses tourism, the Australian accent, imagining 2000AD, Archigram's Plug-In City, anti-city, integrate bush into the city - the gumtree aesthetic.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 29 pages. (Two copies plus one incomplete version with 13p)Incomplete one contains pencil editsfuture, america, henry ford, automobiles, road development, destruction of old buildings, destruction of nature, tourism, great barrier reef, australian accent, globalisation, isolationism, canada, new zealand, archigram, athens, los angeles, suburbia, heidelberg school, diggers, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses the work, design techniques and career of first recipient of the Essington Lewis Award (for Industrial Design) - Frederick Ward. Ward's work introduced all the essential principles of the best Australian furniture: functional form; use of Australian materials; respect for the nature of all materials; suspicion of ornament and a sense of purposeful proportions.Review of Fred Ward’s Award by the Industrial Design Council.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 2 pagesfrederick ward, industrial design, australian furniture, function, form, australian materials, essington lewis award, robin boyd, manuscript

An incomplete article which discusses what is total design and how there is no agreement; how technology leads architecture and significance of appearances; the monumental tradition of older architects' approach, and, in opposition, Pop architecture, which puts visual fun into cities. Boyd suggests that what is required is require order, variety and deliberate taste, not sterility.Preview of 1972 RAIA ConventionTypewritten (one with pencil edits) & c copy. Incomplete one has pencil and pen edits, quarto, Two 2p, one pp 4-7 pages.total design, royal australian institute of architects, raia national convention 1972, cities, monumental tradition, pop architecture, taste, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses Australia Square in Sydney; its plan, structure, materials and artworks (tapestries and sculptures by Le Corbusier, Vasarely and Calder).Original manuscript of an article published as 'Australia Square: Circle in the Square' in "Architectural Forum", Vol. 130, No.3, April 1969, pp.26 - 35.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 4 pagesaustralia square, sydney, harry seidler, plaza, pier luigi nervi, tapestry, sculpture, le corbusier, vasarely, calder, robin boyd, manuscript

Book review of Australian Council of National Trusts, 'Historic Homesteads of Australia' (Historic Buildings of Australia Vol. 1), Cassell, Melbourne, 1969. A collection of photographs and essays by different authors on Australian homesteads. Boyd describes development and key features of Australian homestead design.Original manuscript of an article published as 'Hinterland heritage' in "The Age", 11.10.1969.Typewritten, quarto, 3 pagesaustralian homesteads, colonial heritage, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses 'Domus' (an Italian architecture and design magazine) as visually exciting and trend starter; compares recent international opinions on Australian architecture and culture (Charles Eames on Sydney Opera House, J. M. Richards on Australian architecture as primitive and vulgar). Boyd indicates international opinions of Australian architecture as important because many Australian buildings are being designed by overseas architects; argues for greater promotion of Australian architecture and architects.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 5 pagesLast page: no image attached but this inscription "caption to illustration"; appears that Boyd wanted image of St James Building, AMP Tower and Shell House by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill attached.domus, sydney opera house, charles eames, jm richards, australian culture, globalisation, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd proposes to apply art criticism techniques to architecture; claims architectural criticism in Australia is "all but dead" because of the 'schizophrenic nature of architecture" (i.e. building a socio-economic object as well as art). Boyd compares Kevin Borland's design of The Legend restaurant (Lonsdale St) with a recently designed residential apartment block (15 Collins St); claims that both are schizophrenic but The Legend is masterfully so whereas the apartments are aesthetically lacking.Original manuscript of an article published as ‘The schizophrenic style’ in "The Sunday Australian", 14.3.1971Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 11 pagesTop of page 1 handwritten where and when published. The last page credits photographer Mark Strizic, so images may have been attached.architectural criticism, art criticism, melbourne architecture, the legend restaurant, lonsdale st, leonard french, legend milk bar, tivoli theatre, clement meadmore, kevin borland, colonial architecture, 15 collins st, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses pragmatic buildings in contrast to the architecture of dreamers, experimenters and idealists through a review of Peter Cook's book "Experimental Architecture".Original manuscript of an article published as 'Utopians versus the squares' in "The Sunday Australian", 1971.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 9 pagespeter cook, archigram, experimental architecture, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses the exploitation of architecture in commercial signage; the use of architecture as signage can prove disturbing and a threat to curating an architectural style; argument reads like a reflection on Scott Brown and Venturi's Duck and the Decorated Shed.This is the original manuscript of a presentation to Victorian Employers Federation Franchising Seminar. Discussion of Fishbowl, 11.3.1971. It includes notes for slides.Typewritten. Major pencil and pen edits and additions (in one copy), quarto, 7 pages. (Two copies)One copy with annotations in pen and pencilfranchises, franchise buildings, advertising architecture, signage, fishbowl, colonel sanders, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses how Australian cities can be improved economically, environmentally and aesthetically; stresses good planning, accessibility, affordability. Refers to a chapter by Boyd.Typewritten (c copy) some edits, quarto, 26 pagesaustralian cities, planning, accessibility, affordability, ownership, free contract, developers, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd discusses Graeme Gunn's Plumbers & Gasfitters Employees Union Building; indicates it is unusual for Australian trade unions to be a patron of the arts; discusses the angular design and its raw concrete, which Boyd praises as internationally fashionable; suggests that the last great piece of union-commissioned architecture was the Wharf Labourers' Union building, a 1916 Art Nouveau building by Robert Haddon.Original manuscript of an article published in "The Sunday Australian", 06.06.1971 (Review of Graeme Gunn’s Plumbers and Gas Fitters Building, Victoria Parade, Carlton).Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 7 pagestrade unions, plumbers and gasfitters employees union of australia, graeme gunn, brutalism, concrete, robert haddon, wharf labourers' union building, flinders st, robin boyd, manuscript

