Glenn Murcutt (1936 – Present)
Architect and Environmentalist
Australian architect Glenn Murcutt pours his creativity into small, economical projects that conserve energy and blend with the environment.
The Pritzker Prize-winning architect Glenn Murcutt is not a builder of skyscrapers. He doesn’t design grand, showy structures or use flashy, luxurious materials. Instead, Australian architect Glenn Murcutt pours his creativity into smaller projects that let him work alone and design economical buildings that will conserve energy and blend with the environment. All of his buildings (mostly rural houses) are in Australia.
Glenn Murcutt was inspired by the Californian architecture of Richard Neutra and Craig Ellwood, and the crisp, uncomplicated work of Scandinavian architect Alvar Aalto. However, Murcutt’s designs quickly took on a distinctively Australian flavor.
Murcutt chooses materials that can be produced easily and economically: Glass, stone, brick, concrete, and corrugated metal. He pays close attention to the movement of the sun, moon, and seasons, and designs his buildings to harmonize with the movement of light and wind.
Awards:
1992: Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal
2002: Pritzker Prize
2009: American Institute of Architects Gold Medal
Significant work:
The Ball-Eastaway House
The Magney House
Artists Centre on the South Coast
South Coast Visitors Centre at Kakaadu
National Park Visitors Centre at Kempsey
