Robin Boyd wrote two books on Japanese architects and architecture - “Kenzo Tange” published by George Braziller in 1962 and “New Directions in Japanese Architecture” published by Studio Vista in 1968. During the 1960s he travelled several times to Japan to research these books and as part of his role as Exhibits Architect for the Australian Pavilion at Expo ‘70 in Osaka.

Colour slide in a mount. Inner gateway and inner garden, Katsura Imperial Villa, Kyoto, Japan

Japanese Gardens (2) / Katsura Imperial Villa / Inner Gateway & Inner Garden / Nippon Bunker Film Co. Tokyo Japan/ 2402 / 2/ 1960

japan, slide

Final account for the construction of 290 Walsh Street from the builder John Murphy. This document is owned by the Murphy family and was provided to the Robin Boyd Foundation for digitisation.

Final account for the construction of 290 Walsh Street.

This wrought iron "ladder-frame" bookcase is located in Penleigh's bedroom. A second "ladder-frame" bookcase with a drop-down table is located in Suzy's bedroom (item F096). They were both designed by Bruce Anderson - in the past they have been incorrectly attributed to Clement Meadmore. This type of furniture was featured in 'The Age' Small Homes Service and a similar one was featured in 'The Age' Dream Home Exhibition in 1955. From 1947 to 1953, Robin Boyd was the director of The Small Homes Service, set up by the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects in conjunction with "The Age' and he produced a weekly article for 'The Age'.

Wrought iron black frame with 10 ladder slots, and 3 cross brace frames, with 6 timber shelves. Shiny metal feet, nothing covering top of metal frame.

bruce anderson, walsh st furnishings, robin boyd, small homes service

Robin Boyd met architect Neil Clerehan at the end of 1943 when they were both in the army. They worked together on Victorian Small Homes Service and were friends.

Watercolour of a mining building in an outback landscape.

On the reverse side "Neil Clerehan, 1945" on top left in blue pen, and "No 8" on bottom right in pencil.

neil clerehan, robin boyd, ohm2022, ohm2022_29

Robin Boyd travelled to the USA and Britain for several weeks. He attended the opening of the new Australian Chancery in Washington DC, where he had designed an innovative exhibition with cylindrical display cases and sound recordings.

Colour slide in a mount. Paley Park, 3 E 53rd Street New York. Early example of a NYC “Pocket Park”. (Architects: Zion Breen Richardson landscape architects.)

Made in Australia / 23 / JUL 69M2

slide, robin boyd

Penleigh Boyd, Robin and Patricia Boyd's son, writes “Prior to 1950 Robin, like most other amateur or hobby photographers, took black and white printed photographs. The oldest slides date from 1950 when Robin and Patricia travelled to Europe on Robin’s Robert Haddon Travelling Scholarship.” In 1948 Robin Boyd was awarded ‘joint first place’ in the Robert Haddon competition for his design of Mildura art gallery. The scholarship helped fund their first overseas trip. Robin and Patricia were passengers on the Greek ship “Cyrenia” departing in May 1950, passing through the Suez Canal and landing in Genoa five weeks later. For six months, they travelled extensively throughout Europe (predominantly driving themselves) - France, Italy, United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Spain.

Colour slide in a mount. Doge's Palace, Venice, Italy

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haddon travelling scholarship, haddon, robin boyd, slide

Colour slide in a mount. Newspaper real estate advertisement, Toorak, Melbourne, Australia

Made in Australia / Encircled 1 (Handwritten)

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. Image from a magazine of the interior, apartment, Quamby flats, Glover Court, Toorak, 1940-1. (Architect: Roy Grounds.)

Made in Australia / G9 (Handwritten) / 17 (Handwritten)

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. Image of the plan of a 14th century stone building, location unknown

Made in Australia / 4 (Handwritten) / 4 (Handwritten)

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. Peter and Dione McIntyre House, Kew 1955. (Architects: Peter and Dione McIntyre.)

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slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. House, unknown location, possibly California, USA

Made in Australia / 10 / JUL 65(?)

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. Unknown location, regional Australia

Made in Australia / 16 / SEP M6

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. Magazine image of Sarasota High School Dining Room perspective (1958-1960), Sarasota, Florida. (Architect: Paul Rudolph.)