Comparison of Canberra and Surfers Paradise as potential cultural capitals of Australia. Canberra represents one end of the spectrum of traditional architectural morals of sophistication and orderliness; Surfers Paradise represents the opposite end of the spectrum, that is extreme Pop, fun and flashiness.Original manuscript of an article published as ‘Trad modern, pop modern’ in "The Sunday Australian", 25.4.1971. Typewritten (p/copy), quarto, 9 pagesTop of page 1 handwritten where and when published, page numbers, minor correctionscanberra, surfers paradise, australian culture, morris lapidus, australian cities, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd outlines the focus of the Modern Movement: function determining form and the rejection of ornamentation; outlines three phases of Modernism: the plain informal functionalist box style; 1950s monolithic sculptural forms (eg TWA terminal); and fragmented systematic expandable forms. Boyd proposes a new phase: a New Revolution Against Architecture, wherein the barriers between art and science are broken down and combined with technology; suggests looking to Japanese Metabolism.Typewritten, pencil edits, quarto, 21 pagesPage 1 refers to a chart (not attached). Sporadic annotations throughout. Appears to be a talk. Pages 6-8 refer to a chart, page 11 refers to an image of apartments by James Stirling, p14 refers to Robert Venturi's Guild House.page 1 refers to a chart (not attached). sporadic annotations throughout. appears to be a talk. pages 6-8 refer to a chart, page 11 refers to an image of apartments by james stirling, p14 refers to robert venturi's guild house

A brief history of the National Gallery of Australia, including the design competition, designs, location, collaboration of the chosen architect (Colin Madigan of Edwards, Madigan and Torzillo) with the gallery director, James Sweeney, approval by relevant statutory bodies, and the political upheaval that stalled progress.Original manuscript of an article published as ‘What’s become of our new gallery?' in "The Sunday Australian", 11.04.1971.Typewritten, (p/copy), quarto, 9 pagesnational gallery of australia, colin madigan, edwards, madigan and torzillo, james sweeney, art gallery design, canberra, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses the reasons for Sydney's and Melbourne's new airports. Discusses the transformation from picturesque landscape to a growth of unordered supplementary structures surrounding airports (motels, sheds, storage rooms, petrol stations, shopping mall). Boyd predicts this "shanty town" image will only get worse, and critiques the image of Australia first presented to international visitors.Original manuscript of an article published in "The Sunday Australian", 27.06.1971Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 8 pagesNumbered in 13 paragraphstullamarine airport, international airport, melbourne's shanty town, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd praises Reyner Banham's book titled "Los Angeles: The Architecture Of Four Ecologies" published in 1971. Boyd describes Banham's unconventional, positive attitude toward Los Angeles as an architectural love story. Boyd notes that Banham is somewhat idealistic about Los Angeles but declares the book a successful and interesting balance between history and architecture.Original manuscript of an book review published as 'Los Angeles: architectural love story' in "The Sunday Australian" on 04.07.1971.Typewritten (c copy), pencil edits, quarto, 7 pagesreyner banham, los angeles, historian, modern architecture, age of technology, robin boyd, manuscript

