Address:

Walsh Street

Suburb:

South Yarra

Postcode:

3142

Phone:

Peter Camm - 0411 746 489

Opening Hours:

Robin Boyd’s former home in Walsh Street, South Yarra, is now home to the Robin Boyd Foundation.

Details:

STOP PRESS: 20th July 2007

The Proposed Auction Sale of Robin Boyd House II on 21st July has been halted pending further discussions on keeping the property in public hands.

Robin Boyd’s own house in Walsh Street, South Yarra, is acknowledged as one of his best. It is widely recognised as one of Australia’s architectural icons of the Twentieth century and is now the home of the Robin Boyd Foundation formed by the National Trust to secure funds for the future of the property and promote Boyd's design legacy. In an innitiative financially supported by the National Trust of Victoria, Robin Boyd's house was acquired in 2005. National Trust Victoria has continued to provide operating funds now over $460,000 dollars, but no other major ongoing support has been secured. With loan repayments of c$200,000 per annum and the Trust recieving just $236k per annum in government revenue support, the difficult decision was made in May to place the property up for auction. The hope of both RBF and the Trust is that this action might encourage further supporters and potential benefactors to support the Trust's bold innitiative. Robin Boyd House II is an iconic heritage site which should be preserved and enjoyed by the public.

Robin Boyd

Robin Boyd CBE (1919-1971) was a renowned Victorian architect, author, critic, and public educator in the 50s & 60s, a leader in Melbourne’s Modern Architecture movement, a visionary in urban design and outspoken on the ‘Australian Identity’. A member of the renowned Boyd family, who amongst others, included the novelist Martin Boyd and the painter Arthur Boyd.

Robin Boyd was not only a great architect who was passionate about good design and whose influence extended internationally – but he also ardently shared his ideas with the wider public, not just within the design community. Above all Boyd was committed to an educated nation, to the establishment of innovative ideas as a way of living in an informed Australia.

Robin Boyd is arguably the most influential architect there has been in Australia. Through his writings Boyd inspired the general community and through his architecture he has become an acknowledged leader in the design and architectural professions. Boyd’s influence is far reaching. He promoted the benefits of design in the built environment; a sensitive rapport between the built and natural environments; design to reflect contemporary lifestyles, and the development of a strong sense of Australian Identity. Issues that are as relevant today as they were in Boyd’s day.

Robin Boyd’s greatest contribution to the cultural and intellectual development of Australia was as a commentator and critic. Acting as the cultural conscience of the nation, Boyd encouraged people to extend their thinking and expectations beyond ‘the known’ and ‘the given’; he urged people to reassess and innovate, and most importantly he led by example.

Robin Boyd was, above all, a public educator.

The Foundation

The Robin Boyd Foundation will continue the work and spirit of Robin Boyd through an active, innovative and ongoing series of public learning programs developed to increase individual and community awareness, understanding and participation in design.

The Foundation aims to deepen understanding of the benefits of design through:

• Design Awareness
• Design Literacy
• Design Advocacy

Walsh Street

The Walsh Street house will be the focal point for the activities of the Robin Boyd Foundation and is to be the venue for :

• Centre for Design Awareness
• Centre for Scholarship and Research
• Museum House

Centre for Design Awareness

Robin Boyd Centre for Design Awareness will be the principle activity of the Robin Boyd Foundation. The Centre will prepare and deliver programs for schools and communities. These programs will aim to develop a greater individual and community awareness and understanding of the benefits of design through a facilitated involvement in actual projects.

The Centre for Design Awareness will be a leader in developing and implementing innovative, engaging, learning programs that inspire younger people. The Centre will work closely with the education sector and actively involve the design community

Design projects may revolve around such themes as: the built environment, principles of design, design and multimedia, or interior design. Learning outcomes may be as diverse as developing young leadership and active thinking skills within a social and cultural context or understanding the moral and ethical considerations in design.

The management of the Centre for Design Awareness will be based at Walsh Street while the majority of the programs will be undertaken off site. Some visits to Walsh Street may be included in each program.

Centre for Scholarship and Research

Working in conjunction with the three Victorian Universities Schools of Architecture, the Robin Boyd Foundation will co-ordinate a research and scholarship program based at Walsh Street.

Two studios are available at Walsh Street for use by researchers and scholars who will have the use of Boyd’s papers, books and manuscripts located at Walsh Street and access to his archive of drawings and project files located at the State Library.

Venue

Home of the Robin Boyd Foundation, a venue for dinners, speakers, seminars and corporate functions.

The Foundation will arrange a regular program of events to facilitate discussion and the promotion of ideas related to design. These events will be open to members, sponsors and the general public.

Intimate dinners and cocktail events will be held at the house as well as seminars and workshops. Larger lectures and public events will be held off-site.

Museum House

Showcasing the architectural innovation and design of Robin Boyd and his contemporaries.

Although he is one of the most well known of Australia’s architects and designers, few of Robin Boyd’s buildings are open to the public to visit, contemplate and experience.

Walsh Street remains unchanged from the time it was first designed and occupied by the Boyd Family in 1958. Furnished with pieces designed by Boyd’s associates Grant Featherston, Clement Meadmore and others and then photographed by Mark Strizic the house provides a unique insight into Melbourne’s design leaders of the 50s and 60s.

As a Museum House Walsh Street will be open to the general public on occasion in addition to the programmed access for participants involved in the other activities of the Robin Boyd Foundation.

Quotes
‘…..an inspiring public intellectual and patriot.’ Geoffrey Serle

‘Before Boyd Architects talked and only Architects understood.
Before Boyd the community talked and Architects could not hear.
He was the link by which Architects began to speak to the community and the community spoke back to Architects.’ J M Freeland

Images courtesy of Mark Strizic