Ken Woolley

Ken Woolley
Kenneth Frank Charles Woolley , BArch, Hon DSc Arch Sydney LFRAIA, FTSE, (29 May 1933 – 25 November 2015) was an Australian architect. In a career spanning 60 years, he is best known for his contributions to project housing with Pettit and Sevitt, four time Wilkinson Award-winning architect, including three times for his own house, the first being the 1962 Woolley House in Mosman, and his longstanding partnership with Sydney Ancher and Bryce Mortlock. He is regarded as being a prominent figure in the development of the Sydney School movement and Australian vernacular building.
Architectural career
Ken Woolley was born in Sydney on 29 May 1933. He attended Sydney Boys High School and studied architecture at the University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning, graduating in 1955. On graduation, he worked in the Government Architects Branch of the New South Wales Public Works Department. During this time he was the design architect for the Fisher Library at the University of Sydney and the State Office Block on Macquarie Street (now demolished). He joined Ancher Mortlock Murray & Woolley in 1964, just prior to Ancher's retirement. This practice has received all the major architectural awards and created numerous outstanding buildings which include the Australian Embassy in Bangkok, Town Hall House Sydney, the Park Hyatt at Campbell's Cove, the ABC Radio and Orchestra Centre at Ultimo, the Victorian State Library, the Control Tower at Sydney Airport, the Olympics and RAS Dome Exhibition and Indoor Sports Halls, the Olympic Hockey Stadium, the Sydney Convention Centre, Darling Harbour and the refurbishment of the Queen Victoria Building. The most recent recognition was to the State Library of Victoria with the 2006 Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage Architecture.
Notable projects
Woolley took on a growing number of outside projects while still working with the Government Architect. He generated a reputation in the field of housing, winning a low cost competition for an exhibition house with Michael Dysart, in 1958. Consequently, both architects were invited to submit designs for a display village of model project houses in Carlingford, in 1961, proving to be a successful event that signalled the architect designed project house to be a welcome alternative to the individually designed and standard range houses of the time.
He began a working relationship with the project housing company, Pettit and Sevitt, the same year, creating house types of high quality design and construction. "Split Level", "Lowline" and other early forms incorporated design principles through simple lines, natural features and an emphasis on functionalism. They were widely affordable due to the standardised usage of materials: brick veneer construction, Gyprock plasterboard interior wall cladding, Monier concrete tiles and Stegbar aluminium windows. They often used basic grids, rectangular planes, and flat roofs, and were always firmly grounded with room to be easily adapted to various sites and terrains. These sophisticated types underwent various levels of modifications as they were marketed through display villages and later sold to individual buyers, who had a consultation with the architect to discuss the interior and exterior details, as a part of the service. Through these modifications based on the clients' needs and clever marketing, these houses gained an unprecedented popularity with prominent architects worldwide.
At the completion of his own home, the Woolley House in Mosman in 1962, a work he would become most famous for, Ken Woolley emerged as a leading figure in a regional romantic movement often referred to as Sydney School. This evolving movement combined the influence of organic architecture, brutalism and the arts and crafts movement together with elements of the International Style, and came to embody the harmonious relationships between man and nature as intimate domestic spaces in the Australian bushland. The basis of the Woolley House design was derived from a series of garden terraces, most of which were covered by sections of timber roof sloping parallel to the land. A geometric order was applied to the plan as a series of 12-foot square units that combine to make up the main central space. Natural materials were exploited, with neutral colour schemes of dark tiles, western red cedar boarding and panelling, and painted bricks, creating a feeling of warmth in the house. The open plan living spaces were connected with volumes containing variations of ceiling height and changes in direction, enabling floor areas to be narrow but for the feeling of space to still be maximised. The house won RAIA’s Wilkinson Award the same year it was completed. The house was gifted to the University of NSW in 2016 by the Hesketh family.
