Ivan Rijavec
Encyclopedia
Ivan Rijavec is an architect living and working in Australia.
, Slovenia
in 1951. At age 1 his family moved to the small costal town of Albany, Western Australia
.
’s innovative work in concrete. He cites the spatial quality of Palazzo Dello Sport’s dome as having ignited his architectural interests when in 1968 he stumbled on a faded small black and white photograph of it in an engineering volume extolling the virtues of pre-cast concrete.
In 1969 Rijavec enrolled in architecture at Curtin University, Western Australia. Whilst completing the first tier of the course, he won a bursary postponing his degree to undertake a study tour of Europe tracing the development of Western Civilisation through Greece, central and Western Europe. He remained in Europe for six years travelling, studying and working predominantly in London and Umeå, Sweden.
, he was appointed associate director in 1985 and subsequent to his design role on the Coronial Services Centre was headhunted as a design leader at the Victorian Public Works Department. There he worked on a government initiative to raise Victorian design standards in the Justice and Tafe Groups before devoting himself exclusively to his own practice in 1988.
From the late 1980s till present, Rijavec Architects have had a prodigious output, receiving 10 professional awards and numerous other commendations for outstanding architecture. Over the same period Rijavec taught at the RMIT University of Technology Department of Architecture and served on numerous professional advisory panels, competition and design juries. His architecture employs unique curvilinear geometries in the creation of forms and spaces that have been described as sculptural, intensely intimate and poetic. As the scale and breadth of his projects increased, his focus broadened to include Australian urbanism. Rijavec was included in Melbourne Masters Architecture exhibition held in November 2004 TarraWarra Museum of Art | Exhibitions that exhibited the works of some of Melbourne’s most celebrated architects.
. The project, NKYA, (an acronym for Napier, Kerr, Young and Argyle Streets that border the site), comprised a mixed use development including cafe’s, offices and a predominance of apartments. It was the largest conceived in Fitzroy’s history prompting mass public protests.
The popular press dubbed it “the cheese grater”, (alluding to the distinctive conical forms of one of its corner elements). The complex was designed to provide 136 apartments in structures ranging between five and eight stories in height in three separate buildings of different architectural characters. Despite strong opposition by residents action groups and the Yarra City
council, the project won approval at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
(VCAT). This was largely as a result of Rijavec establishing the project’s contextual relevance in an unprecedented appraisal of Fitzroy’s urban character that reinterpreted it as Urban Jazz.
refocusses the Australian identity from the “outback”, to its coastal urban centres where 93% of its population now lives. The exhibition comprises a survey of Australian Urbanism NOW and allegorical speculations on Australia’s Urban future, WHEN, set from 2050 into the distant future. The exhibition has been conceived as a time capsule
of Australian Urbanism taken in 2010 that includes speculations on its urban future.
Early life
Ivan Rijavec was born in TrnovoTrnovo
Trnovo may refer to:*In Bosnia and Herzegovina:**Trnovo, Republika Srpska, a town and municipality**Trnovo, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the rural part of the same pre-war municipality, presently in the Sarajevo Canton*In Bulgaria:...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
in 1951. At age 1 his family moved to the small costal town of Albany, Western Australia
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
.
Education
Rijavec attributes his earliest architectural influence to the Italian structural engineer and architect Pier Luigi NerviPier Luigi Nervi
Pier Luigi Nervi was an Italian engineer. He studied at the University of Bologna and qualified in 1913. Dr. Nervi taught as a professor of engineering at Rome University from 1946-61...
’s innovative work in concrete. He cites the spatial quality of Palazzo Dello Sport’s dome as having ignited his architectural interests when in 1968 he stumbled on a faded small black and white photograph of it in an engineering volume extolling the virtues of pre-cast concrete.
In 1969 Rijavec enrolled in architecture at Curtin University, Western Australia. Whilst completing the first tier of the course, he won a bursary postponing his degree to undertake a study tour of Europe tracing the development of Western Civilisation through Greece, central and Western Europe. He remained in Europe for six years travelling, studying and working predominantly in London and Umeå, Sweden.
