About

The Fenner House, at 8 Monaro Crescent, Red Hill. Designed by Robin Boyd in 1952-53 for Professor and Mrs Frank Fenner and built by Karl Schreiner in 1953-54.

Modernism in Canberra

This site tells the story of modernist residential architecture and the development of Canberra, through profiles of significant Canberra houses, architect biographies and articles about architectural styles and heritage issues. I hope that by bringing this story together online it might stimulate an interest in Canberra’s mid-twentieth century modernist heritage.

The content

The content for the site has been drawn from the Royal Australian Institute of Architects’ Register of Significant Twentieth Century Architecture (RSTCA), my own research and conversations with house owners. This is a personal, totally self-funded website. While the RAIA provide access to citations in the (public) RSTCA, this site is not affiliated with them in any way, nor is it supported by or connected with any other bodies or businesses.

My other activities

This website is something I maintain in my spare time. During the day I work at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. I also sit on the ACT Chapter of the RAIA’s Register of Significant Twentieth Century Architecture Committee and wrote an ‘Icons’ column for the short-lived and now defunct Walter, a bi-monthly magazine about Canberra.

Who helped?

This site is a personal venture and any mistakes on it are mine. However, three people in particular have helped me with aspects of the content:

• Graeme Trickett, architect and Chair of the RAIA’s RSTCA Committee;
• Tim Reeves, with writing, research and inspiration; and
• Justin Walsh, with editing and proofing.

Downloads

Occasionally people ask me whether I conduct house tours, can help with homework or provide research services. Material from this site sometimes appears reproduced and distributed in other forms. I thought I’d help satisfy this apparent thirst for knowledge by providing some of this content packaged up in pdf form for free download. Right click and save to desktop.

Fact sheets for the Robin Boyd Homes Group 2008 tour:

• Lyons House, Dolans Bay, NSW
• Manning Clark House, 11 Tasmania Circle, Forrest
• Fenner House, 8 Monaro Crescent, Red Hill
• Verge House, 204 Monaro Crescent, Red Hill
• Roche House, 4 Bedford Street, Deakin
• Post-war Melbourne regional architecture

KML files to play in Google Earth:

• Canberra’s Top Twenty modernist houses

Self-guided tours:

• Modernist houses of Canberra’s inner south

Copyright

This site is protected by Australian and international copyright law—images and text created by me are my intellectual property. Most of the images on the site were made in accord with the architectural photography provisions in the Copyright Act 1968. Others, such as the photograph of 11 Northcote Crescent, Deakin, are reproduced here with permission. Apart from permitted uses under the Copyright Act 1968, this site may not be reproduced in whole or in part for general publication or commercial purposes without my express permission. And that permission will almost certainly be granted if you ask.

Privacy

I have not disclosed information about the identity of the owners or residents of the houses featured on this site unless that is a matter of public record, or I have received the permission of those individuals. I ask that visitors to this site respect the privacy of the house owners/residents. None of the images on this site involved unauthorised access to private property or otherwise infringed on the rights of the residents of the houses. I do not collect information about users of this website for provision to a business entity or any other institution. I do not sell or otherwise provide profiling data or mailing lists to other bodies.

Feedback

If you have any questions or comments about the site or design, please contact me.