Woolley joined the existing partnership of Sydney Ancher, Bryce Mortlock and Stuart Murray in 1964, and with Murray leaving the practice in 1975, as Ancher Mortlock & Woolley, the team went on to establish a reputation in the design of special purpose buildings. Notable examples are the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Ultimo Centre, the RAS Dome and Exhibition Hall and the Olympic Hockey Stadium at Homebush.
In addition, Ken Woolley worked on notable concrete buildings (Newcastle University Union building and Macquarie University Union building), multi-housing projects (The Penthouses, Darling Point 1967) and buildings of structure and technology (Town Hall House and the Guided Missile Launching System Repair Facility), with many of them picking up various esteemed awards over the following two decades.
Among his many notable buildings in Sydney are the headquarters of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Ultimo, the Garvan Institute of Medical Research building in Darlinghurst (featuring an iconic DNA-inspired helical staircase), University of Sydney's Fisher Library, the Park Hyatt Sydney, the former State Office Block, Sydney Airport Air Traffic Control Tower and buildings at Sydney Olympic Park. He also worked on stages of State Library Victoria and the Australian Embassy in Bangkok.
Woolley was awarded the highest architectural honour in Australia when he received the RAIA Gold Medal in 1993.
Significant projects
Design Architect, Government Architect's Office
1955 St. Margaret’s Hospital Chapel, Crown Street, Darlinghurst
1956 Chemistry School, University of Sydney, with H.Rembert & P.Webber
1957–1962 Fisher Library, University of Sydney
1960–1965 State Office Block, Macquarie Street, completed 1967
1962 Lidcombe State Hospital Recreation Hall & Chapel
Professional practice with Ancher Mortlock and Woolley
1962 Woolley House, Mosman
1962–1977 3500 Pettit & Sevitt houses
1965–1988 Student Unions at Macquarie, Newcastle and Sydney Universities
1968 The Penthouses, Rushcutters Bay
1971 Town Hall House, Sydney, and Sydney Square collaboration
1972 Government Housing, Canberra, 600 houses 1972–1982
1973 New Australian Embassy, Bangkok. Completed 1978
1977 Port Vila, Vanuatu, & Honiara, Solomon Islands, Radio Broadcasting Stations
1979 Institute of Criminology Canberra, (competition winner). Unbuilt
1980 Woolley House, Cooper Street, Paddington
1980–1983 GMLS Assembly and Overhaul Building, Garden Island
1982 Australian Federal Police Headquarters, Canberra. Unbuilt
1983 National Archives Headquarters, Canberra. Unbuilt
1984 Commonwealth Law Courts, Parramatta
1984–1986 Woolley House, Palm Beach
1985 Exhibition Glass Houses, The Arc, Royal Botanic Gardens
1985 Sydney Space Theatre, Power House Museum, Sydney. Unbuilt
1986 Hotel at the Opera House, Sydney. Unbuilt
1987 Australia Pavilion, Expo 88 Brisbane
1987 Park Hyatt Hotel at Campbell’s Cove, Circular Quay, Sydney
1988 ABC Radio and Orchestra Centre, Sydney
1988 Walsh Bay Waterfront Redevelopment, Sydney. Unbuilt
1988 Australia Hellenic War Memorial, Canberra
1989 Parliamentary Triangle, Canberra, Urban Design elements
1989 Urban Design Controls Civic, Central area, City Hill, Canberra
1990 Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead
1991 Exhibition & Sports Halls for Olympics 2000 Bid, Homebush Bay
1992 Medium density tropical housing for South Pacific Forum, Nouméa
1992 Sand River Golf Club original design, Shenzhen, China
1993 Control Tower, Sydney Airport
1994 Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst
1994 Heritage refurbishment and courtyard infill, Education Department, Bridge Street, Sydney
1995 Bloodbank, Parramatta
1995 Woolley House, Stewart Street, Paddington. Alterations and additions
1996 Exhibition Hall Dome & Olympic 2000 Indoor Sports halls, Homebush Bay
1997 Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre: Link Expansion, Darling Harbour