Life in Australia
In 1977 Rijavec returned to Australia completing his bachelors and masters degrees at RMIT in 1979 and 1992. After a period working at Bates SmartBates Smart
Bates Smart is Australia's second oldest architectural firm, established in 1853 by Joseph Reed as the practice Reed and Barnes. JPE Design Studio in Adelaide founded in 1851 by Daniel Garlick is the oldest continuing architectural practice in Australia....
, he was appointed associate director in 1985 and subsequent to his design role on the Coronial Services Centre was headhunted as a design leader at the Victorian Public Works Department. There he worked on a government initiative to raise Victorian design standards in the Justice and Tafe Groups before devoting himself exclusively to his own practice in 1988.
From the late 1980s till present, Rijavec Architects have had a prodigious output, receiving 10 professional awards and numerous other commendations for outstanding architecture. Over the same period Rijavec taught at the RMIT University of Technology Department of Architecture and served on numerous professional advisory panels, competition and design juries. His architecture employs unique curvilinear geometries in the creation of forms and spaces that have been described as sculptural, intensely intimate and poetic. As the scale and breadth of his projects increased, his focus broadened to include Australian urbanism. Rijavec was included in Melbourne Masters Architecture exhibition held in November 2004 TarraWarra Museum of Art | Exhibitions that exhibited the works of some of Melbourne’s most celebrated architects.
Controversy
In 2003 Rijavec assumed the role of architect-developer on a major inner urban development comprising an urban block in Melbourne’s oldest suburb, FitzroyFitzroy, Victoria
Fitzroy is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra. Its borders are Alexandra Parade , Victoria Parade , Smith Street and Nicholson Street. Fitzroy is Melbourne's...
. The project, NKYA, (an acronym for Napier, Kerr, Young and Argyle Streets that border the site), comprised a mixed use development including cafe’s, offices and a predominance of apartments. It was the largest conceived in Fitzroy’s history prompting mass public protests.
The popular press dubbed it “the cheese grater”, (alluding to the distinctive conical forms of one of its corner elements). The complex was designed to provide 136 apartments in structures ranging between five and eight stories in height in three separate buildings of different architectural characters. Despite strong opposition by residents action groups and the Yarra City
City of Yarra
The City of Yarra is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the inner eastern and northern suburbs of Melbourne. It has an area of 19.5 square kilometres, and at the 2006 census it had a population of 69,330...
council, the project won approval at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal is a government agency in the state of Victoria, Australia. The name is pronounced 'vee-cat'...
(VCAT). This was largely as a result of Rijavec establishing the project’s contextual relevance in an unprecedented appraisal of Fitzroy’s urban character that reinterpreted it as Urban Jazz.
Venice Biennale
“NOW+WHEN Australian Urbanism”, inspired by Rijavec’s interest in Australian urbanism was selected as Australia’s 12th Venice Architecture Biennale exhibition for 2010. The exhibition co-directed by photographer John GollingsJohn Gollings
John Gollings, born 1944 in Melbourne, is an Australian architectural photographer. He is particularly known for his technique of architectural photography at night using partial artificial light over a period of time.-References:...
refocusses the Australian identity from the “outback”, to its coastal urban centres where 93% of its population now lives. The exhibition comprises a survey of Australian Urbanism NOW and allegorical speculations on Australia’s Urban future, WHEN, set from 2050 into the distant future. The exhibition has been conceived as a time capsule
Time capsule
A time capsule is an historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a method of communication with future people and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians...
of Australian Urbanism taken in 2010 that includes speculations on its urban future.
Projects
- 1986 Coronial Services Centre, Victoria, Australia
- 1987 Whittlesea TAFE College, Victoria, Australia
- 1989 Lara Show Factory, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
- 1989 Manifold Residence, Brunswick, VictoriaBrunswick, VictoriaBrunswick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland...
, Australia - 1991 Municipal Offices Caulfield, VictoriaCaulfield, VictoriaCaulfield is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Glen Eira...
