• About Iconic Houses

1973 was a momentous year for Australian architecture. After almost two decades of turmoil, controversy and anticipation, the Sydney Opera House was opened by the Queen in October, and Australia was put on the world architectural map in the most spectacular of ways. In the same year and in the same city, but with no fanfare whatsoever, another groundbreaking building was completed. With its walls of canvas and roof like a pair of upturned rowing sculls, Richard Leplastrier’s Palm House was unlike any other in this country. Hidden from the street, it is as private as the Opera House is public, but its sense of place and sensitivity of design have helped make it an enduring favourite among architects both nationally and internationally.

The Palm House is just one of the significant houses, many of which have not been comprehensively documented before, that author Karen McCartney concentrates on in the follow-up to her best-selling and highly regarded book, 50/60/70 Iconic Australian Houses. In 70/80/90 Iconic Australian Houses, which is superbly designed and richly illustrated with photographs by Michael Wee, McCartney, in an informed and highly readable style, looks at each house in turn, interviewing both architects and owners, setting their insights and reminiscences within a broader context. She discovers the importance of overseas travel and the influence of international greats, such as Le Corbusier, Alvar Aalto, Kenzo Tange and Louis Kahn, on the architects featured, as well as the more personal mentorship from earlier generations of Australia’s best architects and a deep respect for the often hostile local environment.

Each house study contains plans and an illustrated description of specific details associated with the architecture and interior design, focusing on such aspects as furniture, fixtures and materials. For anyone interested in contemporary Australian architecture, this book, along with its companion volume, 50/60/70 Iconic Houses, provide a unique and invaluable guide