Architecture suffered a great loss with the passing of Harry Seidler on 9 March 2006.

His buildings are his legacy, most of which received the highest architecture awards including the prestigious Sulman award.

He spent his life dedicated to architecture and supporting the arts.

We were very fortunate that he agreed to join the AAA as a Founding Member and helped guide its establishment by becoming a member of the Founding Committee.

He also very generously provided space in his Milsons Point complex for many of our meetings and social functions, saving us the expense of hiring rooms elsewhere.

The AAA White tours will continue to explore and explain Harry Seidler’s work to the broad community for many years to come.

This year there is a tour of his Milsons Point Complex on Thursday 6 April and in August Gevork Hartoonian’s tour of Harry Seidler towers will be run on the 6 and 13 August.

Harry’s passing covered online:

Official statement Harry Seidler and Associates

When Harry met Sydney Sydney Morning Herald

Sydney’s towering dynamo dead at 82 Sydney Morning Herald

Vale Harry, our shock father of modernism The Australian

A sad loss for Australia The Royal Australian Institute of Architects

All AAA members and everyone in the community can remember one of Australia’s greatest architects at 3pm on Thursday 6 April 2006, at the Theatre Royal, MLC Centre in Sydney.

Someone wise once said that expansion is a tricky thing. We know what they meant.

The success of our 2005 Sydney-based tours program was astounding—so much so that at times we struggled to meet the demand. So (roll of drums please) we are happy to announce that the number of architecture tours has doubled in the 2006 White program!

At present we only have a PDF version of the tours brochure available online. Hopefully when things calm down a little, we’ll revamp this site to include a more up-to-date calendar of events.

Why only Sydney?

We are hearing this question a lot now and understandably. There is no definitive answer but the underlying reason is money:

• We are in the process of raising more money. This is now perhaps the most important task in front of us—as we get more resources—we will be able to branch out to other locations

• An excellent way of supporting the AAA is to join up as a Corporate or Individual Member.

• We’ll be seeking donations to the AAA fund. More details soon.

• We would love to hear from potential volunteers in other cities. If you have an idea for a tour, have the skills to be a coordinator or just want to get involved – drop us a line.

The AAA have joined with Designbuild to offer an environmentally sustainable buildings tour on May 28 (the first day of Designbuild). This is all happening in Melbourne.

Leading the tour will be widely recognised evironmental architect Tone Wheeler—and it will cover some of the most recently completed sustainable buildings around Melbourne.

To be part of this tour:

Download this form

It is that time of year again. The AAA will have their AGM on June 8 at 6pm. The meeting (which is sure to be short’n’sharp) will be followed by drinks with the committee members. This year (same as last year) Penelope has kindly allowed us to use the Seidler Apartment, Level 5, 2A Glen Street, Milsons Point.

There are two relevant documents:

The official AAA Notice of AGM for 2006 (a 67Kb PDF which includes the minutes from last year’s AGM and a committee nomination form), and

The AAA Annual Report for 2005 (a 354Kb PDF which includes no pictures so you can download it easily)

I know Elias Torres to be a remarkable thinker and marvellous architect and believe he is one of the most important European architects practising today. Through his extensive public and private projects he raises architecture to the level of art.‘ – Glenn Murcutt

Spanish architect Elias Torres will present the next Black talk in Sydney on 27 July and Melbourne on 28 July.

Elias Torres and his partner Jose Antonio Martinez-Lapena are renowned in Spain for sensitive additions in and around historic buildings in order to ensure their viability in the 21st century.

One of their most recent projects the Forum 2004 Esplanade addresses all the current issues facing cities around the world – with sustainability at its core.

The Forum esplanade had to complete the end of an important Barcelona avenue and finally allow it to reach the sea. What Lapena Torres designed is an inspirational structure that combines on its roof a huge solar collector panel and makes a place for people by the sea.

It was described by the Mies van der Rohe Award jury as ‘One of the most extraordinary structures … based on the themes of cultural understanding, social justice and sustainable development.’

We’ve got a press release you can read for more information.

You can now book and pay online:*

Sydney, 27 July, 2006

Melbourne, 28 July, 2006

If you want to book the old fashioned way phone the AAA on 02 8297 7283

*Online payment uses an external payment gateway

An insightful look at some of Sydney’s most important buildings, led by trained AAA guides.

As part of Sydney Design 06 the AAA is running a full program of tours—walking, bussing and cruising.

We haven’t quite got the online booking sorted out, so in the meantime, you can download a booking form and fax it in. (To download the appropriate form, click on the name of the tour).

Alternatively, deal with us direct by phoning 02 8297 7283.

Bus
Colorbond bus tour of residential and commercial projects Celebrating 40 years.

• Saturday at 9.30 am: 12 August
• Cost: $150 includes lunch and bus travel.$120 for AAA members
• Meet: Customs House, Loftus Street, Circular Quay.

Cruise
Architecture Harbour Cruise Sold Out!
This 90 minute narrated cruise led by Richard Leplastrier will give you a new perspective on the harbour and the city aboard the Deerubbun.

• Saturday at 2.45 pm: 5 August
• Cost: $38
• Departs Circular Quay

Walk
Unless noted otherwise, all walking tours are $15 and AAA members are free. Please arrive 10 minutes before departure. Bring a hat and/or umbrella, these tours go in rain or sunshine.

Sydney City Walk
An insightful look at some of Sydney’s most important buildings, led by the trained AAA guides.

• Saturdays at 10.30am: 5, 12 & 19 August
• Meet: Australia Square, Pitt Street, in front of fountain in plaza.

