Robin Boyd developed a close friendship with the founder of the Bauhaus in Weimar Germany, Walter Gropius, who had moved to the USA in the 1930s. Through this connection, Boyd was invited to be the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Bemis Professor at the School in the North American academic year 1956-7. Robin and Patricia Boyd, with their youngest daughter Suzy, were based in Cambridge, Massachusetts for the year. Boyd gave some lectures at MIT and he was also invited to give lectures at many other universities, allowing him to travel widely within the USA, especially on the East Coast. This gave him the opportunity to meet architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Eero Saarinen, Paul Rudolph and many others, and visit the offices of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, and places like Taliesin and the General Motors Technical Center Detroit. On the way home, the Boyds visited London, Berlin, Paris and Le Corbusier’s Ronchamp Chapel in France.Colour slide in a mount. J.S. Dorton Arena (1952), Raleigh, North Carolina, USA . (Architect: Matthew Nowicki.)Date: 04819 / Subject / C (Handwritten) / END (Handwritten)mit bemis professorship, mit, robin boyd, slide

Robin Boyd developed a close friendship with the founder of the Bauhaus in Weimar Germany, Walter Gropius, who had moved to the USA in the 1930s. Through this connection, Boyd was invited to be the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Bemis Professor at the School in the North American academic year 1956-7. Robin and Patricia Boyd, with their youngest daughter Suzy, were based in Cambridge, Massachusetts for the year. Boyd gave some lectures at MIT and he was also invited to give lectures at many other universities, allowing him to travel widely within the USA, especially on the East Coast. This gave him the opportunity to meet architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Eero Saarinen, Paul Rudolph and many others, and visit the offices of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, and places like Taliesin and the General Motors Technical Center Detroit. On the way home, the Boyds visited London, Berlin, Paris and Le Corbusier’s Ronchamp Chapel in France.Colour slide in a mount. Livestock Judging Pavilion (1950-52), now the Dorton Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. (Architect: Matthew Nowicki.)04819/ 25 (Handwritten)mit bemis professorship, mit, robin boyd, slide

Boyd argues that modern architecture has triggered a necessity for greater harmony between architects and engineers. Boyd describes the architectural qualities of tension structures through an analysis of several case studies including projects by Frei Otto and Boyd's own house at Walsh St. Being a relatively new concept, Boyd criticises the neglect towards smaller buildings in this structural system, and also highlights some of its shortcomings. A 2-page letter from 'Arthur' (surname unknown) at the University of Melbourne's Department of Civil Engineering provides feedback to Boyd on his analyses of the chosen case studies.Original manuscript of article published in The Architectural Review Vol.134, No.801, November 1963, pp. 324 - 334. This draft was returned with covering letter from: ‘Arthur’ (AJF) Melbourne Uni. Dept Civil Engineering. Typewritten (c copy), foolscap, 14 (+2 quarto letter) pagesMinor handwritten editsengineering, tensile structure, master-designer, bernard lafaille, zagreb french pavilion, matthew nowicki, livestock pavilion, frei otto, paul rudolph, florida house, bill irwin, kevin borland, peter mcintyre, john and phyllis murphy, yuncken freeman, sidney myer music bowl, eero saarinen, yale hockey rink, edward d. stone, brussels u.s. fair pavilion, boston arts centre, walsh street, robin boyd, manuscript