Bert Read b. 1930

  • Architect
Bert Read (1930–) was a Sydney-educated architect who worked with Harold Smith, John Stiles, Peter Muller and Ian McKay during the 1950s and 1960s, moving to Canberra in 1969. He formed his own practice in 1975, producing mainly housing.
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Bert Read (1930–) began studying engineering in 1947, then transferred to architecture at the Sydney Technical College in 1948. While a student, he worked with Harold Smith and John Stiles. In 1952, he left the course as a fourth year student and studied theology for 2.5 years in Sydney, then went to Melbourne for six month courses in tropical and general medicine. Between 1954 and 1956, he worked intermittently for architect Peter Muller, along with Adrian Snodgrass, then left for four years in Ethiopia, establishing leprosy treatment stations. Towards the end of 1960, he returned to Sydney and began working again with Muller, then transferred to McKay and Cox for several years, before returning to Muller’s newly established office at Glenrock, near Marulan. In the late 1960s, he joined Ian McKay & Partners, and was sent to Canberra to supervise its ACT projects around 1969. These projects included housing at Swinger Hill, the Burnie Court walk-up flats and a public service canteen at Woden. Around 1973 or 1974, he passed the NSW Board of Architects’ registration exams, then formed his own Canberra practice in 1975. Since then, his work has been mainly housing.
Source
—Reid, Bert. 2005. Interview recorded by Davina Jackson, January.

Writers:

Davina Jackson
readbert
Date written:
2015
Last updated:
2020