Colin Madigan b. 22 July 1921

  • Architect
Colin Madigan was a nationally notable Sydney architect from the mid 1950s until his retirement in 1990. He is best known as the design architect for two national monuments on Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra: the High Court of Australia (1981) and the National Gallery of Australia (1982). He was a principal of Edwards Madigan Torzillo and Briggs.

Colin Madigan (1921–2011) was born in Glenn Innes, NSW and studied at the Sydney Technical High school, 1938-39, then at the Sydney Technical College from 1940, graduating with a Diploma of Architecture in 1950. He served in the Navy from 1941-46. From 1948 to 1950, he worked with Jack Torzillo in the office of Ashton Tyler and Edwards, then worked with his architect father, FJ Madigan, at Inverell from 1950-1954. On return to Sydney in 1954, he joined the Edwards Madigan Torzillo practice with Maurice Edwards and Jack Torzillo. In 1966, they were joined by another partner, David Briggs and the practice became known as Edward Madigan Torzillo and Briggs until 1977, when the word ‘International’ was added. A Canberra office was opened in 1973. then completed the High Court in 1981, the National Gallery of Australia in 1982 and and several further civic projects during the 1980s. The practice won the NSW RAIA’s Sulman Medal in 1967 and 1971; the Blacket Award in 1968 and Canberra Medallions in 1982 and 1984. Madigan himself won the RAIA Gold Medal in 1981 and became an Officer in the Order of Australia in 1984. He left Edwards Madigan Torzillo and Briggs in 1990. After a merger, it is now known as HBO + EMTB.
Sources
—Taylor, Jennifer. 1990. Australian Architecture Since 1960. Canberra: Royal Australian Institute of Architects.
—Emmanuel, Muriel. 1980 and later editions. Contemporary Architects. London: Macmillan.

Writers:

Davina Jackson
Date written:
2015
Last updated:
2015