Latest news with #StateLibraryofNSW
Sydney Morning Herald
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Sydney is not a shallow city': Major change for Sydney Writers' Festival
The Sydney Writers' Festival will deliver year-round storytelling at a new dedicated literature hub to be established at Australia's oldest library amid warnings that without paid speaking gigs professional writing will become an unviable occupation within 20 years. Almost 30 years after launching at the State Library of NSW in 1997, the festival is to become a resident company of the Macquarie Street institution in the same way that Opera Australia or the Sydney Symphony Orchestra performs mostly in the Sydney Opera House. Arts Minister John Graham has awarded $1.5 million to the writers' festival for the first year for events at the library – outside its one-week annual May festival at Carriageworks – starting from September. The investment precedes the upcoming launch of the state's writing and literature strategy – the first time an Australian government has put together a comprehensive plan to support writing and literature, Graham said. 'I see Sydney as a city of ideas. I don't accept that Sydney is a shallow city,' he said. 'We've got some of the best writers, some of the most engaged readers and writers and, with the library and the festival working together, it will strengthen both institutions.' Festival-led talks and events at the library will rise from the current trial of six to 10 a year to between 75 and 80 events annually, confirming the library as the festival's second home. It's all part of the evolution of the writers' festival into a literary institution that conducts year-round events programs for local and international thinkers and a platform for new and diverse voices in the manner of Melbourne's Wheeler Centre. 'That's huge growth for Sydney Writers' Festival, and presents increased opportunities and access both for the literature sector and for NSW,' the festival's chief executive Brooke Webb said. 'There are shrinking paid opportunities for writers right now and, if we don't address this now, in 20 years' time writing just won't be a viable choice for people.' In Australia, writers are among the poorest paid creatives, earning on average $18,500 a year, yet reading and writing remain vital to personal wellbeing, and economic and social prosperity.
The Age
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
‘Sydney is not a shallow city': Major change for Sydney Writers' Festival
The Sydney Writers' Festival will deliver year-round storytelling at a new dedicated literature hub to be established at Australia's oldest library amid warnings that without paid speaking gigs professional writing will become an unviable occupation within 20 years. Almost 30 years after launching at the State Library of NSW in 1997, the festival is to become a resident company of the Macquarie Street institution in the same way that Opera Australia performs mostly in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House. Arts Minister John Graham has awarded $1.5 million to the writers' festival for the first year for events at the library – outside its one-week annual May festival at Carriageworks – starting from September. The investment precedes the upcoming launch of the state's writing and literature strategy – the first time an Australian government has put together a comprehensive plan to support writing and literature, Graham said. 'I see Sydney as a city of ideas. I don't accept that Sydney is a shallow city,' he said. 'We've got some of the best writers, some of the most engaged readers and writers and, with the library and the festival working together, it will strengthen both institutions.' Festival-led talks and events at the library will rise from the current trial of six to 10 a year to between 75 and 80 events annually, confirming the library as the festival's second home. It's all part of the evolution of the writers' festival into a literary institution that conducts year-round events programs for local and international thinkers and a platform for new and diverse voices in the manner of Melbourne's Wheeler Centre. 'That's huge growth for Sydney Writers' Festival, and presents increased opportunities and access both for the literature sector and for NSW,' the festival's chief executive Brooke Webb said. 'There are shrinking paid opportunities for writers right now and, if we don't address this now, in 20 years' time writing just won't be a viable choice for people.' In Australia, writers are among the poorest paid creatives, earning on average $18,500 a year, yet reading and writing remain vital to personal wellbeing, and economic and social prosperity.