Walk through time
Find out how Sydney went from the brick austerity of Hyde Park Barracks to the Glass and Steel sleekness of World Square. A guided tour of some of Sydney most important buildings from 1788 to 2004.

• Saturdays at 10.30am: 5, 12, 19, 26 August.
• Meet: Hyde Park Barracks, Macquarie Street in front of main gate.

Harbour Edge Walk
Look at some of architecture’s most interesting buildings lining the edge of Sydney’s harbour.

• Sundays at 2.00pm: 6 August, 13 August
• Meet: Entrance to Doyles Restaurant, Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay.

City Bar tour
Let our trained guides show you how architecture has redefined the bar experience in Sydney.

• Monday at 5.30pm: 7 August
• Friday at 5.30pm: 11 August
• Meet: meeting place will be confirmed at time of booking.

Surry Hills Walk
Explore one of Sydney’s most fascinating suburbs

• Saturdays at 2.00pm: 5, 12, 19 and 26 August
• Meet: meeting place will be confirmed at time of booking.

Parramatta Urban Art and Architecture Walk
An insightful look at some of Parramatta’s urban change including the integration of urban art and architecture to achieve Parramatta and Western Sydney’s cultural strategy. Led by Janine Campbell.

• Sundays at 2.00pm: 13 August
• Meet: Parramatta Visitors Centre,

Architects choice walks
Join some of Sydney’s leading architects to find out how architecture has shaped our city.

Ben Gerstl’s tours of Castlecrag Sold Out!

• Saturdays at 2.00pm: 12 and 19 August
• Cost: $15. AAA members are free.
• Meet: Castlecrag Shops, Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag

Lawrence Nield’s tour of Sydney

• Saturday at 2.00pm: 5 August
• Cost: $15. AAA members are free.
• Departs from Capitol Theatre, Haymarket

Peter John Cantrill’s tour of Sydney

• Saturday at 2.00pm: 6 August.
• Cost: $15. AAA members are free.
• Meet: Meeting place confirmed when booking

Peter Tonkin’s tour of Sydney

• Sunday at 10.30 am: 20 August
• Cost: $15. AAA members are free.
• Meet: Meeting place confirmed when booking.

Philip Thalis tour of Sydney

• Sunday at 2.00pm: 20 August
• Cost: $15. AAA members are free.
• Meet: Meeting place confirmed when booking

Gevork Hartoonian’s tour of Harry Seidler towers

• Sunday at 2.00 pm: 6 August
• Sunday at 10.30 am: 13 August
• Cost $15.00 AAA members are free.
• Meet: Meeting place confirmed when booking

Richard Johnson’s tour of the Sydney Opera House Sold Out!

• Tuesday at 10.30 am: 8 August
• Cost: $25.00
• Meet: Stage Door underneath the main steps of the Opera House, Bennelong Point.
• Duration: Approximately 1.5 hours.

Port Kembla tour Sold Out!
A tour of Bluescope’s steel works plus a South Coast house

• Wednesday at 8.30 am: 16 August
• completely sponsored by Bluescope Steel ‘“ no cost so book now
• Meet: Customs House, Loftus Street, Circular Quay.
• Duration: Approximately 8 hours.

University Building tour
A tour of Newcastle University’s outstanding collection of award winning buildings.

• Sunday 20 August at 10.00 am
• Cost $15. AAA members are free
• Meet: University of Newcastle, Callaghan Road, Newcastle.

All the tours for SD06 are sold out (but we have more: read below). There has been a wonderful response to our programme of 30 tours that we put on during the Sydney Design Festival from 5 to 20 August.

Feedback from tour participants has been overwhelmingly positive with rave reviews for many of the tours. Peter John Cantrill received a ‘1st class’ response, whilst another participant on the tour of Harry Seidler towers said ‘Gevork was awesome’ of the tour leader Gevork Hartoonian.

The combination of a beautifully designed Steel house by James Grose with a tour of Bluescope Steel’s steelmaking plant also drew highly positive responses including ‘It was an excellent tour in every way’. This despite the fact that everyone was required to don considerable safety gear as demonstrated in this collector’s photo of the AAA Directors Stella de Vulder on the left and Annette Dearing on the right with Sarita Chand.

There are still places left on some of this year’s remaining tours, download the brochure here, make a booking and find out why the AAA receives such positive feedback to the tours.

For the second year in a row the AAA is staging an exhibition in Customs House, Circular Quay to mark World Architecture Day and Architecture Week.

This year the exhibition is also part of Sydney City Council’s Art and About Festival.

Curated by Gerard Reinmuth, the theme follows on from last year’s Young Architects Exhibition that looked at the practices where at least one principal was under 40.

This year the focus is on young collaborators in large architecture practices.

Allen Jack+Cottier, Bligh Voller Nield, Johnson Pilton Walker, Lacoste + Stevenson Architects, Ian Moore Architects, NSW Government Architect’s Office, and PTW Architects are the participating firms.

Glenn Murcutt, AAA Founding President will officially open the exhibition at 6.30pm on Wednesday 27 September. Call the AAA booking line 02 8297 7283 if you would like to attend.

There will also be a free public lecture by all the participating architects on Monday 16 October at 6pm in the Barnet Long Room, Customs House. Although it’s free—you still need to reserve a place (call 02 8297 7283).

Open daily – Mon-Fri 8am-7pm, Sat 10am-4pm and Sun 12noon-4pm the exhibition runs until 20 October.