RAA In Practice | Beaumaris Modern with Fiona Austin & Wilko Doehring
Wednesday 24th July 1pm – 2pm
This one hour session offers 1 formal CPD point, performance criteria addressed are 18 and 25 from the AACA National Standard of Competency for Architects 2021.
Beaumaris is a bayside suburb of Melbourne about 20km from the city centre known for its mid century architecture. Beaumaris Modern is a not for profit community group that was started in 2017 with the aim of celebrating, educating about and promoting the area’s mid-century architecture.
Beaumaris Modern founder and interior designer Fiona Austin and committee member and architect Wilko Doehring will outline the history of Beaumaris and why the suburb was ripe for post war development. They will show examples of architects that worked in Beaumaris – many now household names and talk about Beaumaris being a ‘hotbed’ for creatives with an extraordinary number of well known designers, architects and artists growing up or moving to Beaumaris.
They will present some of the architectural gems that have been demolished and the advocacy work the group undertakes with community and council. They will also discuss the events that Beaumaris Modern puts on in the community and the two popular coffee table books they have produced.
Their presentation is aimed to kick off a discussion and provide an understanding of the suburb and why it’s special.
Fiona Austin
Fiona launched the Beaumaris Modern Instagram and Facebook page over twelve years ago after researching and documenting Beaumaris MCM houses. That research culminated in two books: Beaumaris Modern 1&2.
Fiona was founding President of Beaumaris Modern which was established seven years ago as a not-for-profit community group,
Fiona, and her husband Craig, have enjoyed raising their two sons in Beaumaris as well as restoring and renovating two Beaumaris MCM houses.
After her thirty five-year interior design career, Fiona has now retired to continue with her painting practice in addition to contributing to Beaumaris Modern as a committee member.
Wilko Doehring
Melbourne architect Wilko Doehring has always held a long appreciation for modernist architecture.
Born in Germany, his admiration for the Bauhaus movement translated to a love for Australia’s adaptation of mid-century architecture.
As a Beaumaris Modern committee member, Wilko assists with advice on renovation and restoration options for mid-century homeowners and offers his over 25 years’ experience in Heritage Architecture in Australia and overseas.
With a common-sense approach to heritage architecture, Wilko’s aim is to preserve design excellence and neighbourhood character while providing adequate options for owners to renovate to meet the demand of the 21st century.
Members can access a free recording of this event here.