Tony Owen <br />Tony Owen Partners

Tony Owen Partners

Unit 2, 5-11 Queen Street

Chippendale, NSW

http://www.tonyowen.com.au/

Tony Owen is the principle of Tony Owen Partners, a Sydney based practice with 20 staff and a host of commercial and residential projects under their belt. Tony graduated from the University of NSW with the University Medal and the Board of Architects Prize, and won the BHP Student Biennale national design prize twice in a row. No stranger to success, Tony was awarded the graduation design prize at Columbia University in New York where he studied advanced architectural design. Whilst at Columbia, Tony worked alongside some of the leaders in contemporary design philosophy, including Steven Holl, Bernard Tschumi and Greg Lynn, exploring modern approaches to urban density, sustainability and infrastructure. In the Big Apple Tony worked at notable firms Skidmore Owings and Merrill and Richard Meier & Partners on a range of large-scale international projects. Adding to his portfolio back in Sydney, Tony worked as Design Director and Senior Designer for COX Architects & Planners, PTW and SJB. Tony now has a number of prominent buildings to his name, including the Sydney Superdome, St. George Stadium, the Eureka Stockade Museum and the Harley Davidson Headquarters, Australia, which earned Tony the CNBC Asia Pacific Property Award for best commercial building.

Why did you decide to become an architect?

 At first I studied medicine, but I dropped out after 3 days and enrolled in architecture. After a week I suddenly realised that everything I had been interested in up to that time was leading me towards architecture.

 If you weren’t an architect, what would you be?

Definitely a chef, it combines my love of experimentation, lifestyle and my need to swear at people in white tunics.

 What is your most treasured possession?

 My daughter Calliope. But she’s no one’s possession.

What books do you have on your bedside table?

 Barrie Kosky’s On Ecstasy

 In your opinion, what personal qualities make a good architect?

Immaturity. I hope I never grow up. And others wish I would.

 Who would you most like to design something for?

 Barrie Kosky.

 Favourite tool of the trade?

 I have a stainless steel and rubber circle curve from Stuttgart that looks like a piece of expensive jewellery that I love and constantly use. Also, other people.

 Your greatest extravagance?

 Building the Moebius House to live in.

Your greatest achievement?

 It would have to be winning the design prize at Columbia University. When we first got there we saw students doing all this amazing work. We thought, “My God, we can never do this”, and we had no idea where these ideas came from. After 2 years we knew.

 Best architectural holiday destination?

I know it’s a cliché, but definitely Barcelona – the Gaudi, the Jean Nouvel. If you don’t like the architecture, then there is a little bar at the south end of Las Ramblas that serves Mojitos. Just don’t mention my name to Paulo… or Paulo’s brother for that matter.

An upcoming international architectural project that excites you is?

Anything by Zaha Hadid.

Best vista?

The pool at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami by Morris Lapidus. It is Sinatra in the ‘50s.

 Worst blight?

 The change rooms at the pool at the Fontainebleau.

 Do you discuss your work with other architects?

 I try to keep in touch with architects from overseas and we discuss our work a lot. There is not nearly enough discourse in Sydney. I applaud the efforts of people like Anthony Bourke to create a discourse.

 If you could meet one person alive?

Peter Greenaway.

One artwork that inspires you is?

Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog. It reflects so many things back on the viewer. Shiny!

Straight line or curved?

Squiggle.

 The greatest hero from the history of architecture?

Frank Lloyd Wright. He had 3 wives and 2 mistresses and did all that work. I really admire time management.

 The dastardly villain?

Anyone with limited vision.

Perfect happiness is . . .

Sunday in the office designing.

 Any advice for the young?

I remember when I was in high school I went to a careers day and saw a movie about Michael Graves. Someone from the audience asked if it was possible to do architecture like that in Australia. The presenter said it wasn’t – clients and budgets would restrict you. I remember thinking to myself, “You’re a dick!” You can do anything if you work hard enough and don’t give up.