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Edmond and Corrigan is an Australian architectural firm based in Melbourne, Victoria, founded in the late 1970s by partners Maggie Edmond and Peter Corrigan, the firm's principals. The practice's work, both built and written, has been widely associated with the emergence of architectural postmodernism in Australia, an interest in suburbia and a search for an Australian architectural identity. Peter Corrigan taught design studios at RMIT University for over 30 years, until his death in December 2016.

Architectural practice

The practice of Edmond and Corrigan was officially formed in 1975, though the pair had gradually been collaborating and associating on projects after Corrigan's return from America in 1974. Much of their early work consisted of church buildings and community buildings for the Catholic communities of suburban Melbourne.

They designed the Keysborough Church of the Resurrection, completed in 1977, and later buildings in Keysborough. The project was published in 1977. The School of the Resurrection, Keysborough was awarded the Victorian Architecture Medal in 1979.

The practice's subsequent projects, many of them in suburban sites, continued with the idea of an Australian architectural language, visible in their competition entries for the Parliament House, Canberra Competition in 1977, The Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame and the State Library of Victoria, their many projects for community buildings, and their work for universities.

They later undertook larger projects; many of them, particularly RMIT Building 8, pursued the idea of 'a city in a single building'. Their Athan House of 1986 was published widely.

The practice also worked extensively in stage and set design for Opera Australia, Melbourne University Theatre Group, and La Mama.

Peter Corrigan wrote about his practice's work and about others, explicitly stating the practice's goal of creating or fostering a particularly Australian architectural language.

Recognition

In 2003 Peter Corrigan was awarded the RAIA Gold Medal, 2003, the highest accolade of the Australian architecture profession. In 1993 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Architecture from RMIT University.

Twenty years later, in 2023, Maggie Edmond was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal at the National Awards, with her name added to the same award that was presented to Peter Corrigan in 2003. At the 2023 National Awards she described the correction as 'restorative'. The rectification awards their work as a unique and innovative partnership.

Notable projects and awards

Gallery

• Chapel of St Joseph, 1978
• Chapel of St Joseph, 1978
• Victorian College of the Arts, Drama School
• RMIT Building 8, Swanston Street, Melbourne
• Readings Bookshop, Carlton, 2005
• Niagara Galleries, Richmond
• Windsor Fire Station
• Keilor Fire Station, 1991
• Ringwood Library, 1995
• Plan of Athan House, 1984

References

1. Doug Evans, The Changing of the Guard: the social and cultural reflections of Community in 1970s Melbourne architecture, Fabrications, Vol 15, No 1, July 2005, p39
2. Conrad Hamann, Cities of hope: Australian architecture and design by Edmond and Corrigan, 1962–1992, Oxford University Press, 1993
3. Norman Day, 'Doing it his way', The Age, 1 September 2003.
4. "Acclaimed Melbourne architect Peter Corrigan dies after long illness". Domain. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
5. Hamann, Cities of Hope, p51
6. Evans, p41
7. Hamann, Cities of Hope, p129
8. "Winners revealed". ArchitectureAU.com.au. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
9. Goad, Philip (31 October 2023). "Gold Medal tribute: Maggie Edmond". ArchitectureAU.com.au. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
10. "Former Chapel of St Joseph 27–29 Strabane Avenue, Mont Albert North" (PDF). City of Whitehorse. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
11. Photograph of Evan Walker and Maggie Edmond holding RAIA (Vic Chapter) medal, 1979, unknown photographer, Gift of Edmond & Corrigan Pty Ltd, RMIT Design Archives, 0006.2017.0200
12. "Statement of Significance: Ministry of Housing Infill Public Housing, 75-79 Kay Street" (PDF). Melbourne Planning Scheme. November 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
13. "VcaDramaschool < Arch < MNHS Wiki". wiki.med.monash.edu.au. Archived from the original on 4 April 2021.
14. Feagins, Lucy (27 July 2018). "Readings Carlton Refresh By Nest Architects". The Design Files. Retrieved 10 February 2024.

Further reading

• Hamann, Conrad (1993). Cities of Hope: Australian Architecture and Design by Edmond and Corrigan 1962-92. Oxford. ISBN 0-19-553467-0.
• Corrigan, Peter (1996). Building 8: Edmond and Corrigan at RMIT. Schwarz Transition. ISBN 1863953132.
• Hamann, Conrad (2012). Cities of Hope Re-membered: Australian Architecture by Edmond and Corrigan 1962-2012. Thames & Hudson. ISBN 978-050050-034-7.
• Spooner, Michael (2013). A Clinic for the Exhausted: In Search of an Antipodean Vitality Edmond & Corrigan and an Itinerant Architecture. Spurbuchverlag. ISBN 978-3-88778-392-1.
• Influence : Edmond & Corrigan + Peter Corrigan. Uro Publications. 2019. ISBN 9780648435501.
• Spooner, Michael (2020). "46 Little Latrobe Street: the office of Edmond & Corrigan". RMIT Design Archives Journal. Vol. 10, no. 1. pp. 7–29. Retrieved 14 August 2020.

External links

• Edmond and Corrigan P/L at Aardvark
• Peter Corrigan's webpage at RMIT University
• Ringwood Library Archived 3 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
• Edmond and Corrigan Collection at RMIT Design Archives
• VCA Drama School Dossier

• Architecture firms of Australia
• University of Melbourne alumni
• Academic staff of RMIT University
• Architecture firms based in Victoria (state)
• Recipients of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal