_____________________________ PROJECT HOUSING AND THE ARCHITECTURAL PROFESSION IN SYDNEY IN THE 1960s A Thesis Submitted to the University of New South Wales For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY By Judith M. O’Callaghan Faculty of the Built Environment The University of New South Wales Sydney, Australia 2007 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS _______________________________________________ Abstract 7 Acknowledgements 8 List of abbreviations 10 List of illustrations 12 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Introduction 14 Research Question 15 Scope 16 Key Definitions 16 Time Period 17 Geographical Limits 17 Project Builders 18 Interpretive Framework 20 Interpretive Method 23 Sources 25 Documentary Material 25 Interviews 27 Literature Review 29 Thesis Structure 38 2 CHAPTER 2 PROFESSIONALISM, ARCHITECTS AND THE CULTURE OF PRODUCTION: An Interpretive Framework Introduction 41 Professional Status and Identity 41 Pierre Bourdieu 47 Domination and Struggle in the Field of Architecture 49 A Question of Legitimacy 51 ‘Cultural Intermediaries’ 56 ‘Cultures of Production’ 60 ‘Acceptability’ and ‘Accessibility’ 63 Conclusion 66 CHAPTER 3 ‘THE ARCHITECT IS DEAD - LONG LIVE ARCHITECTURE!’ Housing and the Architectural Profession in Sydney 1930 – 45 Introduction 68 The 1930s 69 The Political Significance of Housing 73 The War Years 80 The ‘Newcomers’: MARS 81 Only a ‘partial’ revolution 86 Housing and the Future of the Profession 89 Conclusion 93 3 CHAPTER 4 ‘HOMES IN THE SUN’ Housing and the Architectural Profession in Sydney 1945 – 60 Introduction 94 The ‘Acceptability’ and ‘Accessibility’ of Architect-Designed ‘Solutions’ 96 Architects and the Popular Media 96 ‘Another KO by Young Fighter’ 101 The NSW Chapter and Housing 104 ‘An Opportunity for Leadership’ 120 Emerging Threats to Professional Identity 124 A New Industrial Environment 124 Architect as Builder 126 The ‘Package Dealer’ 128 Conclusion 138 CHAPTER 5 ‘HOMES THAT SAY THE RIGHT THINGS’ Project Housing and the Architectural Profession in Sydney: The Early Years Introduction 140 Sun-Line Homes 142 History 142 Culture of Production and the Role of the Architect 149 The Profession’s Response 157 Parade of Homes 158 History 158 Culture of Production and the Role of the Architect 167 The Profession’s Response 173 4 Lend Lease Homes, the 1962 Demonstration Village and the Carlingford Homes Fair 175 History 175 Culture of Production and the Role of the Architect 189 The Profession’s Response 194 Conclusion 197 CHAPTER 6 ‘ARCHITECTURAL EXCELLENCE AND VALUE’ Pettit & Sevitt Introduction 199 History 200 Establishing the Business 200 Beginning of the Boom 207 Expansion 211 Speculative Interests 220 Other Building Interests 223 A Change in Ownership 226 Culture of Production 234 The Target Market 235 Individuality, Quality and Value 236 Presentation and Representation 241 The Role of the Architect 249 Defining the Terms of Engagement 249 Architectural Expertise and the Processes of Production 252 Architectural Authority 253 Conclusion 258 5 CHAPTER 7 ‘ENTER THE PROFESSIONAL’ Project Housing and the Architectural Profession in Sydney 1960 – 69 Introduction 259 The ‘Newcomers’: The Architectural Society 260 The Continuing Importance of Housing as an Issue 264 The NSW Chapter takes the Initiative 270 Changes to the Code of Professional Conduct 278 Identifying the Issues 278 The NSW Chapter Again Takes the Lead 284 Conclusion 292 CHAPTER 8 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Overview and Conclusions 294 Relationship to Existing Literature 296 Future Research 298 BIBLIOGRAPHY Archival Material 301 Books and Journal Articles 301 Newspaper and Magazine Articles 319 Theses 321 Transcriptions of Radio and Television Broadcasts 322 Unpublished Material 322 6 APPENDICES Appendix 1: List of Interviews and Correspondence 323 Appendix 2: Map of Sydney Metropolitan Area Showing Areas in which Sun-Line Homes, The Master Builders’ Association of NSW, Lend Lease Homes and Pettit & Sevitt Concentrated Their Activities at Specific Times During the Period 1959–78 325 Appendix 3: Pettit & Sevitt Display Homes Advertised in Sydney 327 Appendix 4: Royal Australian Institute of Architects, New South Wales Chapter Project House Design Awards 1967–78 329 Appendix 5: Membership of the Architectural Society in Sydney 333 Appendix 6: Royal Australian Institute of Architects Code of Ethics [1932] 334 Royal Australian Institute of Architects Code of Ethics [1939] 336 Code of Professional Conduct [1966–67] 339 RAIA Code of Professional Conduct [1969] 343 7 ABSTRACT _______________________________________________ This thesis argues that the emergence of architect-designed project housing in Sydney in the late 1950s and 1960s was associated with a cultural and political shift within the local architectural profession. In order to