Boyd reviews Mitchell Gordon's Sick Cities. He opens with a scathing description of American urbanism: the skyscraper and the automobile in a fight to the death, and a culture unwilling to engage with a discussion of urbanism. Boyd presents Gordon's book as a non-technical and non-partisan contribution to the new field of American urbanism, focussed on the functional problems (sprawl, traffic, squatting, air pollution) rather than visual ugliness. He commends Gordon's book as 'good, meaty [and] helpful' to city administrators and city lovers everywhere.Book Review (Mitchell Gordon)Typewritten, quarto, 3 pagesScribbled out sections on pages 1, 2 and 3; addition of notes in pages 2 and 3.mitchell gordon, sick cities, urban planning, thomas jefferson, john f. kennedy, the american way, racial segregation, suburban sprawl, air pollution, urbanism, traffic, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd stresses the importance of Australian designers to discover their own sense of style rather than creating 'stale' imitations from other countries.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 3 pages, (pages 22 & 22A & 22B)Excerpt from an unknown document. Only three pages from the document.australian architecture, americanisation, 'america in australia', robin boyd, manuscript

Notes for a talk - how can we solve the problem of sprawl? We have to find our own answers, not solutions provided by others.Talk notesHandwritten (pen), quarto, 1 (folded, part of a page) pageMiss. Swinchatt' written in pencil on back of folded pagevon hertzen, reston, elliston, prefabrication, le corbusier, sprawl, robin boyd, manuscript

Appears to be a talk to architecture students about success and failure in architecture according to whether you are an architect ('a doer') as well as a talker and a writer, and the influence attached to all three.Talk notesHandwritten (pencil), quarto, 2 pagesHandwritten and torn second pagefrank lloyd wright, walter gropius, le corbusier, henry moore, alexander calder, albert einstein, buckminster fuller, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses the future of art galleries in Victoria and the needs to improve in order to produce a better atmosphere and quality.Handwritten (pencil), quarto, 1 pagesHandwritten with a lot of edits and markings and very densegallery, whitney museum, robin boyd, manuscript

In what appear to be working notes for his commissioned book ‘New Directions in Japanese Architecture’, Boyd is sourcing journal articles (journal, page numbers and dates) covering the key recent buildings of contemporary Japanese architects.Working notes for his commissioned book ‘New Directions in Japanese Architecture’.Quarto, 1 page, double-sided page of handwritten (pencil) notes.Deletions and notes throughoutnoriaki kurokawa, kenzo tange, kiyonori kikutake, kazuo shinohara, yoshinobu ashihara, koshi kawashima, takeo sato, daiichi kobo, sachio otani, masato otaka, arata isozaki, k. maekawa, tatsuhiko nakajima, hiroshi oe, fumihiko maki, junichiro ishikawa, hiroyuki iwamoto, murano & mori, junzo sakakura, robin boyd

Draft of a brief screenplay. Sequence of vignettes involving seven sets and several characters. Story about an artist who paints black square paintings, including mystery, fight, theft of painting and death of the artist. After artist James A dies, H puts on A's strange sunglasses to discover that through the sunglasses, the black square paintings appear like conventional images eg landscapes. Value of paintings increases.Handwritten (pencil), quarto, 2 pagesscreenplay, contemporary art, drama, kazimir malevich, robin boyd, manuscript

A plan of double storey small apartment/house.Handwritten (pencil), quarto, 1 pagessketch plan, robin boyd

Critique of Donald Leslie Johnson's book on Griffin. Boyd does not think it compares well to the first such book, written by James Birrell called "The Architecture of Walter Burley Griffin".Original manuscript for a book review of "The architecture of Walter Burley Griffin" by Donald Leslie Johnson. However, this is puzzling as the book appears to be published in 1977 (perhaps a 2nd edition)Typewritten (c copy), foolscap, 6 pagesUnderlining of Walter Burley Griffin on second pagejames birrell, donald leslie johnson. a yankee in the kangaroo's court, prairie school review, robin boyd, manuscript

Critique of book and works by Herbert Bayer, who was part of Bauhaus movement and he moved to Aspen Colorado in 1946.Book Review for Architectural Forum, vol 130, no .2, March 1969, pp.76 - 77Typewritten (p/copy), quarto, 4 pagesherbert bayer, bauhaus, robin boyd, manuscript

