Preservation Houston is offering this program as a Key Contact of the International Coalition of Art Deco Societies, a cooperative worldwide alliance of organizations with an interest in Deco and modernist architecture and design.
Explore Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city and a center for Art Deco and modernist design, during a special online event Tuesday evening, September 29. Robin Grow, president of the Art Deco and Modernism Society of Australia, will present an illustrated overview of modern architecture in Melbourne — and across Australia — between 1920 and 1956, followed by a Q&A session open to all program registrants.
Melbourne was founded in 1835 and became one of the wealthiest and fastest-growing cities in the world after gold was discovered nearby in the 1850s. The city eventually developed into a trade and financial center known for its elaborate Victorian and Edwardian architecture. A boom in the 1920s ushered in a wave of colorful, stylish and innovative modern design across all building types, from schools and hospitals to theaters and department stores. The trend toward modernism continued after World War II. Central to the city’s postwar growth were the 1956 Olympic Games, which drew international attention to “Marvelous Melbourne.”
About the speaker
Robin Grow is the long-term President of the Art Deco & Modernism Society of Australia, an international organization that celebrates all aspects of Art Deco and modernist design. He is active in the preservation of interwar and modernist buildings, and regularly gives tours and presentations on the subject. He is the author of the award-winning book Melbourne Art Deco and the recently completed MELMO: Modernist Architecture in Melbourne.
Banner photo: Capitol Theatre, Melbourne / by John Gollings, courtesy of The Capitol/RMIT University
Above: 1930s tourism poster by Percy Trompf / State Library Victoria
Event format
This event will be presented via Zoom. Registrants will receive additional information, including a link to join the event, no later than the morning of September 29.