In this book review, Boyd critiques Cyril Pearl's book, "So You Want to Buy a House" (published by F.W. Cheshire). Boyd discusses Pearl's style of writing on home life and a scatter of other subjects and gives a negative review on the type of humour and lack of research.Original manuscript of a book review of a book by Cyril Pearl titled 'So you want to buy a house ... and live in it' in 1961. The piece was published as 'Book review: So you want to buy a house'.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 6 pagescyril pearl, caricature, puns, comedy writing, robin boyd, manuscript

Makes comparisons between Australian cities and American and European cities. Melbourne and Sydney are heading in the same direction as Los Angeles. A possible future the city containing entertainment and culture, with the suburbs having open space and gardens but with access to city life.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 3 pagescity, cities, suburbs, melbourne, sydney, american cities, european cities, urban planners, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses twentieth century architecture and the evolution of modern architecture. Describes present architecture in three categories, namely vernacular, professional and creative. Examples of house designs within the new architecture are given.This manuscript was published as a book titled "The New Architecture" (The Arts in Australia Series), Longmans, Melbourne, 1963.Typewritten (c copy), pencil edits, quarto, 18 pagesmodern architecture, australia, young architects, creative architecture, new architecture, robin boyd, manuscript

This text summarises the differences in architecture and proposes, unlike in other art forms, that architecture has a mainstream which has consistency in it, yet is also ever changing. The term 'modern architecture' is becoming suspect and obsolete. Visual art is inevitably involved with social evolution. It discusses utilitarian and creative architecture. Boyd proposes architecture is between science and art, and that architecture by itself means the architecture of this age.Typewritten, quarto, 11 pages (Note: Mentions the 1960s, possibly implying it was written late 1960s-1970/1971)modern architecture, social evolution, utilitarian architecture, creative architecture, mcluhan era, glutternberg era, henry russell hitchcock, paul rudolph, philip johnson, kenzo tange, archigram, sydney opera house, reston, robin boyd, manuscript

Book review of "Kenzo Tange, 1946-1969. Architecture and Urban Design", edited by Udo Kultermann, Praeger Publishers, 304 pp $29.50. Boyd praises Tange's unapologetic adherence to modernism and his adaptation of le Corbusier's ideas to tradition. He appraises the book's merits and problems (explanatory and not analytical writing, building omissions).Architectural Forum, Vol. 135, No.3, October 1971, p8. Book review by Robin Boyd of 'Kenzo Tange, 1946 - 1969, Architecture and Urban Design', edited by Udo Kultermann, Praeger Publishers,Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 3 pageskenzo tange, japanese architecture, modern movement, le corbusier, creative realism, expo, skoplje, yugoslavia, hiroshima, children's library at hiroshima, shizuoka olympic arena, tokyo, nichinan, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses the new skyscrapers changing our skyline and classifies them into two types - development buildings and name buildings.Original manuscript of the article ‘Big boxes with holes – for high profits or for prestige’ published in The Sunday Australian on 01.08.1971.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 8 pagesmodern architecture, skyscrapers, development buildings, name buildings, sculptural competitions, clean and uncomplicated, marland house, robin boyd, manuscript

Self-reflective piece exploring some people's disposition to certain skills. Boyd argues that the hand has a character of its own.Typewritten, pencil edits, quarto, 2 pageshand, h p schoenheimer, the beast with five fingers, robin boyd, manuscript