Don Gazzard (1929–) was born in Sydney and studied engineering at the University of Sydney before joining Harry Seidler as a draughtsman in 1950. In 1951, he took the NSW Board of Architects’ registration exams and passed every subject except design, which he also failed the following year. In 1954, after leaving Seidler’s office, he travelled to London, where he passed the British design exam and gained registration in 1958 (also joining the RIBA). After working several years in Montreal, he returned to Australia in 1960, and was automatically awarded NSW registration as a British architect. In 1960, he became a founding member of the Architectural Society and set up a partnership with a friend who had also been studying in North America, George Clarke; intending to specialise in both architecture and urban research and design. This partnership lasted approximately 18 years, became a mainstay of the 1960s Sydney School, won several RAIA awards and expanded to include offices in all capital cities, until Gazzard left the practice in the late 1970s to set up a smaller operation on his own. During the 1960s and 1970s, he served on RAIA committees and revitalised its magazine Architecture in Australia (renamed Architecture Australia) as national vice president (publications). Later, he was joined by younger partners Maurice Rosenberg and Mark Sheldon, under different company names. He retired from Gazzard Sheldon in 1996 and was awarded the RAIA Gold Medal in 2001. He has since practised intermittently from his house in Kangaroo Valley.
Sources
—Gazzard, Don. 2004. Interview and notes for Davina Jackson, November.
—Taylor, Jennifer. 1990. Australian Architecture Since 1960. Canberra: Royal Australian Institute of Architects.
- Writers:
-
Davina Jackson
- Date written:
- 2015
- Last updated:
- 2015
