Interview between Vladimir Belogolovsky and Penelope Seidler
about Australia's most prominent architect, Harry Seidler (1923-2006).
Penelope Seidler: "I was impressed with his determination and vision."
Zoom interview between New York and Sydney, December 26, 2024
Content:
00:00 Highlight clips
02:40 Books and publications on Harry Seidler
05:00 Harry Seidler's early life before coming to Australia in 1946
08:55 About meeting Harry for the first time in 1957
09:19 On being attracted to Robert Hughes
10:35 On their first conversation about architecture
10:45 "I was very impressed with his determination and his vision!"
11:08 "I'd never met anybody like that before."
11:16 "He was almost twice my age."
11:44 "We got married on my 20th birthday... and we went to Japan."
11:59 "It was all about architecture."
12:44 "I embarked on an architecture degree after I was married."
13:15 "I was a very good sounding board and a critic for him."
13:25 Coming from a family of lawyers.
14:03 "I was a bit different from the rest of the family."
14:30 About going into architecture
14:40 On the honeymoon trip to Japan
15:30 "I wouldn't dream about working for anyone else."
15:50 On managing the Seidler practice
16:40 On designing the Killara House
17:30 On the site for the Killara House
18:05 On the spatial organization of the house
18:43 On the Seidler family compound at Wahroonga
19:55 More on the Killara House and what makes it special
21:12 Seidler Fortress
21:20 On the interior of the Killara House, furniture and artwork
24:15 On American sculptor Charles Perry
24:34 On American sculptor Norman Carlberg
25:33 On famous visitors to the Killara House: I. M. Pei, Henry Kissinger, Gio Ponti
26:48 Australia Square
27:37 On the Plaza Building at Australia Square
27:55 On working with Pier Luigi Nervi
28:40 On Nervi's contribution to making Australia Square a beautiful work of art
28:55 Elizabeth Farrelly: "Australia Square became a pivot from old Sydney to old Sydney."
29:40 On looking for the sculpture in front of Australia Square
30:22 On meeting Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Arthur Miller, Harry Bertoia, Isamu Noguchi
33:40 "In the end, we thought Calder was the best choice."
34:12 Australian Embassy in Paris
35:30 On Max Dupain
35:53 "Harry took him (Max) to Paris."
36:14 "As soon as they met in Sydney, Max became Harry's photographer."
37:05 "They were like little kids."
38:40 On Taschen's book "The Grand Tour."
42:38 Hong Kong Club
42:50 On HSBC international competition in Hong Kong
43:40 On commissioning Seidler Hong Kong Club
44:17 "I am the president of HK Club. Would you like to do that building?"
44:25 The HK Club building is a scaled-down version of the design for the HSBC."
46:16 On Harry Seidler's RIBA Gold Medal awarded in 1996
46:48 On meeting the Queen Elizabeth II
47:25 "It was England's gain to get so many wonderful minds from Europe at that terrible time."
47:47 On Niemeyer and his RIBA Gold Medal awarded in 1998
49:00 Niemeyer on Harry
49:55 Foster on Harry
50:40 How was Harry as a person?
50:58 "He was obsessive about architecture. Sometimes, a little too much."
51:30 "I miss him. It's been nearly 20 years."
51:45 What do you think architects should learn from Harry Seidler?
52:22 "His ethos was - you make the most from the least."
54:09 "The simplest way is the best."
54:17 Massimo Vignelli on Harry
56:05 I. M. Pei on Harry
57:07 Gropius on Harry
58:40 Sigfried Giedion on Harry
59:15 Robin Boyd on Harry
1:00:05 On mural by Harry at his Rose Seidler House
1:01:00 Quotes by Harry
1:02:40 "Every design should be the work of art without compromise."
1:03:06 End