7NEWS
26-07-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Someone just paid more than $4 million for a stunning garden estate — no house included
Two years after it was first listed, a magnificent estate with an intriguing past has sold for $4.08 million. And while it's an impressive property, with more than 1.6ha of award-winning gardens in the picturesque Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains, there is no house in that deal. The internationally renowned residence by leading architect Peter Stutchbury, which took four years to build, was burned down in a robbery gone wrong in 2019. The only residential-style dwelling on the property now, known as the Pirramimma Garden Estate, is a guest studio with a small kitchenette. Listing agent Matthew Gale of McGrath Estate Agents Blue Mountains confirmed the sale of the property that attracted a wide range of buyer interest. He said the $4.08 million sale price, along with two adjoining properties held by the same owner which sold for a combined $2.35 million, made it one of the area's highest. 'It's a record price for a land-only deal in the picturesque Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains,' Gale said. He said the $4.08 million Pirramimma Garden Estate was a standout, even without its acclaimed residence. 'For that price you would expect a lot,' Gale said. 'In terms of its garden and position, the place is a beauty.' The property, once the home of entertainer Reg Livermore, attracted interest from people looking for a private home and others interested in developing a small boutique hotel. The buyers, however, are 'a Buddhist association' with the estate earmarked to be a retreat, Gale confirmed. He said the new owners may look to putting a further structure, such as a hall, on the site but another house would not be built. 'It's not going to be residential,' Gale said. The estate has been a well-known local landmark, and its gardens, which were initially developed by Livermore, have been noted nationally. The property last changed hands in 2006, selling for $3 million to the late hedge fund executive Matt Dillon. Dillon added adjoining land and commissioned landscape architect Craig Burton and landscaper Michael Bates to elevate what Livermore had created. New trees were planted and canopies were opened to encourage sunlight, and a series of specialist garden areas were created, including shallow channels, an orchard, a gully of misted ferns, an amphitheatre, sculpture nooks, terraces, stone staircases and sandstone pathways. Pirramimma Garden Estate was selected to feature in the State Library of NSW's 2016 Grand Garden Design exhibition of contemporary Australian gardens. The estate's stunning 362sqm house, designed by renowned architect Stutchbury, was burnt down in a fire in January 2019, incurring a reported $8 million bill for its damage. The trial of the man accused of starting the fire did not reach a conclusion as he died of cancer during the proceedings in 2023. The estate, which was being sold by the Dillon family, was originally listed for $4.7 million to $4.9 million in 2023.
Sydney Morning Herald
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why exploring this Sydney home is like finding an unplayed Mozart
Turning 89 on Friday, the Pritzker Prize-winning Australian architect Glenn Murcutt is still surprising fans who thought they knew all or most of his work. Another home in Sydney's St Ives by one of the world's most internationally recognised and important architects, but the least 'starchitecty' in style, has come to light. Discovering an unseen Murcutt was like hearing an unplayed Mozart, said one Sydney devotee. Architect Nick Sissons said it was like finding an unknown Shakespearean sonnet. Once found, the family home seems to disappear back into the steep bush block. That was Murcutt's intention, he said, visiting the home he designed 30 years ago for Dr Judith Preston and her husband, Brian Preston, the chief judge of the NSW Land and Environment Court. 'It's always been my view that you design buildings that you go past, and every now and again, one might say, 'Oh, better go back and have another look at that'. And I like that idea that there's that privacy to the street, and then you bite the apple and you have all the fruit inside.' Sissons, who worked with Murcutt on a book about his Unbuilt Works, estimates the architect has designed about 400 projects across 55 years. Murcutt has won gold medals from Australia and the US, and the Alvar Aalto Medal. As well as the Pritzker, he was the first Australian named a Praemium Imperiale laureate of architecture by the Japan Art Association. No two Murcutt homes are the same; Sissons said the Preston home was 'wonderfully subtle'. 'It blends seamlessly into the bushland context, responding to the steep topography, sliding, bending and dropping through the gully.' He said the slender terracotta-coloured blade walls – requested by Brian Preston to match the pink angophora he loves – allowed glimpses into the surrounding bushland. Sissons said it felt as if the house had always been there. 'It isn't a spectacular architectural statement, rather it feels like a logical and inevitable response to its unique context.' To mark Murcutt's 90th year, the foundation set up in his honour will launch the Murcutt Symposium from September 11 to 13 at the State Library of NSW. It includes Murcutt in conversation with his friend Francis Kéré, another Pritzker winner, visiting Australia for the first time. It will include visits with Murcutt to homes he has designed, and a panel of top architects discussing ideas such as healthy buildings and designing for climate that drove Murcutt's practice. One speaker, Carol Marra, an architect and Churchill Fellow, said Kéré and Murcutt seemed very different – Kéré has a mid-size practice, where Murcutt works solo. Yet both took time to understand what's unique about a place, including its cultural and social history, the landscape and people. 'It is not trophy architecture but has a dignified presence of its own,' Marra said. She said it was difficult to date Murcutt's work. 'They could be 40 years old or could have been built yesterday. 'It's deeply human work, you can sense … a love of people, care for place and nature. It is incredibly hard to achieve this in our market-driven commercial world, but it is a reflection of who Glenn is, a beautiful human being, brilliant and humble in equal measure.' Compared with nearby McMansions, the Preston home is modest and was unusual for its time because it incorporated a range of salvaged wood. 'I like that idea that there's that privacy to the street, and then you bite the apple and you have all the fruits inside.' Glenn Murcutt on Preston House Preston, a devoted gardener who also received the TAFE State Medal for Urban horticulture (1999), said it was a very therapeutic place. 'You think about the Japanese concept of forest bathing. You have that in your own house. We get all the birds, and we open the windows.' Murcutt said it was important to have a client who understood beautiful landscaping. 'And [Preston] has made a paradise. It is just paradise.' Murcutt is not looking for new work but trying to complete projects. That includes working with architect Angelo Candalepas on the new beachfront headquarters for Royal Far West at Manly. Asked if he thought about his legacy, he said he left it to those managing the Murcutt Foundation. 'I am having a few difficulties, health-wise, falling over. It is knocking me about a bit. I say to myself if I get to 90 or 95 I will be very lucky,' Murcutt said. 'I am very philosophical. I would like to be active until I have finished, and I don't like the idea of slowing down, that's been the curse of my life. I'm pretending I'm still 40. 'I don't want clients to be waiting, and I die in the middle of it. So I've said basically no to every new project.'