Piece discussing and defending the construction of the Sydney Opera House and Jorn Utzon. Boyd recounts how the impatience of Sydney and necessity to show the progress of the building have resulted in premature construction and inflation of the cost. Piece ends with questioning whether the Opera House will be worth it. A copy of the published article was in the Sydney Opera House scrapbook in the desk cupboard (item P1378.19).Original manuscript of an article published in The Australian on 18.09.1965. This is the first part of a three part series called 'This Opera House' published 18th, 19th and 21st September 1965 (see D175 and D176).Typewritten, quarto, 10 pagesjorn utzon, sydney opera house, sydney opera house project, international architecture competition, cost of building, robin boyd, manuscript

Account of the international competition for the Sydney Opera House, in which Eero Saarinen claims responsibility for the outcome. The building costs progressively grow due to the redesign of the shells to conform to more conventional construction methods. Article concludes that, despite cost increase that will eventually be forgotten, the success of the Sydney Opera House will be determined by whether the initial vision will be carried through. A copy of the published article was in the Sydney Opera House scrapbook in the desk cupboard (item P1378.20).Original manuscript of an article published in The Australian on 20.09.1965. This is the second part of a three part series called 'This Opera House' published 18th, 19th and 21st September 1965 (see D174 and D176).Typewritten, quarto, 8 pagesPencil mark ups on first pageinternational architecture competitions, sydney opera house, jorn utzon, sydney opera house project, eero saarinen, design vision, cost of building, robin boyd, manuscript

Article questioning the assessment of the success of the Sydney Opera House by three main categories: will it work; artistically, is the vision exciting; what does the project do for Australian culture? Article concludes that the true worth of the Sydney Opera House is in its audacity, presence on the global stage, and its patronage to the arts. A copy of the published article was in the Sydney Opera House scrapbook in the desk cupboard (item P1378.21).Original manuscript of an article published in The Australian on 21.09.1965. This is the third part of a three part series called 'This Opera House' published 18th, 19th and 21st September 1965 (see D174 and D175).Typewritten, quarto, 8 pagesinternational architecture competition, utzon, sydney opera house, sydney opera house project, cost of building, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd questions the public's and architect's architectural taste - especially developing a style that would define Australian Architecture. He addresses the lack of commissioning of Modern Architects while Modern Architecture became the main preference in architecture 30 years prior to the written text. Frustrations towards people selecting styles that are 'familiar' rather than trying to be 'avant-garde'. Otherwise, Boyd challenges architects looking towards American Architecture as precedents.This appears to be a unpublished lecture. It is marked up for presentation with slides (indicates LIGHTS) when delivering a speech.Handwritten (pencil), quarto, 15 (page numbers on centre top up to 16, page 10 missing) pagesSpots of coffee stainsaustralian school, architecture, american embassy in new delhi, walter richmond butler, robin boyd, manuscript

Notes regarding sculptural form of Opera House design and Utzon's professionalism; and relationship with ARUPHandwritten, quarto, 1 page. Over a letter from Travelodge confirming cancellation of reservationjorn utzon, sydney opera house, sydney opera house project, arup, bucky, buckminster fuller, robin boyd, manuscript

An account of the protest march from the Sydney Opera House to NSW parliament house.Typewritten, quarto, 3 pagesjorn utzon, sydney opera house, sydney opera house project, robin boyd, manuscript

A summary of the tension and treatment between those who support or are against the Sydney Opera House. Names of international architects who were in support of Utzon were mentioned. Highlights the 'tall poppy syndrome' among the conservative architects and politicians, as well as accusations towards RAIA for not supporting Utzon.Typewritten, pencil edits, foolscap, 2 pagesPencil editsjorn utzon, sydney opera house, sydney opera house project, paul rudolph, sigfried giedion, louis kahn, raia, neville gruzman, robin boyd, manuscript

The aftermath of Utzon's resignation from the Sydney Opera House project. The NSW Minister of Public Works, Davis Hughes, despite being involved with Utzon's resignation, requested Utzon's drawings; however, Utzon was continuing to hold the drawings until he received payment (approx $500,000).Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 1 pagesjorn utzon, sydney opera house, sydney opera house project, davis hughes, raia president ron a. gilling, robin boyd, manuscript

