STATE LIBRARY OF SOUTH J. D. SOMERVILLE ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION

OH 730/31

Log summary of an interview with

NEWELL JAMES PLATTEN

on 14 February, 18 April, and 24 April 2013

by Madeleine Regan

Recording available on CD

Access for research: Unrestricted

Right to photocopy: Copies may be made for research and study

Right to quote or publish: Publication only with written permission from the Adelaide City Council Archives.

OH 730/31 NEWELL JAMES PLATTEN

NOTES TO THE LOG SUMMARY

This log summary was donated to the State Library. It was not created by the J.D. Somerville Oral History Collection and does not necessarily conform to the Somerville Collection's policies for transcription.

Readers of this oral history log summary should bear in mind that it is a record of the spoken word and reflects the informal, conversational style that is inherent in such historical sources. The State Library is not responsible for the factual accuracy of the interview, nor for the views expressed therein. As with any historical source, these are for the reader to judge.

This log summary had not been proofread prior to donation to the State Library and has not yet been proofread since. Researchers are cautioned not to accept the spelling of proper names and unusual words and can expect to find typographical errors as well.

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First interview with Newell Platten, AM for the City of Adelaide Oral History (Extension) Project 2012/2013

recorded by Madeleine Regan

on 14 February 2013

Timed summary

Time Subject Keywords

00.00 Newell gives the background of his Newell James Platten; Mango family; his birth in 1928 and his sister’s Avenue Rabaul; Mandated Territory birth in 1931. of New Guinea; Papua New Guinea; Gilbert James Platten; Isabel Rose Harcus;

02.50 Explains his father was a Methodist New Ireland. Woodside; Education missionary and served on the Islands Department with a break during the War until 1950

03.52 Influence of living in the tropics, sense Huris of space and links to architectural practice

07.11 Education in different schools Two Wells; ; Prince Alfred College; Park Lands; City of Adelaide; Rundle Street

08.30 Early recollections of Adelaide; pre- War years

09.33 Reference to publication, with old and Then and Now contemporary photos of the same buildings in Adelaide; functioning of the City

11.05 Influence of the War years in the City American soldiers of Adelaide and on his life

13.12 Experience of education; Prince Alfred St Peters; Birdwood High School; College; family life in Adelaide when Albert (Alby) Jones); ; Unley his parents returned from New Guinea; High School; Adelaide High secondary education at three high schools; a significant teacher at Birdwood High School;

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17.58 Deep interest in drawing and Battle of Britain; Spitfires; sketching; Geography; United Kingdom; UK

20.52 First thoughts of architecture as a Unley High School; Latin; ‘Pinhead’ result of a careers talk about the Giles; profession at secondary school

23.38 Completion of high school Adelaide High; Leaving Honours

24.36 Opportunity for tertiary education Chifley Government; Commonwealth through a Commonwealth scholarship Scholarship

25.38 Parents’ response to aspiration of becoming an architect

26.57 Newell explains that he is currently Mitchell Library, Sydney; UNESCO; writing a memoir that includes his South Pacific Islands; Education father’s life and work Department; New Guinea;

28.28 Beginning university study in 1946; Stirling; Marion Road; Barr Smith boarding; growth of university courses Library; after the War and increase from four students in Architecture to 30 with a large proportion of older ex- servicemen

31.32 Impressions of Adelaide and the Art Gallery; Mortlock Library; benefits of cultural institutions on Bonython Fountain; North Terrace as a student; the life of the City for pedestrians

34.10 Visual image of the City beyond the St Peter’s College; Payneham Road; Park Lands from the east Magill; North Terrace;

36.08 Description of the Architecture course; focus on Engineering

38.23 Influence of older students who were Jack McConnell; Russ Ellis; Brian interested in Modernism; Design Claridge; Gropius; Le Corbusier; courses Bauhaus; Reg Steele;

41.24 Practical work with a City Architectural Lawson, Cheesman and Doley; Jack office as part of the degree Cheesman; Maurice Doley; Cheesman Doley; Edments Building, Rundle Street

46.48 Description of the type of design Pinky Flats; projects and clients; focus of his thesis

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49.39 Award of a prize for the process of Analytique

50.30 Award of the Kenneth and Hazel Milne Kenneth Milne; Hazel Milne; Travelling Prize

51.04 Further description of Lawson, Greater Union Company Cheesman and Doley practice

53.16 Other architectural firms in Adelaide Woods, Bagot, Laybourne-Smith and Irwin

53.59 Application of Modernist ideas in the Modernism; Architectural firm

55.11 Use of Solomit in buildings Les Wright; Solomit; Burnside; Bob Dickson

56.57 Interview ends

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Fourth interview with Newell Platten, AM

for the City of Adelaide Oral History (Extension) Project 2012/2013

recorded by Madeleine Regan

on 18 April 2013

Timed summary

Time Subject Keywords

File No: 1

00.00 Newell explains what happened Arkaba Hotel; Royal Institute of when Dickson and Platten received Architects (RAIA); The Advertiser; the Award of Merit for the design of the Arkaba Hotel in 1965, their first award

04.57 Description of beginning the large Kathleen Lumley College; Professor public project designing Kathleen Nicholas; Bob Lewis; St Mark’s Lumley College in 1966; College;

10.02 Influence of the idea of the internal Doxiadis; Kaisariani; Athens; courtyard garden in Kaisariani, a University Commission; Byzantine Monastery near Athens, on Newell’s design of Kathleen Lumley

