tribute

examples of this are Curry House 2, 1980, tenor of the state of New South Wales through While Bruce Rickard is best remembered as in Bayview and Marshall House near Port regular lectures and house tours, and his work an architect, he was also formally trained as Bruce Macquarie, completed in April 2002. The has been widely published in Australia and a landscape architect. I believe that it was his latter house developed his architectural Europe (Paris, in particular). rare ability to seamlessly fuse architecture and language from a timber and masonry language Perhaps Bruce’s work is best summarised landscape — to bring the outside in and the Rickard to a steel-framed and masonry idiom. in his own words: “…My approach is to inside out — that represents his greatest Notable in his espousal of the ideology integrate the building with the site, for the contribution to Australian design. of the native landscape, Bruce was a founding building to reflect and emphasise in form, After completing his architectural studies [1929-2010] member of the Australian Institute of Landscape materials and colour the dominant character in in 1953, Bruce set off overseas to Architects (AILA). He was also one of the of the site environment…of great import to me work, study and explore. In order to be a Bruce Rickard died peacefully longest-serving Chapter Councillors with the is the interior spatial relationship and the play ‘complete architect’ he enrolled in landscape on Wednesday 22 September Australian Institute of Architects (16 years), of major and minor spaces flowing together design at University College, London, but from whom he received design awards in 1972, and sliding in sequence both horizontally and soon found this unsatisfactory; instead of 2010. He left a legacy of 1977, 1983, 1992 and 2009. vertically as one moves about...”. gardens he wanted to learn about how sensitive architectural and From the late 1950s, Bruce tutored at the Bruce is survived by his partner Louise, buildings related to the broader landscape. and the University of his children Jane, James, Sam, Nick, Angus and In 1955 he won a fellowship to study under Ian landscape designs that are New South Wales. His influence in building Acacia, his stepson Philip, his grandchildren McHarg at the University of Pennsylvania, and regarded as some of the most and landscape has been significant on Eleni and Anna, and his sister Juanita; (his became the first Australian to be awarded a significant and appropriate for practitioners such as Ian McKay, Philip first child, Peter, died in the 1970s). He will Masters in Landscape Architecture. Cox, Harry Howard, Neville Gruzman, Bruce be missed by the many friends and colleagues While in the US, Bruce experienced many the Australian condition. 1 . MacKenzie, Bruce Eeles, Peter Myers, and who attended countless soirees, dinners, modernist buildings, but it was Frank Lloyd many others who have worked in his office lunches and drinks at his house or office. Wright’s buildings — especially Fallingwater, Bruce Arthur Lancelot Rickard was born buildings. Among the most influential proved outdoor spaces always reflected this logic, or been taught by him. A celebration of Bruce’s life was held on Pennsylvania, and Taliesin West, Arizona — in Sydney in 1929, the third of four children. to be those designed by . and all his designs incorporated accessible As a practitioner, Bruce possessed a 29 September at the Lady Davidson Private that most influenced him. Wright’s use of The family moved from their 5 acre property Bruce visited Fallingwater and Taliesin West outdoor living areas such as terraces, sympathetic and unassuming way towards his Hospital Chapel in North Turramurra, the materials, the contrast of direct sunlight and in Turramurra to a small flat in Roseville where he “…was impressed for the first time verandahs and courtyards. His open-plan clients, approaching each commission with a church Bruce designed in 1970. Around 300 deep shadow, the complexity of internal and during World War II. This experience was one by a man-made environment…”. houses are an extension of the outdoors and dedication and thoroughness that has inspired people, including his former wives, Robyn and external spaces, and the dialogue between of the catalysts for Bruce’s work. He reacted Bruce returned to Australia in 1957 integrate with the environment through large many. He contributed to the architectural Marian, family members, friends, clients and building and landscape had a profound effect against a lifestyle detached from nature and and attended a town planning course at sliding glazed panels and use of natural colleagues, came to pay tribute. As befitting his on Bruce. An exhibition by Burle Marx was limited by confined, sunless spaces. the University of Sydney. That same year, materials, particularly local stone and timber. personal design philosophy, the small chapel also influential; Bruce saw for the first time Bruce was educated at Barker College, a Don Gazzard, Ken Woolley and John James All display a horizontality reminiscent of has a north-facing glass wall bounded by trees indigenous Brazilian plants being used in a boys’ private school in Hornsby, and in 1947 returned to Australia from overseas study. It Frank Lloyd Wright’s work. and a verandah that allowed the substantial modernist way, and realised the possibilities began the architecture diploma course at was at this time that the call for regionalism, Built on a regular