The is a speech given by Zelman Cowen in Melbourne, on Wednesday 1st May 1974 for the 41st Sir Richard Stawell Oration, Australian College of Surgeons. This may have been sent to Patricia Boyd since the Zelman Cowen was a long time friend of the family.This is a speech – 41st Sir Richard Stawell Oration, Australian College of Surgeons, Melbourne 01.05.1974Typewritten, quarto, 34 pagessociological jurisprudence, law, ethics, politics, social history, authority, justice, richard stawell, zelman cowen

Geoffrey Ingram worked on the Australian Arts Enquiry in 1959, and became the founding administrator of the Australian Ballet, 1963-1965. A letter was sent in 1959 to influential people actively engaged in or professionally associated with the creative and interpretative arts. It recommended that a request be made to the Federal Government for a commission of enquiry into the state of the arts and letters in Australia. This letter was signed by Eric Westbrook, Robin Boyd, Hector Crawford and Andrew Fabinyi. This is a summary of excerpts from responses, including those from Arthur Boyd, Peter McIntyre, Mary Gilmore, Patrick White, Frank Dalby Davison and Katharine S. Prichard.Typewritten, foolscap, pagesgeoffrey ingram, eric westbrook, robin boyd, hector crawford, andrew fabinyi, arts enquiry

Robin Boyd was involved in creating several television programmes, as author and presenter. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series for the ABC television series 'University of the Air'. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In Part 1, Boyd discusses the general framework of the series in which the relationship between an Australian identity and a homogenising cultural force reinforced by technology and mass production is explored. Boyd questions the wholesale acceptance of imported ideas and goods, and instead advocates a critical examination of the Australian design culture, a search of an originality that does not fall into the myths of bush values.This is a draft script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965. Item D191 is the revised version.Typewritten (c copy), foolscap, 12 pagesuniversity of the air, design in australia, robin boyd, australian design, nationality, national style, manuscript

Robin Boyd was involved in creating several TV series for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In Part 2, through a brief discussion of the history of Australian houses, both urban and rural, Boyd points out distinct Australian qualities that differentiate the domestic houses from their European and American origins. Boyd believes that the Australian suburban villa is authentically vernacular in the sense of social phenomenon.This is a draft script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965.Typewritten (c copy), foolscap, 16 pagesuniversity of the air, design in australia, robin boyd, private home, homesteads, australian home, suburban villa, vernacular, manuscript

Robin Boyd was involved in creating several TV series for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In Part 3, seeing successful and original industrial designs from other countries, Boyd reflects on the standard and production capacity of the Australian manufacturing industry. He urges the industry to take up the responsibility of invention and to design in a stronger and more permanent Australian artistic style, in contrary to mere imitation and importation. (Same content as D192, differing side notes on left side of pages)This is a draft script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965.Typewritten (c copy), foolscap, 16 pages (compared to D192, 11 pages)university of the air, design in australia, robin boyd, industrial design, australian manufacture, colin barrie, the industrial design council of australia, manuscript

Robin Boyd was involved in creating several TV series for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In Part 4, despite various directions in the search of an Australian architecture, Boyd believes that a genuine national style should be grasped in the sculptural and spatial qualities of the buildings rather than iconography or climate-driven designs since Australia has diverse geological condition.This is a draft script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965.Typewritten (c copy), pencil edits, foolscap, 14 pagesRobin Boyd's handwriting, on top right.university of the air, design in australia, robin boyd, australian style, john sulman, hardy wilson, leslie wilkinson, local idiom, manuscript

Robin Boyd was involved in creating several TV series for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In Part 5, Boyd identifies three styles of interior decoration in Australia. The first, Exhibit A is directly influenced by the fashions of Paris, London and New York and does not integrate the interior with the exterior. Exhibit B is the Australian architectural style of the 1960s. Exhibit C is characterised by practical, cheerful and easy to clean up interior fittings based on colourful plastics. Boyd refers to this style as "Australian pop art". He continues by explaining why Exhibit C came to be the preferred Australian style over Exhibit B. He suggests that the Australian public is ill-informed and misguided, ultimately concluding that Australian interior design reflects the public's lack of taste. (Same content as item D193, differing side notes on left side of pages)This is a draft script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965.Typewritten (c copy), foolscap, 15 pages (compared to D193, 11 pages) (Two copies)One copy has crisper letters typed over on pages 1 and 5.university of the air, design in australia, australian style, interior decoration in australia, frederick ward, lester bunbury, frances burke, grant featherston, modernage fabrics, manuscript

