Description of a Tasmanian Style of domestic architecture as developed by colonial builders and the occasional architect. Boyd admires the ingenuous nature of these buildings, describing Tasmania as a living museum.Published as ‘Tasmania – The Houses’, pp.15 - 16 in 'Priceless Heritage: Historic Buildings of Tasmania', Platypus Publications, Hobart. 1964 Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 4 pagestasmania, colonial georgian, robin boyd, manuscript

An opinion article on the direction of modern architecture (c.1960s?), identifying two previous 'phases' described as Functionalist and Fun. Boyd goes on to identify a third phase, typified by the work of Kahn, Tange, and Rudolph, which synthesises the rationality of early modernism with the monumentalism of later modernist work.Typewritten (c copy), foolscap, 4 pagesbauhaus, ciam, kenzo tange, louis kahn, paul rudolph, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd bemoans the fact that Australia looks to overseas engineers, architects and other creative people to design new infrastructure projects.Original manuscript published as 'We're building monuments to the cultural cringe' in 'The Australian' on 10.10.1964.Typewritten (c copy), pencil edits, quarto, 4 pagesaustralian design, imported design, gladesville bridge, robin boyd, manuscript

A review of the two books 'The New Architecture and the Bauhaus' by Walter Gropius and 'Garden Cities of Tomorrow' by Ebenezer Howard, on the occasion of their reissue as paperbacks.Original manuscript published as "Ahead of the trend" in the 'The Australian' on 05.06.1965.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 5 pagesadelaide, bauhaus, canberra, deutscher werkbund exhibition, elizabeth, garden cities, walter gropius, ebenezer howard, letchworth, lewis mumford, welwyn, yallourn, robin boyd, manuscript

Short piece noting that the designs on the 'tails' side of the new decimal currency were created by Australian industrial designer Stuart Devlin, but that Devlin was not credited in publications by the Decimal Currency Board.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 2 pagesdecimal currency, coins, industrial design, stuart devlin, rmit, colin barrie, industrial design council of australia, robin boyd, manuscript

Description of first grid drawn of Melbourne by Robert Hoddle and design impetus; naming of gridiron streets; Charles Troedel prints/The Melbourne Album, F. Cogne drew Melbourne scenes on lithographic stones; Harold Freedman drew same scenes of Melbourne 1964/65; comparative discussion of Melbourne then and now; between 1865-1965 substantial buildings erected and demolished; cable tram; strength and delicacy of Melbourne style; first tree planting; first electric tram 1927; lifting of building height limits 1956; list of representative buildings; Melbourne unlike other capitals as it was not conceived as a capital city.Published as a chapter titled 'The Town at Port Phillip' in 'The Book of Melbourne and Canberra', The Griffin Press, Adelaide 1966Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 14 pagesjohn batman, john fawkner, robert russell, robert hoddle, charles troedel prints/the melbourne album, f. cogne; cable trams; building height limits; tree planting; electric tram 1927; representative buildings, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd takes a brief look at the oldest part of Melbourne, and the Customs House.Published as a chapter titled 'Customs House – Yarra River – Queen's Bridge' in The Book of Melbourne and Canberra, The Griffin Press, Adelaide 1966Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 1 pagecustoms house, melbourne, robert russell, old st james cathedral, robin boyd, manuscript

This is a commentary on two pictures from 100 years apart of the precinct of the former Paddys market, Eastern market, and now Southern Cross.Published as a chapter titled 'The Southern Cross Hotel Old – Eastern Market Site' in 'The Book of Melbourne and Canberra', The Griffin Press, Adelaide 1966Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 3 pages. (Two copies)melbourne, eastern market, southern cross, harold freedman, paddy's market, robin boyd, manuscript

