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

Boyd asks "What sort of cities do we want?" Various alternatives were discussed at the 14th Royal Institute of Architects convention 1965. The theme of the convention was Civic Development, accompanied by a public exhibition "Man in the Street". A fairly clear definition of the ideal shape for our urban character emerged. It was accepted that congestion, dullness and ugliness would become even more of a problem. Boyd offers a bird's eye view of the nature of our cities as we move progressively outwards.Original manuscript of an article published as ‘New life for Cities. The choice – metropolitan excitement or Canberra order?' in The Australian, 10.4.1965.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 6 pagesroyal institute of architects convention 1965, australian cities, arthur odell, john overall, 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

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