GLENN MURCUTT AO
Glenn Murcutt. Photo by Anthony Browell.
Often referenced as Australia’s most famous architect, Glenn Murcutt AO is the only Australian recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize (2002) and the esteemed designer of MPavilion in 2019. A sole practitioner since establishing his practice in 1970, Murcutt is internationally recognised for environmentally sensitive and responsible designs with a distinctive Australian character.
Murcutt’s architectural motto derives from his education in Indigenous practices and cultures: “Touch the earth lightly.” Responding directly to the elements of the Australian landscape through his designs and thoughtful use of materials, his practice is a harmonious blend of modernist sensibility, local craftsmanship, Indigenous structures, and his respect for nature.
Principally residential and regional, Murcutt’s notable projects including the Marie Short House (1974–75) near Kempsey in NSW; the Marika-Alderton House (1990-94) in Eastern Arnhem Land, NT; and the Simpson-Lee House (1988–93) in Mount Wilson, NSW. Murcutt also designed the Arthur and Yvonne Boyd Education Centre (1996–99) at Riversdale, NSW, in collaboration with his wife Wendy Lewin and Reg Lark, and the Australian Islamic Centre (2006–16) in Newport, Vic, in collaboration with architect Hakan Elevli.
Arthur and Yvonne Boyd Education Centre, Riversdale. Photo by Anthony Browell.
Australian Islamic Centre, Newport. Photo by Anthony Browell.