13.40 Financial arrangements for building Mrs Kathleen Lumley; University Kathleen Lumley College; site of the Commission; Kathleen Lumley College College Council; MacKinnon Parade; Park Lands;

16.58 Official opening of the College in David Clements; 1968; reflection on the long association with the College and role as Life Member

18.21 Landscaping of the College Ray Halliday

19.14 Awards for Kathleen Lumley Civic Trust; Provisional Heritage College; Citation of the Royal List; State Heritage List; Royal Australian Institute of Architects; Australian Institute of Architects;

21.17 Dickson and Platten designs for golf Mt Lofty Golf Club; Blackwood Golf clubs in late 1960s; Club;

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22.55 Work as a consultant at Hickinbotham Homes; Philip Hickinbotham Homes; innovative Fargher; Foxfield; Athelstone; John suburban developments and house Chappel; designs

27.17 Dickson and Platten’s design for the Union University of Adelaide Union buildings, the largest project for the practice; awards; ongoing house designs

28.36 Public discussions and citizen public Royal Australian Institute of action about planning; role as Chair Architects; Public Relations of the Public Relations Committee Committee; ‘Outrage’ Exhibition; of the Royal Australian Institute of South Australian Chapter of the Architects; educative role in the Royal Australian Institute of community about architecture and Architects; Jack McConnell; Bob the quality of cities; planning the Kidney; David Jones; Don Gazzard; Outrage’ Symposium and promoting Brian Claridge; Doug Speechley. the Exhibition in David Jones in Lance Lee; Roder, Dunstan & Lee; 1967 Jim Warburton; Department of Adult Educaiton

38.09 Formation of the Civic Trust; its Civic Trust; Prince Charles; Jack goals; role as President; initiative to McConnell; ; invite Don Dunstan to be President; ; Australian Civic Trust; Jim Warburton, Sustaining our Heritage;

43.22 Involvement in the movement Metropolitan Adelaide Transport against the Metropolitan Adelaide Study (MATS) Plan; Walkerville; Transport Study (MATS) Plan; Perth; Sydney; Los Angeles; Liberal reflections on planning and Government; Steele Hall; transport; role of significant people Hindmarsh; University of Adelaide; in opposing and promoting the Plan Rolf Jensen;

File No: 2

00.00 Government policy and the MATS Highways Department; Brompton; Plan; community education about King William Street; Rolf Jensen; St the Plan; reference to his father’s Peters; National Fitness Council; interest in Newell’s involvement in Steele Hall; Department of Adult the campaign against eh MATS Education; Hugh Stretton; Alex Plan; Ramsay; South Australian Housing Trust; Gil Platten; Mitchell Library; Hindmarsh; Dunstan;

08.10 Consultancy to Advisory Committee Noarlunga Regional Centre; South

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of the Noarlunga Regional Centre Australian Housing Trust; Hugh for the South Australian Housing Stretton; Housing Trust Board Trust

Interview ends

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Fifth interview with Newell Platten, AM

for the City of Adelaide Oral History (Extension) Project 2012/2013

recorded by Madeleine Regan

on 24 April 2013

Timed summary

Time Subject Keywords

File No: 1

00.00 Context of planning issues in the Building Act; Hugh Bubb; Margaret City of Adelaide 1970s; loss of Street [North Adelaide]; Frome residential population from the Street; 1940s; City Council focus on traffic solutions; purchase of properties in an area of North Adelaide proposed for a new north-south traffic path

06.35 Political movement to influence Hugh Stretton; John Chappel; John planning in the City; joint approach Roche; Jim Bowen; Bill Hayes; Don by the State Government and Dunstan; Adelaide City Council to guide new directions for Adelaide’s growth;

09.29 Involvement in proposal for the DIckson & Platten; Housing Trust; redevelopment of Margaret Street, Civic Trust; North Adelaide;

14.42 Membership of joint State City of Adelaide Development Government and Adelaide City Committee; Hugh Stretton; Bob Council committee; to control Bakewell; John Brine; Bill Hayes; development in the City; John Chappel; Jim Bowen; John articulation of principles in a Roche; Modernist; George Clarke; statement of policies; focus on re- South Australian Hotel; Aldinga; establishing residential areas; role and workload of the Committee;

27.07 Impact of the City of Adelaide Plan; City of Adelaide Plan; Festival [of importance of the joint Government Arts]; The Advertiser; Legislative and Council approach to Assembly; City of Adelaide Planning development; membership of the Commission; Hugh Stretton; John Commission after legislation for Brine; Judith Brine; development

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30.35 Decision to move from private [South Australian] Housing Trust; practice in 1973; replacement of the ‘Cowell’ house; Dunstan; Playford Board of the South Australian Government; Alex Ramsay; Dick Housing Trust; Roberts; Hugh Stretton; Cedric Pugh; Jack McConnell;

38.25 Role as Chief Design Architect in the Angas Street; Norwood; Dr Kent’s Housing Trust for seven years; Paddock; Hallwell Project, Brown experience of working in the Street; Playford; Frome and Angas Housing Trust; goal of improving Street; Box Factory; Carrington the design of public housing; Street; reference to a number of housing projects;

File No: 2

0.00 Participation on the committee for Noarlunga Regional Development; the Noarlunga Regional Hugh Stretton; Noarlunga Planning Development; planning role; Group; John Byrne; Elizabeth; relationship of buildings to the topographical context; consequential alternative plan for Noarlunga Centre

07.52 Principles involved with planning: Doxiadis the order of beginning with a policy; and building on it to develop a program and plan

Interview ends

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