provide an understanding of how such a shift might be defined, the thesis draws from the literature on the sociology of professions and the theories of sociologists Pierre Bourdieu, Paul du Gay and Sharon Zukin. Beginning in the 1930s and then progressing through the war and postwar years, the thesis will show how the popular housing market came to assume a major point of focus for the local architectural profession not only as an area of practice but also in relation to issues of identity and public image. The emergence of architect-designed project housing in Sydney in the late 1950s and 1960s is seen as an extension of that process. The thesis demonstrates how successful models of architectural engagement with project housing were used to highlight limitations in the way in which the profession had defined itself, particularly through such devices as the RoyalAustralian Institute of Architects’ Code of Professional Conduct. It is argued that the dramatic revision made to that code in 1969 embodied a distinct cultural and political shift for the profession and was the result of a growing tension between traditional ideals and the realities of practice. It is concluded that architect-designed project housing served to inform that shift by providing a context in which aspects of this tension could be tested and, in some cases, reconciled. 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS _______________________________________________ I am indebted to the Faculty of the Built Environment at The University of New South Wales for providing crucial support in the form of a PhD Scholarship at the very beginning of my candidature. I would like to thank the former Dean, Professor Tong Wu, for his role in this as well as the current Dean, Professor Peter Murphy, for his support then and since. I am particularly grateful to Associate Professor Bruce Judd who enthusiastically supported my research proposal and encouraged me to pursue PhD candidature. I was very fortunate to have Dr Judd appointed as my supervisor and then Professor Robert Freestone as my co-supervisor. Their expert guidance, not to mention good humour and forbearance, made all the difference to the progress of this thesis. Special thanks are also due to: • The architects, builders, developers and advertising executives who so graciously gave of their time, knowledge and opinion: Max Bowen, Neil Clerehan, Michael Dysart, John Fisher, Don Gazzard, Arthur Holland, Russell Jack, Geoffrey Lumsdaine, Ian McKay, Brian Pettit, Dirk Reitsma, Bill Rodgers, Val Sevitt, Nino Sydney, Ross Thorne, Peter Waite, Professor Peter Webber. I would like to make special mention of Ken Woolley, who was very generous in making his time and records available to me, as well as Brian Pettit and the late Ron Sevitt whose enthusiasm for architect-designed project housing initially excited my interest in the subject. • The New South Wales Chapter of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and in particular Wendy McCloskey who arranged access to the Chapter’s archives and Anne Higham who generously shared her own detailed research on the careers of Sydney architects. 9 • The Master Builders’ Association of NSW, especially Brian Seidler who provided access to the Association’s archives. • The Royal Australian Institute of Architects, notably Richard Barton, for access to the Institute’s archives. • Lend Lease, in particular Diana Wyndham, Librarian at Lend Lease Design who provided access to Lend Lease archives and contacts. • The Powerhouse Museum and particularly Kathy Hackett, Image Librarian. • Michael Bogle, for information on Arthur Baldwinson’s connection with the Modern Architectural Research Society, as well as a list of the society’s members. • Dr Bronwyn Hanna, for information on Eva Buhrich. • Dr Charles Pickett, for his advice on pre-cut housing in Australia. • Colleagues within the Faculty of the Built Environment and elsewhere at The University of New South Wales — notably Dijana Alic, Caroline Butler-Bowden, Professor Alexander Cuthbert, Dr Catherine de Lorenzo, Dr Paul Hogben, Dr Peter Kohane and Dr Wendy Shaw for their valuable comments. Also Harry Stephens and Kirsty Máté for their special support and encouragement, Kathy Argyropoulos for the time she spent carefully scanning images, Colin Rowan for his more than generous assistance with InDesign and Andrew Tice for drawing up the map used in Appendix 2. • The University of New South Wales for the UNSW PhD Completion Scholarship that paid for the transcription of interviews. And finally to Helen Johns — the real in spiration behind this project. 10 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS _______________________________________________ Institutions and Organisations ABC Australian Broadcasting Commission AIA American Institute of Architects CHC Commonwealth Housing Commission