Robin Boyd was involved in creating several TV series for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In Part 7, Boyd begins by discussing the difference in cities, including age, population density and colours across Australia, Europe and America. Boyd discusses individual streets compared to the whole city and how the two are ultimately different and unique. He remarks that in Australia, the word 'city' is used to mean the whole 'complex' of city and suburbs, "a pattern reflecting free personal spending and yet a tight public purse". Boyd references Canberra as the Australian domestic dream come true. "Canberra is genuine Australian". He notes that the making of cities is not just a question of money. It's a question of priorities.This is a draft script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965.Typewritten (c copy), foolscap, 13 pagesuniversity of the air, design in australia, robin boyd, town planning, zoning, canberra, brasilia, punjab, cities, suburbs, manuscript

Robin Boyd was involved in creating several TV series for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In part 8, Boyd concludes his lecture with an overview of the state of Australian design. Boyd points to the uniqueness of Australia's natural landscapes and asks a series of pointed questions, implying that Australian design does not reflect or match up to its context. In Boyd's view, Australia now produces world-class designers, but lacks a world-class design culture, leading the best professionals to leave for the US or UK. Boyd concludes by arguing that Australian design culture can be developed into something both connected to the rest of the world and still uniquely Australian.This is a draft script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965.Typewritten (c copy), foolscap, 12 pagesInscription in pencil on p.8 - "good ideas (Kings + fountain)"university of the air, design in australia, robin boyd, henry lawson, d.h. lawrence, kangaroo novel, canberra, manuscript

Robin Boyd was involved in creating several TV series for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In part 1, Boyd discusses the general framework of the series in which the relationship between an Australian identity and a homogenising cultural force, reinforced by technology and mass production, is explored. Boyd questions the wholesale acceptance of imported ideas and goods, and instead advocates a critical examination of the Australian design culture, a search of an originality that does not fall into the myths of bush values. (Same content as item D184, differing Video cues of LHS of page.)This is a script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965. Item D184 is the draft version.Typewritten (c copy), foolscap, 9 pagesuniversity of the air, design in australia, robin boyd, australian design, nationality, national style, manuscript, ohm2022, ohm2022_30

Robin Boyd was involved in creating several TV series for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In Part 3, seeing successful and original industrial designs from other countries, Boyd reflects on the standard and production capacity of the Australian manufacturing industry. He urges the industry to take up the responsibility of invention and to design in a stronger and more permanent Australian artistic style, in contrary to mere imitation and importation. (Same content as item D186, differing side notes on left side of pages)This is a script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965. Item D186 is the draft version.Typewritten, foolscap, 11 pages, (compared to D186, 16 pages)university of the air, design in australia, robin boyd, industrial design, australian manufacture, colin barrie, the industrial design council of australia, manuscript, ohm2022, ohm2022_30

Robin Boyd was involved in creating several TV series for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In Part 5, Boyd identifies three styles of interior decoration in Australia. The first, Exhibit A, is directly influenced by the fashions of Paris, London and New York and does not integrate the interior with the exterior. Exhibit B is the Australian architectural style of the 1960s. Exhibit C is characterised by practical, cheerful and easy to clean up interior fittings based on colourful plastics. Boyd refers to this style as "Australian pop art". He continues by explaining why Exhibit C came to be the preferred Australian style over Exhibit B. He suggests that the Australian public is ill-informed and misguided, ultimately concluding that Australian interior design reflects the public's lack of taste. (Same content as item D188, differing side notes on left side of pages)This is a script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965. Item D188 is the draft version.Typewritten, foolscap, 11 pages, (compared to D188, 15 pages)university of the air, design in australia, australian style, interior decoration in australia, frederick ward, lester bunbury, frances burke, grant featherston, modernage fabrics, manuscript, ohm2022, ohm2022_30