Gregory Burgess
Gregory Burgess Architects
10 York Street
Richmond VIC 3121
www.gregoryburgessarchitects.com.au
| Greg Burgess has won more than forty awards since the 1980s, when his projects were first published internationally. His designs include the Eltham Library, Melbourne Theological College, Brambuk Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Uluru-Kata Tjuta Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre and Myer Music Bowl Refurbishment. Fundamental human and community concerns remain at the forefront of his architecture. In 2004, Burgess was awarded RAIA's Gold Medal.
Why did you decide to become an architect?
I liked the breadth of architecture, its complex demands across disciplines and its potential to explore humanness; body, psyche, spirit.
What keeps you motivated/inspired?
Feeling connected - to other people, nature, meaning and purpose, and to contribute through my work to others feeling connected.
In your opinion what personal qualities make a good architect?
A sense of humour is good for long term survival, as is resilience... A deep sense of satisfaction in serving the quirks, diversities and questions of humankind.
What is the biggest challenge you face working on rural projects?
Identifying what are the key forces to respond to, work with and transform; the natural environment may be a major challenge here.
Do you consider architecture a creative science or mathematical art?
Yes [both], but also a social, environmental and healing art. This is particularly important in such a culturally and environmentally ravaged land as ours.
Does architecture have a role to play inReconciliation?
The relatively new phenomenon of Cultural Centres offers opportunities for gathering and mutual exchange with traditional owners. Architecture can, I think, be quietly effective in creating spaces of respected cultural difference and common humanity.
Which Australian building excites you most?
Buildings tend not to excite me, but the sight of a wind farm does ... elegance, beauty, and the poetry of structure and movement of 50 or so huge windmills seen from a distance along an extended ridge near Ararat ... To think that it's generating clean electricity deepens the wonder and excitement.
Best view you've seen from a building site?
The view subtended from the Uluru Kata juta Cultural Centre - huge, ancient-dead desert oak with enigmatic juvenile oaks scattered about in the red sand and Spinifex, looking across to the awesome scaly orange wonder of Uluru, under the deep blue/violet desert sky.
If you had not become an architect, what would you be?
A healer, a musician, or a dancer.
Your idea of perfect contentment?
Being held in the sounds, silences and spaces of nature.
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