1998 Hockey Stadium, Olympics 2000, Homebush Bay
1999 Burswood International Resort Casino expansion, Perth, Western Australia
2004 Queen Victoria Building, Sydney. Refurbishment
2004 Proposal for a Sydney Music Shell in the Domain
2005 Park Hyatt Hotel, Circular Quay. Rooftop suites extension
2005 Project Housing, model houses for Landcom, Hoxton Park, Sydney
2005 Completion of State Library of Victoria, from 1985 onwards
2007 Revival of Pettit & Sevitt project houses. 3 new designs
2008 Design for Hindley Street Hotel, Adelaide, with John Diekman
2008–2014 Proposal for Large New Opera Theatre at Sydney Opera House
2009 Completion of Queen Victoria. Refurbishment
2011 Northbourne Ave, Canberra, Sydney Ancher’s 1960 housing.
2011 Refurbishment and intensification
2012 Second Proposal for a Sydney Music Shell in the Domain
Monograph: Australian Architects: Ken Woolley – RAIA 1985
A.S.Hook RAIA Gold Medal Address Sydney 1994 'State of the Art'
Walter Burley Griffin Memorial Lecture Canberra 1997 'Give Art a Chance'
Address 'A Pitch of Magnificence' Academy of Technological Science & Engineering, 2001
Architecture awards
Sir Zelman Cowan Award for Public Architecture [National Award]
1986, Cadets Mess, ADFA, Canberra Medallion
Robin Boyd Award
1987, Woolley House, Palm Beach
Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage Architecture [National Award]
2005, State Library of Victoria, Adaptive Reuse & Infill Buildings
National Award for Enduring Architecture
2022, Woolley Hesketh House, Mosman (1962)
New South Wales Enduring Architecture Award
2022, Woolley Hesketh House, Mosman (1962)
Wilkinson Award [NSW State Award]
1962, Woolley Hesketh House, Mosman
1968, The Penthouses, Rushcutters Bay
1982, Woolley House, Paddington
1987, Woolley House, Palm Beach
Sulman Award [NSW State Award]
1963, Fisher Library, University of Sydney, whilst Government Design Architect – Government Architect & T.O'Mahony Joint Architects
Blacket Award for Country Buildings [NSW State Award]
1967, University of Newcastle Union
1969, Staff House, University of Newcastle
1987, 'The Anchorage', Tweed Heads
Chapter Award [Victoria State Award]
2005, RAIA Victorian Chapter Heritage Award
Civic Design Award
1978, Sydney Square, Sydney
Project House Awards
1967–1977 Pettit & Sevitt, total of 14 awards
Canberra 25 Year Award [ACT Award]
1997, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Canberra
2002, RAIA Headquarters (AWM), Red Hill, Canberra (1967)
2010, F.C. Pye Field Environment Laboratory CSIRO, Canberra
Merit Awards for Residential, Commercial, Public, Civic or Adaptive Reuse
1972, Wentworth Building, University of Sydney
1976, Public Housing, Macquarie Fields
1979, Sydney Town Hall Complex
1980, Gardens Restaurant, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
1980–1983 GMLS Assembly and Overhaul Building, Garden Island
1981, Woolley House, Paddington
1981, GMLS Workshop, Garden Island, Sydney
1982, Amenities Building, Garden Island, Sydney
1982, Sydney Square (with Noel Bell-Ridley Smith)
1984, Mormon Church, Leura
1991, Park Hyatt Hotel, Campbell’s Cove, Sydney
1992, ABC Radio and Orchestral Centre, Ultimo, Sydney
1993, Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead
Personal Achievements
1988, Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
1993, Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal
2001, Fellow of the Academy of Technological Science and Engineering
2003, Centenary of Federation Medal for services to structural engineering
Architecture competition winning schemes
1958 Taubmans Australian 'Low Cost' House Competition, with Michael Dysart
1966 Daily Telegraph House
1976 Holsworthy Village Centre, Lend Lease
1979 Institute of Criminology, Canberra, NCDC
1980 Linley Cove Lend Lease Housing Development, Lane Cove
1983 Gateway, Circular Quay, Ideas Competition
1983 National Archives, Canberra, NCDC
1986 Victorian State Library and Museum, Melbourne.
1987 Australian/Hellenic War Memorial Competition, Canberra, ACT
1987 Campbell’s Cove Hotel Competition, Circular Quay, Sydney
1988 Walsh Bay Foreshore Development, jointly
1991 Limited Competition, Royal Botanic Gardens Centre
For more comprehensive project list, biography, bibliography, publications see 'Ken Woolley & Ancher Mortlock & Woolley' The Images Publishing Group.
