Australia Modern: from the iconic to the everyday

Image for Australia Modern: from the iconic to the everyday

Dulux Gallery Glyn Davis Building (133) The University of Melbourne

Taking inspiration from the latest book on Australian modernism Australia Modern: Architecture, Landscape & Design edited by Hannah Lewi & Philip Goad and published by Thames & Hudson, this exhibition celebrates twentieth-century architecture through newly commissioned photographs and archival images that vividly capture how modernism has shaped Australian society.

The pervasive presence of modernism is inescapable in Australia. Modernist architects and designers set out to rebuild at all scales, from vast infrastructure projects, public health and educational institutions, to new centres of culture, consumption and leisure. The exhibition showcases this legacy with a striking sample of the 100 significant modern sites included in the accompanying book as well as multimedia installations showcasing excepts from the Modern Melbourne documentary series.

In the year of our BE—150 program, which celebrates 150 years of built environment education at the University of Melbourne, we invite you to join us in exploring modernism's influence on every facet of life in Australia. Featuring projects from the iconic and the urban to the everyday, the regional and the lesser known, Australia Modern celebrates the modern architects and buildings that will constitute the heritage of tomorrow.

Standard Opening Hours:

  • July 22 – August 22:
    10am – 4pm (Mon-Fri)

Additional Opening Hours:

  • Saturday July 27
    10am – 4pm
  • Sunday July 28
    10am – 4pm

BE–150 Celebrating 150 Years of Built Environment Education at The University of MelbourneOpen House Melbourne logo

Presented in partnership with Open House Melbourne, Australia Modern: from the iconic to the everyday is part of the University of Melbourne's BE–150: celebrating built environments program. Modern Melbourne is made possible by the generous support of the interview subjects, the Heritage Council of Victoria and the BE–150 program.

Image Credit: Sydney Ancher House III, 15 Bogota Ave, Neutral Bay, NSW, 1956. Architect: Sydney Ancher. Photograph: Max Dupain, 1958.