This is a commentary on the transformation of Bourke Street over 100 years.Note: this does not correspond to the 'Bourke Street' Chapter in 'The Book of Melbourne and Canberra', The Griffin Press, Adelaide 1966 (whereas items D140, D141, D142 correspond to chapters in this book).Typewritten, pencil edits, quarto, 3 pagesmelbourne, bourke st, st patricks, william wardell, harold freedman, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses and approves of the initiative of Australian architecture students shown by their holding their own architectural convention. The convention tackled the issues of the 'House of Tomorrow' and the types of technology that that can be manipulated and used for better design. Students also invited international guests to comment and judge the exhibition.Original manuscript published as ‘Young architects show their nerve’ in 'The Australian' on 19.06.1965. Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 4 pageseric lyons, tom marshall, john blanshard, patwant singh, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses Walter Burley Griffin's effect on Australian architectural culture. Also considers his place within the Chicago School more broadly. Boyd believes Griffin to be more human, sensitive, and skillful compared to Frank Lloyd Wright, and laments that Griffin did not build more in Australia.This may be a lecture/talk - there are notes on the back.Handwritten, quarto, 2 pagesAll-caps inscription on the back of 2nd page - possibly a shorthand summary of the talk. Uncertain if this is Boyd's handwriting.walter burley griffin, old parliament house, canberra, louis sullivan, frank lloyd wright, capitol theatre, robin boyd, manuscript

Discussion of the history of the 'glass box', i.e. the glazed curtain wall skyscraper and its appearance and demise in Australia. Also discusses the phenomenon of multi-storey car parks, and RMIT student designs for Victoria Market.Published as "Death notice: The End of the Glass Box/Birth Notice: A New 3-D Style for a City" in 'The Australian' on 13/11/1965.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 8 pagesaustralia square, bates, smart & mccutcheon, john a la gerche, walter gropius, ici house, mcconnel, smith and johnson, harry seidler, sydney opera house, un secretariat, bogle and banfield, peter mcintyre, robin boyd, manuscript

In this handwritten text of a speech to the Victorian Fabian Society, Boyd addresses the question: Is Australia Ugly? He argues that the issue with Australian cities is primarily in the realm of urban design rather than architecture. Boyd outlines the types of ugliness in the urban domain, comparing attitudes to Australian cities to those elsewhere, particularly the United States.Speech to Victorian Fabian SocietyHandwritten, quarto, 15 pages, missing pages 11-16.victorian fabian society, george johnson, eric westbrook, steven murray-smith, fred ledgar, south eastern freeway, lyndon johnson, robin boyd, manuscript

An attempt to define Melbourne's character. Boyd sketches a history of Melbourne's architectural periods. He muses on the importance of public taste as necessary for periods of architectural flourish. He thinks Australia is in a "trough between the waves of progress."Typewritten, foolscap, 5 pagesmelbourne, urban conservation, robin boyd, manuscript

Discussion of contemporary church architecture. Boyd disapproves of inappropriate and unnecessary ornament.Original manuscript of an article published as "Churches get Curiouser" in The Australian on 26.06,1965.Typewritten, quarto, 5 pages. (Two copies)Minor hand edits on second copychurches, laminex, mareeba, auckland, robin boyd, manuscript

A discussion on the evolution of the contemporary churches in Australia. Boyd praises the attention to detail on the materials used in church architecture and the potential lessons that can be brought forth to other buildings beyond the design of modern churches.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 5 pageschurches, modern architecture, photography, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd argues that the Australian cultural split between what he perceives to be cultured tastes and artistic achievements and the tastes of ordinary Australians is wider and more polarised than in other countries. He derides commercial radio, popular women's magazines, public commercial streets etc - elements of the Australian ugliness. He praises the growth of local contemporary art, literary magazines and architecture, whilst calling for the development of community pride amongst leaders of commerce and industry, and government control of the ugliness of popular culture. This may have been published in "Walkabout" magazine.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 11 pagesart, egalitarianism, sidney nolan, australian painting, pop art, phil may, dyson, low, media, cartoons, australian literature, radio, california cultural heritage board, commercial advertising, robin boyd, manuscript

Scene setting article for an RAIA national convention in Sydney. Discussion of the idea of time lag and Australian design and the nation's biggest buildings having been designed in the USA.This was an article for Sydney Morning Herald Architecture Convention feature. An extended article of the same title was published in "Architecture in Australia", vol 56, no 3, June 1967, pp 454-465.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 6 pagesfrancis greenway, edmund blacket, motels, william wardell, minoru yamasaki, united states, robin boyd, manuscript