The Age
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Why exploring this Sydney home is like finding an unplayed Mozart
Turning 89 on Friday, the Pritzker Prize-winning Australian architect Glenn Murcutt is still surprising fans who thought they knew all or most of his work. Another home in Sydney's St Ives by one of the world's most internationally recognised and important architects, but the least 'starchitecty' in style, has come to light. Discovering an unseen Murcutt was like hearing an unplayed Mozart, said one Sydney devotee. Architect Nick Sissons said it was like finding an unknown Shakespearean sonnet. Once found, the family home seems to disappear back into the steep bush block. That was Murcutt's intention, he said, visiting the home he designed 30 years ago for Dr Judith Preston and her husband, Brian Preston, the chief judge of the NSW Land and Environment Court. 'It's always been my view that you design buildings that you go past, and every now and again, one might say, 'Oh, better go back and have another look at that'. And I like that idea that there's that privacy to the street, and then you bite the apple and you have all the fruit inside.' Sissons, who worked with Murcutt on a book about his Unbuilt Works, estimates the architect has designed about 400 projects across 55 years. Murcutt has won gold medals from Australia and the US, and the Alvar Aalto Medal. As well as the Pritzker, he was the first Australian named a Praemium Imperiale laureate of architecture by the Japan Art Association. No two Murcutt homes are the same; Sissons said the Preston home was 'wonderfully subtle'. 'It blends seamlessly into the bushland context, responding to the steep topography, sliding, bending and dropping through the gully.' He said the slender terracotta-coloured blade walls – requested by Brian Preston to match the pink angophora he loves – allowed glimpses into the surrounding bushland. Sissons said it felt as if the house had always been there. 'It isn't a spectacular architectural statement, rather it feels like a logical and inevitable response to its unique context.' To mark Murcutt's 90th year, the foundation set up in his honour will launch the Murcutt Symposium from September 11 to 13 at the State Library of NSW. It includes Murcutt in conversation with his friend Francis Kéré, another Pritzker winner, visiting Australia for the first time. It will include visits with Murcutt to homes he has designed, and a panel of top architects discussing ideas such as healthy buildings and designing for climate that drove Murcutt's practice. One speaker, Carol Marra, an architect and Churchill Fellow, said Kéré and Murcutt seemed very different – Kéré has a mid-size practice, where Murcutt works solo. Yet both took time to understand what's unique about a place, including its cultural and social history, the landscape and people. 'It is not trophy architecture but has a dignified presence of its own,' Marra said. She said it was difficult to date Murcutt's work. 'They could be 40 years old or could have been built yesterday. 'It's deeply human work, you can sense … a love of people, care for place and nature. It is incredibly hard to achieve this in our market-driven commercial world, but it is a reflection of who Glenn is, a beautiful human being, brilliant and humble in equal measure.' Compared with nearby McMansions, the Preston home is modest and was unusual for its time because it incorporated a range of salvaged wood. 'I like that idea that there's that privacy to the street, and then you bite the apple and you have all the fruits inside.' Glenn Murcutt on Preston House Preston, a devoted gardener who also received the TAFE State Medal for Urban horticulture (1999), said it was a very therapeutic place. 'You think about the Japanese concept of forest bathing. You have that in your own house. We get all the birds, and we open the windows.' Murcutt said it was important to have a client who understood beautiful landscaping. 'And [Preston] has made a paradise. It is just paradise.' Murcutt is not looking for new work but trying to complete projects. That includes working with architect Angelo Candalepas on the new beachfront headquarters for Royal Far West at Manly. Asked if he thought about his legacy, he said he left it to those managing the Murcutt Foundation. 'I am having a few difficulties, health-wise, falling over. It is knocking me about a bit. I say to myself if I get to 90 or 95 I will be very lucky,' Murcutt said. 'I am very philosophical. I would like to be active until I have finished, and I don't like the idea of slowing down, that's been the curse of my life. I'm pretending I'm still 40. 'I don't want clients to be waiting, and I die in the middle of it. So I've said basically no to every new project.'
