Seidler, Harry (1923-2006), an Australian architect, designed some of Australia’s best-known tall buildings. Seidler became best known for his large commercial structures, primarily built of reinforced concrete. Among these buildings are Australia Square (1961-1967), MLC Centre (1972-1975), Grosvenor Place (1982-1987), and the Capita Centre (1985-1990). Seidler’s work overseas includes the Australian Embassy in Paris (1973-1977), the Hong Kong Club and Tower (1980-1984), and a housing complex in Vienna, Austria, called the Wohnpark Neue Donau Vienna (1994-2002).
Seidler was born on June 25, 1923, in Vienna. He moved to England in 1938 and went to Canada in 1941. He studied architecture at the University of Manitoba, graduating in 1944. Seidler studied architecture under the German architect Walter Gropius at Harvard University in the United States in 1946. He opened an office as an architect in Sydney in 1948. That same year, he designed his first house. This house, which was for his parents, stands in Clissold Street, Turramurra. Completed in 1950, it is a landmark in the history of modern architecture in Australia. It is now known as the Rose Seidler House. It was made into a museum in 1986. In 1996, the Royal Institute of British Architects awarded Seidler the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture, its highest prize for a body of work. Seidler died on March 9, 2006.