module, Bruce’s designs gathering to spill outdoors. Vale Bruce Rickard, of using indigenous flora to create distinctly Sydney Technical College (now the University climatic appropriateness and Australian are formulated with the human dimension as your [Institute] Gold Medal and Queen’s Australian landscapes. of New South Wales). During this time he identity was being voiced by architects such a prime generator. Of great importance to Birthday Honours are now overdue. On his return to Australia, Bruce briefly worked for his uncle, Ruskin Rowe, from as Russell Jack at Turramurra and W.E. (Bill) Bruce’s work is the principle of spatial flow, lectured in landscape architecture in Denis 1947, and Sydney Ancher from 1949–1953. and Ruth Lucas. Viewed by his friends and material continuity and hearth as anchor. Jacqueline Urford, HBO+EMTB Winston’s Town Planning course at the (Ancher was one of the first to introduce the colleagues, Bruce’s slide shows of his Frank His works embody a holistic approach and University of Sydney while setting up his International style to Australia, translating it Lloyd Wright experiences proved influential sensitivity to the genius loci of a site through 2 . architectural practice. In 1967 he became a Postscript: Several Bruce Rickard buildings are on the to the local condition.) It is here that Bruce’s and career shifting for many. respect for and responsiveness to its natural Institute’s register of significant 20th century buildings. founding member of the Australian Institute direct solutions to the Australian condition Throughout his career, Bruce designed features. Bruce instinctively augmented the of Landscape Architects (AILA), along with and vocabulary of sensible and buildable more than 80 houses, and although the majority existing landscape to reinforce the natural Harry Howard and Allan Correy. detailing had their beginnings. of his output was focused on the single-family character of the site and the climatic Bruce Rickard was a warm and loving Throughout his career, Bruce undertook a Bruce embarked on an architectural dwelling, he also designed car washes, a drive-in performance of the building: winter sun father and friend, and a sincere and number of landscape commissions, promoting grand tour to America via Europe in 1954. He restaurant, a church, several schools, several is admitted to warm concrete slabs and sometimes brilliant architect. the use of Australian plants. His largest and completed the horticulture-based Landscape project homes, medium-density housing re-radiate heat at night; high summer sun His houses emanate a warmth, best-known landscape project was Ocean Design course at University College in developments and coastal town developments, is shielded, and east and west sun excluded. comfort, respect of site and nature, and Shores at Brunswick Heads (1972–1975), New London, and received a fellowship to study such as that at Ocean Shores, near Brunswick In today’s parlance: ‘environmentally sensitive they have a timeless simplicity and beauty. South Wales, where he proposed a town centre landscape architecture at the University of Heads in New South Wales. As a landscape design’. This rigour sets Bruce apart. 3 . He never sought the limelight, but always and low- to high-rise residential buildings Pennsylvania under the influential planner architect he contributed to several large and Bruce established various prototypes for remained true to his ideas and ideals. framed by extensive natural reserves and 1. Bruce Rickard inside the Curry House 2. Photo: Neil Fenelon. and landscape architect Ian McHarg (who significant projects throughout Sydney and living through explorations for his own family. 2. On a steep site in Bayview NSW, Curry House 2 embodies Much as he admired Frank Lloyd Wright streets and gardens planted with local species. subsequently wrote Design with Nature in New South Wales. The first was in Warrawee in 1959. The second Bruce Rickard’s finesse in marrying building with site, and he never copied [him], but adapted his own However, it is in his warm, inviting, light-filled his affinity for Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater. The 1969). His other tutors were Philip Johnson, Establishing an independent practice in was at Kokoda Avenue Wahroonga in 1961, with Australian Institute of Architects honoured Bruce for the designs to the site and client, leaving behind houses — so beautifully sited and detailed — Louis Kahn (who offered Bruce a position 1959, from the outset Bruce was concerned the next being a staged alteration in Cottage building with a Merit Award in 1983 and the 25 Year Award some marvelously personal environments to that one can best see Bruce’s vision and skill in 2009. Curry House 2 is included on the Institute’s register in his office), and Lewis Mumford. with orientation to the northern aspect and Point in 1989–90. Bruce had several clients of significant 20th century buildings. Photo: Neil Fenelon. live in. He will be sorely missed. in integrating architecture and the bush. While in America, Bruce conducted many sun entering the living areas. Planning, whose patronage also led to developments 3. Interior of Rickard’s Cottage Point House, built 1985-1992. informal visits to architecturally designed elevational treatments and location of in his domestic design solutions. Primary Ian McKay, Architect Barbara Buchanan, Landscape Architect

4 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 Architecture Bulletin 5