Discusses the Estate of Nareeb, Kooyong Rd; 1888. The National Trust is disinterested, land denuded and house demolished, and there is needless destruction of natural and historic relics for redevelopment, particular destruction of trees exclusive to Australia. Boyd says it shows no consideration for future residents; innocence and undemanding passivity of consumers.Original manuscript of an article published as 'The Rape of Nareeb' in The Australian in 06.03.1965.Typewritten, quarto, 6 pagesnareeb, kooyong rd; national trust; destruction of natural historical environment; redevelopment, robin boyd, manuscript

Captions for photographs in "Living in Australia"Original manuscript for the captions for "Living in Australia", Pergamon Press, 1970Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 16 pagesmccaughey court, lyons house, mcclune house, menzies college, shelmerdine house, john batman motor inn, black dolphin, marks house, lawrence house, boyd house, walsh st, baker house, troedal house, purves house, fletcher house, handfield house, kaye house, domain park flats, robin boyd, manuscript

Rough, heavily annotated notes for lecture to be given to a Brisbane audience. Boyd divides modernist architects into a Romantic camp (citing Yamasaki, I.M. Pei, Paul Rudolph, Ed Stone) and a Realist camp (citing Kenzo Tange and the New Brutalists), then proposes a third category of 'Creative Realism' and defines some criteria for this type of architecture.Speech given to students at the University of Queensland 24.6.1962Typewritten, major pencil edits and additions, foolscap, 1 folded pagesExtensive handwritten edits, notes and revisionsminoru yamasaki, i.m. pei, paul rudolph, edward stone, kenzo tange, robin boyd, manuscript

Long slideshow talk on beauty in architecture and the progress of the modern movement.Talk illustrated with slides.Handwritten, quarto, 8 pagesSlide number markings. Missing many pages: 2, 6-17, 19-22, and more. Has written "LIGHTS" cue for end of talk.john ruskin, eero saarinen, paul rudolph, plato, vitruvius, beauty , robin boyd, manuscript

This summaries the key points of the recently held National Architectural Convention, the first of its kind to be held in Australia, which brought many visiting architects.Typewritten, foolscap, 3 pagesSeveral small ink correctionsarchitecture melbourne; national architecture convention; century of architecture; building industry productivity; city plan for melbourne; australian style; school of architecture melbourne university; international students, robin boyd, manuscript

Positive book review of Robert B. Goodman, The Australians, 1966. Photographs by American photographer Robert B. Goodman and text by George Johnston. Book review for the ABCTypewritten (c copy), quarto, 4 pagesgeorge johnston, robert b. goodman, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd suggests the emergence of an Australian School of modern architecture and points to orderliness, material and structural honesty and austerity as characteristic features.Original manuscript of an article published as 'Australian Architecture' in "Australian Building Profile", 1964, pp. 8-9.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 2 pagesaustralian school, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd's view of the development of Australian architecture's progression over the years and the slowly forming identity of Australian architecture.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 5 pagesmodern australia, o-y-o (on your own) flats, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd discusses exemplar cases of historical preservation, and many lost opportunities. The task of preserving Australia's historic relics is left to volunteers and amateurs, with notable exception of Nunawading, unlike almost every other countries In other countries, the Government recognises its responsibility and Boyd presents examples. He suggests a model that Australia could follow.Original manuscript of an article published in "The Australian", 23.10.1965Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 9 pagesst matthew's church, francis greenway, robe, ormerod cottages, robe customs house, avoca lodge, andrew hayward newell, preservation, conservation, robin boyd, manuscript

Boyd's response to complaints about the Romberg & Boyd design for Menzies College at La Trobe University. Boyd describes his first scheme as two tall 16-storey towers.Original manuscript titled 'Menzies College: reply to criticism' published in "Toad" (Latrobe Uni Student Mag.) Vol.1 no.2, Sept. 1971, pp. 6 -7Typewritten (c copy) pencil edits, quarto, 5 pagesHandwritten editsmenzies college, la trobe university, richard neville, australian universities commission, laminex, glenn college, robin boyd, manuscript

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