Exhibitions
1963 Sulman and Wilkinson Awards Exhibition, Royal Australian Institute of Architects, Sydney.
1964 RAIA Members Exhibition, Sydney.
1967 Australian Exhibition, Expo Montreal and
1968–1982 RAIA Awards Exhibitions, Sydney and 1987–93.
1946–1976 Ancher Mortlock Murray and Woolley, Sydney Architects.
1970 Australian Exhibition, Expo Osaka, Japan.
1976 Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney and Australian Tour, 1977.
1980 Engehurst Exhibition RAIA, Pleasures of Architecture Conference.
1983 Competition for the Quay, Sydney, Exhibition at RAIA Sydney Convention.
1983–1985 'Old Continent New Building', International Travelling Exhibition.
1985 'Australian Architects, Ken Woolley', Art Gallery of New South Wales.
1985 'Australian Built, Responding to the Place', Art Gallery of New South Wales.
1985 Triennale of World Architecture, Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
1986 State Library Victoria and Museum Competition Exhibition, Melbourne.
1987 Powerhouse Museum, 'Australia by Design' Exhibition.
1989 Sydney Harbour Foreshore Development Exhibition, RAIA.
1992 Australian Design Excellence, Australian Academy of Design and Foreign Affairs Department, Manila and South East Asia.
1993 Powerhouse Museum, Design of the 50s.
2002 Drawings by Ken Woolley, New England Regional Art Museum.
2003 RAIA Gallery, Tusculum.
2009 Exhibition drawings, 'Process' University of Sydney Tinsheds Gallery.
2011 Peter Pinson Gallery. Drawings of Paris.
2012 Peter Pinson Gallery, Etchings.
2013 Simon Chan Gallery, Architects collection of drawings.
2014 Simon Chan Gallery, Architects collection of drawings.
Publications
Monograph: Australian Architects: Ken Woolley, Royal Australian Institute of Architects, 1985
A.S.Hook RAIA Gold Medal Address,State of the Art, Sydney, 1994
Walter Burley Griffin Memorial Lecture,Give Art a Chance, Canberra, 1997
Monograph: The Master Architect Series IV Ken Woolley and Ancher Mortlock & Woolley Selected and Current Works, 1999
Address A Pitch of Magnificence Academy of Technological Science & Engineering, 2001
Architect and Artist, Drawings by Ken Woolley, published by Images, 2002
Author, Reviewing the Performance, The Design of the Sydney Opera House, Watermark Press, 2010
Author Making Marks, Drawings by Ken Woolley, Watermark Press, 2013
Writings
"Monograph: The Master Architect Series IV Ken Woolley and Ancher Mortlock & Woolley Selected and Current Works 1999"
"Art Works – Drawings by Ken Woolley". Published by Images, Exhibition, 2002.
"Reviewing the Performance, The Design of the Sydney Opera House" Ken Woolley. Watermark Press, 2010
"Making Marks, Drawings by Ken Woolley" Watermark Press, 2013
See also
Sydney Ancher
Bryce Mortlock
Woolley House
Wilkinson Award
Australian Institute of Architects
Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal
Member of the Order of Australia
Notes
External links
Ken Woolley at Ancher/Mortlock/Wooley website
Our house: histories of Australian homes, Australian Heritage Council website
Woolley House at Sydney Architecture website
Archive relating to Pettit & Sevitt project homes, 1962–1977 at Powerhouse Museum website
Baudish House
1933 births
2015 deaths
University of Sydney alumni
Officers of the Order of Australia
Recipients of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal
Architects from Sydney