Graeme Gunn

Dr. Graeme Cecil Gunn AM (born 1933 in Hamilton, Victoria) is an Australian architect and former Dean of the School of Architecture at RMIT.

Construction Date: 1968

The design is based on a 2700 orthogonal matrix using natural tree trunks, some 10 metres long farmed from a local plantation owned by Sir Roy Grounds and Ken Myer.

The vertical and horizontal grid of the matrix defines the spaces, the floors of which radiate from the central staircase, each floor raise a half level above the previous and in a location 90-degree different from the one below.

Services are minimal, there being no public utilities (gas, water, electricity or sewerage).

The timber theme generated by the structure is continued with infill timber studs within the pole grid and clad internally and externally with timber boarding.

The floors are EX 50x100 mm tongue and grooved planks spanning 1350 mm. These, in turn form the ceilings for those rooms having a full height below.

Ceilings directly below the roof consist of sisal lining over 150mm square wire mesh.

Some years ago the owner of this property and some of adjacent properties along the coast deeded the contiguous properties as part of a state park to the NSW government to ensure retention of the pristine coastal environment, reserved for public use only.

Townhouses - 76 Molesworth Street, Kew

Construction Date: 1968

Designed for family living these six concrete block, Brutalist style townhouses, consist of three bedrooms, two living areas and a double carport (now converted to a garage) with an open private courtyard.

The building expresses simple construction materials of concrete for the main structure, timber for the roof structure and metal deck as the roof cladding.

Off-form concrete balconies project from the concrete block building, with timber handrails.

The Townhouses are significant as an important design progression in the re-thinking of suburban, cluster style living.

The houses are included on the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay and Graded as "A" class.

Today: This project retains many of its original features and remains structurally intact, and has only received minor upgrading of timber handrails and window frames.

Construction Date: 1970

Located at 52 Victoria Street Melbourne, the Plumbers & Gasfitters Union building is known as the most persisting and noticeable landmark of Brutalism.

The building was completed in 1970 by Graeme Gunn and his creative collaboration with Merchant Builders and landscape architect Ellis Stones.

The design itself was architecturally intended to be up to date.

The facade is formed of concrete in bold expressionistic forms with dark smoked glazing that intensify the sculptural quality of the construction.

Structurally designed to receive an extra floor when needed, the building consists of a car parking and mechanical services area, one main office floor housing the clients, conference room and lobby, and one office of lettable space.

For the internal finishes, walls, concrete block work, and stud frame sheeted with plywood are painted.

The addition of signage on the building is slightly unsympathetic to the building's initial character.

Award: 1970 Bronze Medal Award, Victorian Chapter of the RAIA.

In the Boroondara Municipality only 3 other residential projects have won this award.

Construction Date: 1971

Winter Park was Graeme's first cluster housing project.

It was designed and implemented in association with Merchant Builders Pty Ltd in 1971 and has subsequently remained a seminal departure from the traditional method of suburban subdivision.

1980-1989

1990-1999

2000-2009

Winter Park is now on the Heritage Victoria list and in 2007 was adjudged by an expert panel, consisting mostly of architects, as one of the 29 most worthy buildings produced since the inauguration of the first AIA awards.

The basic tenet of the cluster housing concept is that of a comprehensively planned development in which a group of houses are sited to optimise available land in a much more efficient and environmentally sensitive manner than that provided by the normal rectangular grid lot suburban subdivision.

Excess land is aggregated to provide communal open space.

Houses are sited to relate sympathetically with each other, to optimise privacy, solar orientation, views and physical conditions.

Construction Date: 2009

The encompassing living environment of the Hamilton Courtyard House is achieved through the union of built form, spatial sequences, landscape and scale.

2010 – present