page_title: Harry Seidler
section_title: Life in Australia
hierarchical_section_title: Harry Seidler / Life in Australia
caption_attribution_description: English: Australia Square, Sydney, designed by Harry Seidler (1961–67). Photo 2007 Esperanto: Turdomo de Australia Square en Sidnejo, desegnita de Harry Seidler kaj finita dum 1967. Français&#160;: La Australia Square Tower, à Sydney. Photo prise en 2007. Italiano: L'Australia Square Tower di Sydney, in Australia, vista dal basso. La torre, alta 170 metri e a pianta circolare, fa parte di un complesso commerciale e di uffici realizzato nel 1967 su progetto dell'architetto Harry Seidler, uno dei principali esponenti del Movimento Moderno in Australia. Foto scattata nel 2007 中文: 澳大利亚广场, 悉尼.
context_page_description: Harry Seidler, AC OBE was an Austrian-born Australian architect who is considered to be one of the leading exponents of Modernism's methodology in Australia and the first architect to fully express the principles of the Bauhaus in Australia.
  Seidler designed more than 180 buildings and he received much recognition for his contribution to the architecture of Australia. Seidler consistently won architectural awards every decade throughout his Australian career of almost 58 years across the varied categories – his residential work from 1950, his commercial work from 1964, and his public commissions from the 1970s. He was a controversial figure throughout his long career as he regularly publicly criticised planning authorities and the planning system in Sydney.
context_section_description: Seidler's parents migrated to Sydney in 1946, and (while he was working for Breuer in New York) in early 1948, his mother wrote to him to commission him to come to Sydney to design their home. Seidler arrived in Sydney on 20 June 1948 (which was a few days before his 25th birthday) , with no intention to remain in Australia, but to stay only until the house was finished. The house became known as the Rose Seidler House (1948–1950), in Wahroonga, in remote bushland of a suburb on Sydney's Upper North Shore. This project was the first completely modern domestic residence to fully express the philosophy and visual language of the Bauhaus in Australia and won the Sulman Award of 1951. From the huge publicity of this house, others approached Seidler to design their homes. With so many clients and his enjoyment of the Sydney climate and harbour views, Seidler decided to stay in Australia. The Rose Seidler House became a house-museum in 1991.
  In the 1960s Seidler again broke new ground with his design for the Australia Square project (first designs 1961, plaza building 1962–64, tower 1964–67). At the time, the Australia Square tower was the world's tallest light weight concrete building. The design introduced the concept of a large public open plaza and prominent artworks to office towers in Australia.
  In 1966, he helped lead the protests to try to keep Jørn Utzon as the principal architect of the Sydney Opera House.
  He was a founding member of the Australian Architecture Association. In 1984 he became the first Australian to be elected a member of the Académie d'architecture, Paris and in 1987 was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, an honour which he accepted in his trademark suit and bowtie. Over the years Mr Seidler was also awarded five Sulman Medals by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, as well as the Royal Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1976, and the Royal Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1996.
  For 50 years Harry Seidler has played a vital role in international architecture. His work is widely recognised as an original and intensely creative contribution to the architecture of the second half of the 20th century.
  — Dennis Sharp in his introduction to the book Master architects: Harry Seidler
caption: Australia Square, Sydney, 1961–67
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