Glenn Murcutt: A Singular Architectural Practice [Turtleback]

Glenn Murcutt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 4, 2006

Glenn Murcutt is Australia's best known and internationally most respected architect. He is one of only seven recipients worldwide of the prestigious Alvar Aalto Medal, awarded to architects of the highest distinction. Murcutt is famous for his authentic regional architecture and affinity with the land. His approach is based on a rational response to Australia's climate, topography and lifestyle. This publication explores buildings and projects drawn from widely different contexts. Murcutt's design method and philosophy are explained in depth through concept sketches, working drawings and the illustrations he makes to demonstrate his ideas to clients.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Recipient of the 2002 Pritzker Architectural Prize, Murcutt is noted as Australia's chief exponent of sustainable and site-sensitive buildings. Working alone, as the title suggests, he created an original Australian architecture, characterized by the quality of the outback landscape. His buildings have evolved from the work of Mies van der Rohe (e.g., Mies's Crown Hall at the Illinois Institute of Technology), as seen in structures dating from the Laurie Short House of 1973 to the more expressive Magney House of 1985. Written by architecture critics Haig Beck and Jackie Cooper and divided into three sections-theory, practice, and technique-the volume begins with a series of brief essays, including one by Murcutt himself, on the technical, material, and aesthetic aspects of the work; oddly, none of these essays acknowledges the architect's obvious debt in his early work to Mies. In the middle section, 23 designs, illustrated with color and black-and-white photographs, are presented with brief, sometimes overly promotional descriptions and more insightful analyses by the architect. In the final section, a series of highly informative sketches, drawings, and construction details documents each of the same designs. Complementing E.M. Farrelly's more concise but ultimately more satisfying Three Houses: Glenn Murcutt, this volume is recommended for larger architecture collections.
Paul Glassman, New York Sch. of Interior Design Lib., New York
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

This book is a collaboration between Glenn Murcutt and internationally recognised architectural editors, Professor Haig Beck and Jackie Cooper. Book design by Garry Emery Design. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Turtleback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Images Publishing Dist Ac (August 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1864701366
• ISBN-13: 978-1864701364
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 8.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,158,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, A Good Murcutt Book, March 7, 2003

By 

Todd Evans (Fort Lauderdale, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Glenn Murcutt: A Singular Architectural Practice (Hardcover)

I have been into Murcutt's work for a few years now, but I have been disappointed by the lack of good books on his work. Until now, the best book around was Phaidon's '3 houses'. The only projects I have been able to see have been single family houses in the middle of the australian brush--so it was pretty cool to see this book with houses (or at least A house) in an urban area as well as larger commercial type buildings (like the education center).

As far as I know, all of his projects are shown in the book--built and unbuilt in great detail. The first 30 pages or so of the book is a collection of essays by both the authors and Murcutt. Then the book gets into his projects chronilogically--each with photographs, sketches and drawings.

The last part of the book is a collection of 'blue-print' drawings showing the plans and more importantly the construction details of all his buildings--all in pretty good detail showing dimensions and materials.

Im stingy with my book money--but I definately feel like I got my money's worth outta this one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Murcutt: an Engineer's Perspective, August 15, 2003

By 

Brent O'Callaghan (Cape Town) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Glenn Murcutt: A Singular Architectural Practice (Hardcover)

This Review is not only an Engineer's perspective of Murcutt - it's also, in a way, a definitive statement that Murcutt has the perspective required of an Engineer.
As a marine engineer with a keen professional and personal involvement with architecture, I have grown to respect Glenn Murcutt deeply. This book expresses much of what could be said about him, about his work, his principles and his motivation.
I have been most impressed by the interpretation of Murcutt's architecture by the engineers associated with him, as well as the fruit borne in the lives of younger architects who have studied under his guidance, and have continued to co-labour with him in Australia today. If only it were so all over the world!
The influence of Murcutt in our day must surely rank with that of Aalto during the past century.
Inspired and highly recommended reading and study for all students of architecture, regional modernism and vernacular materials, as well as engineers with a passion for design.
Brent O'Callaghan
Engineer - Cape Town

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Architect's text enjoyable to read, November 14, 2003

By 

misterbeets "misterbeets" (Safe Harbor, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Glenn Murcutt: A Singular Architectural Practice (Hardcover)

This basically documents the architect's work but is not a great book. The photos, although good, are not top quality. There are lots of construction drawings, in a separate section (forcing a lot of flipping back and forth, BTW), but they were not redone for the book, are tiny reproductions of the originals, so not too readable. You usually at least get a floor plan, and some rough sketches in the text section, but the point of the book is not to explain how these buildings are built.

The worst aspect is the commentary by the two authors, mere filler material. The best are the words of the architect himself, who can offer background on all his projects, and who comes across as very sincere.