Encircled 19 (Handwritten)

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. Coastline, possibly Queenland, Australia

Made in Australia / 12 / DEC 68M8

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. Streetscape Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Made in Australia / 35 / JUL 69M / Encircled 2A (Handwritten)

slide, robin boyd

In April-May 1971, Robin and Patricia Boyd travelled to Honolulu, east coast USA and London. In London he was one of the judges for the Commonwealth-wide entries for the redevelopment of Whitehall and the Palace of Westminster. He was also researching overseas libraries, as background for plans for a new State Library of Victoria.

Colour slide in a mount. Barbican Centre, London, England, 1965-76. (Architects: Chamberlin Powell & Bon.)

Made in Australia / 21 / AUG 71M1

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. Streetscape Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Made in Australia / 31 / JUN 67M6 / Encircled 18 (Handwritten)

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. War veterans housing, location unknown, Australia

Made in Australia / 8 / MAY 64M / Encircled 31 (Handwritten) / Encircled 11 (Handwritten) / War Vets Housing (Handwritten) / See also No 2 (Handwritten)

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. Kentuck Knob (Hagan House) Chalk Hill, Pennsylvania, USA, 1956 . (Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright .)

Date: 04819 / Subject / Encircled 29 (Handwritten) / C (Handwritten)

slide, robin boyd

Robin Boyd travelled to the USA and Britain for several weeks. He attended the opening of the new Australian Chancery in Washington DC, where he had designed an innovative exhibition with cylindrical display cases and sound recordings.

Colour slide in a mount. Streetscape, Washington DC USA

Made in Australia / 11 / JUL 69M6

slide, robin boyd

Robin Boyd was appointed Exhibits Architect for the Australian Pavilion at Expo ‘70 in Osaka and travelled to Osaka several times in 1969-1970. Boyd designed the innovative Space Tube, which had over 25 exhibition boxes, projecting from it. Amongst the topics covered were Australian scientific innovation (including brain research, immunology, Antarctic research, Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Power Scheme, rainmaking, and the night sky), Australian sport, house interiors, car manufacturing, Australian music and art, and Japanese-Australian relations.

Colour slide in a mount. American Park, Expo '70, Osaka, Japan

Made in Australia / 30 / MAY 70M3 / 34 (Handwritten)

expo 70, osaka, robin boyd, slide

Colour slide in a mount. Bluestone homestead, Western District, Victoria

Mount Made in England

slide, robin boyd

In 1964, Robin and Patricia Boyd spent several weeks on a world tour - Boyd took a leading role at the International Design Conference in Aspen and he also visited Chicago, Yale University, and New York’s World Fair. The Boyds then travelled on to England, Finland (especially to see Tapiola), Russia and India to see Le Corbusier's Chandigarh, and also Hong Kong and Thailand.

Colour slide in a mount. Coventry Cathedral, Coventry, England, 1956-62. (Architect: Basil Spence.)

Made in Australia / 17 / AUG 64M

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. Pfitzenmaier House, Surfers Paradise, Queensland, 1953. (Architects: Hayes and Scott.)

11 / 46 (Handwritten)

slide, robin boyd

Robin Boyd was invited to be a judge on the AIA-Sunset Western Home Awards Program (see correspondence item D416). Robin and Patricia Boyd travelled to California in July 1965. They also visited Japan.

Colour slide in a mount. United Savings and Loans Building, Los Angeles, California, USA. (Architect: Welton Becket.)

Made in Australia / 30 / JUL 65M

california, slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. View of sea, unknown location

Made in Australia / 34 / JUL 69M2

slide, robin boyd

Colour slide in a mount. Abstract design

Made in Australia / 19 / MAY 68M5

slide, robin boyd

This house won the Victorian Architecture Medal for the RAIA’s Best House Of The Year in 1965.

Colour slide in a mount. The Williams House (1963), 4 Glenard Drive, Ivanhoe, Victoria, Australia. (Architect: Charles Duncan.)

Made in Australia / 30 / JAN 65M / House, Glenard Drive, Ivanhoe (Handwritten) / Charles Duncan

melbourne, slide

Colour slide in a mount. Low rise apartment blocks, possibly suburban Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Made in Australia / 6 / JUN 67M6 / Encircled 27 (Handwritten)

slide, robin boyd

Robin Boyd has written 'Australiana' on the slide mount (item S1081) at the same location. Robin Boyd was always on the lookout for signage and blots on the landscape, especially when writing and illustrating his 1960 book, “The Australian Ugliness”.

Colour slide in a mount. Flats, Australia

Made in Australia / 14 / AUG 65M / Encircled 31 (Handwritten)

australia, slide, robin boyd