, Australia - 1994 Freeland Residence, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
- 1997 Alessio Residence, Templestowe, VictoriaTemplestowe, Victoria"Templestowe" redirects here. For the Victorian Legislative Council Province, please see Templestowe Province.Templestowe is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Manningham...
, Australia - 1997 Penthouse, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- 1998 Chen Residence, Kew, VictoriaKew, VictoriaKew is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara. At the 2006 Census, Kew had a population of 22,516....
, Australia
Unbuilt projects
- 1993-94 Armadale Cinemas, Carpark & Restaurants, Victoria, Australia
- 1994-95 Condominium Tower, Saint Thomas Walk, Singapore
- 1997-1998 Circular Quay, Sydney, Australia
- 2001 NKYA Victoria Australia
- 2003 Prima Tower Melbourne
Awards
- 1984 Merricks Music Room RAIA RAIA AWARD
- 1985 Wurruk Primary School FINALIST RAIA
- 1986 Warehouse Conversion, Commercial/Residential FINALIST RAIA
- 1986 RMIT School of Architecture (Contracted at BSM) FINALIST RAIA
- 1987 Ivan Rijavec Architects Office RAIA AWARD
- 1988 Coronial Services Centre, (Contracted at BSM ) FINALIST RAIA
- 1989 Price Waterhouse Building, (Contracted, BSM award ) RAIA AWARD
- 1989 Architects Residence FINALIST RAIA
- 1989 Fine Art Gallery, (David Ellis Fine Art) RAIA AWARD
- 1989 Fine Art Gallery, (David Ellis Fine Art) FINALIST RAIA (National)
- 1990 Warehouse Conversion, Commercial/Residential RAIA AWARD
- 1991 Foards Freeholds, Commercial/studio conversion FINALIST RAIA
- 1991 Caulfield Town Hall RAIA AWARD
- 1992 Warehouse Conversion, Commercial/studio FINALIST RAIA
- 1993 Panorama Gallery & Electronic Projection Cinema RAIA AWARD
- 1994 Francis Residence RAIA Prize
- 1994 Fitzroy Swimming Pool, Institutional Category. FINALIST RAIA
- 1994 Freeland Residence, Interiors Category. FINALIST RAIA
- 1994 Freeland Residence, Residential Alterations Cat. FINALIST RAIA
- 1994 Freeland Residence MBAV House of the year RAIA AWARD
- 1995 Freeland Residence RAIA AWARD
- 1997 Alessio Residence FINALIST RAIA
- 1997 357 Little Bourke Street, MelbourneLittle Bourke Street, MelbourneLittle Bourke Street in Melbourne's CBD runs roughly east–west within the Hoddle Grid. It is a one-way street heading in a westward direction...
. Penthouse FINALIST RAIA - 1998 Seppelt Contemporary Art Award, Museum of Contemporary Art NSW Nomination
Scholarships
- WAIT 1971 Research & Travel Bursary throughout Western Europe
- History: Study of the development of Western Civilisation .
- RMIT 1991 HECS Post Graduate Scholarship.
- 'WORKING ON THE PERCEPTUAL EDGE'
- Masters Thesis by Project
Literature
- Architects For The New Millennium, Images Publishing Group 2000
- Australian Interior Design Manual, Tibor Hubay, Allen & Unwin 1989
- Melbourne Architecture, Watermark Press, Phillip Goad 1999
- New Australian Style, Jon Michell & John Gollings, Thames & Hudson 1999
- Picturing Architecture, Anne Pedden & Desley Luscombe 1992
- Pure Form (Works by Ivan Rijavec), Images Publishing Group 2000
- Australian Architecture Now, Davina Jackson & Chris Johnson, Thames & Hudson 2000
External links
- http://www.rijavec.com/ - Rijavec Architects Official Website
- http://www.theage.com.au/ -“Cheese Grater” Project on Hold, “Daring Architect Eyes Acland Street”.
- http://www.australiandesignreview.com - “Creative Directors for Venus Architecture Biennale Announced