Architecture, Building and Planning - Theses

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End date: 2022 × Type: Masters Research thesis × Subject: Architecture ×

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    Forgotten game
    Lyon, Hamish (University of Melbourne, 1999)
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    A search for understanding: the architecture of R.J. Ferguson
    Murray, Andrew ( 2018)
    This thesis is an historical study examining the work of Western Australian architect Ronald Jack (Gus) Ferguson (1931-). It argues that the regional practice of R.J Ferguson was one developed out of a global postwar “anxiety” over the role of architecture in a rapidly changing world, and is the result of a complex interplay of geo-political factors specific to Western Australia. Following an extensive tour of Africa, Europe and Asia between 1957 and 1960, Ferguson set out on what he termed a “search for architectural understanding”: seeking out lessons and principles drawn from a variety of traditional architectural practices as a way to mediate this anxiety. Motivated by Perth’s geographic isolation, Ferguson’s search involved extensive travel, research and application, resulting in a practice that relied on evolving relationships between regional and global traditions. Through an exploration of Ferguson’s work between 1960 and 1975, this study contributes to a better understanding of the conditions which directly affected his practice, including geography, harsh climatic conditions, an active local discourse, and the pragmatics of construction. The thesis explores three key campus projects: the Hale School Memorial Hall (1961); The University of Western Australia campus buildings, including the Law School (1967), the Sports Centre (1970), and the Student Guild (1972); and Murdoch University, Stage One (1975). These significant built works demonstrate the way in which Ferguson worked to construct a personal, locally responsive architectural language, through the careful study and application of lessons learnt during his extensive travels. The research focusses particularly on his interests in the vernacular traditions of the Mediterranean, Japan, and colonial Australia along with an interest in contemporary European modernism centred on the work of Le Corbusier. Underpinning Ferguson’s practice is the relationship between his search for architectural understanding, and his consistent and pioneering use of off-form concrete in Australia. Through a close examination of these projects, this thesis provides new insights into a major Western Australian practice, and adds to a broader understanding of the diverse nature of postwar modern Australian architecture.