Never-before-seen drawings, plans, elevations, watercolours, bespoke furniture and photographic documentation by innovative architect Iwan Iwanoff feature in a new exhibition next month at The University of Western Australia.
Curated by Michael Iwanoff – Iwan’s son, and Sarah Douglas, from the School of Design at UWA, the exhibition will feature selected works from 1950 to 1986 in conjunction with digital reconstruction of some unbuilt works.
Born in Bulgaria in 1919, Iwanoff graduated from Munich University with a combined architecture and engineering degree in 1946, and immigrated to Perth in 1950.
Iwanoff, whose creative architectural practice was inspired by his dedication to art, responded to Western Australia’s harsh climate and light by the manipulation of space and shade.
His response to the elements resulted in the use of local materials, passive solar energy solutions and native landscaping of internal and external space.
The designs of one of Perth’s most famous and internationally acclaimed architects feature distinctive facade treatments and configurations.
“By not following ‘trends’ in design, but by logical and imaginative planning for today’s requirements, with our eyes open for future developments – and not forgetting the past – we can know we are building houses of today that will also be houses of tomorrow,” the late architect said.
The exhibition, which runs from October 6 to 12, is a collaboration between the School of Design and Warren Andersen, author of an upcoming comprehensive book on the work of Iwanoff.
Dr Kate Hislop, the Head of School of Design at UWA, will open the exhibition at Cullity Gallery on Thursday 7 October at 6pm – tickets via trybookings.
“Mentoring and inspiring students in his practice was Iwan’s enduring legacy,” Dr Hislop said.
Andersen will give a presentation on Sunday 10 October at 2pm which will be a comprehensive review of Iwanoff’s work and the challenges Andersen encountered in the research and writing of the upcoming biography. Tickets via trybookings.
Both events are open to the public but there are limited places and bookings are essential.
