Celebrated as one of the most influential architects of the Modern Movement in Australia, Seidler shaped a legacy spanning single-family houses, commercial and residential towers, civic buildings and large-scale housing schemes, realised in cities as varied as Sydney, Acapulco, Paris, Hong Kong, and his native Vienna. Seidler’s life and work trace the arc of modernism as both a personal journey and a global narrative, inviting reflection on architecture as a medium through which ideas migrate across continents and time.

Curated by Ann Stephen from the Chau Chak Wing Museum and Paolo Stracchi from the University of Sydney’s School of Architecture Design and Planning, with curatorial advisor Nikolaus Hirsch, the exhibition considers in depth both individual projects and Seidlers’ collaborations with architects and artists, including Josef Albers, Alexander Calder, Helen Frankenthaler, Frank Stella, Lin Utzon and Sol LeWitt, and with famed Italian structural engineer Pier Luigi Nervi. Presented as part of the inaugural program of SMAC San Marco Art Centre, it includes materials such as letters, drawings, artefacts and models together with personal documents and the artworks of those who either influenced Seidler or with whom he collaborated.

Harry Seidler escaped Nazi-ruled Vienna at the age of fifteen, fleeing to England before being later interned as an enemy alien and later deported to further internment camps in Canada. Upon conditional release, in 1941, he completed his first degree in architecture at the University of Manitoba and became a registered architect. He then moved to the United States, studying at Harvard Graduate School of Design and Black Mountain College and working under a remarkable lineage of masters including Walter Gropius, Josef Albers and Marcel Breuer, then spent time in Brazil with Oscar Niemeyer, before travelling to Australia at the age of twenty-four. He arrived in Sydney in 1948 to design a house for his parents—the Rose Seidler House—and later started his private practice there in 1949. A decade later after his arrival, he met Penelope, who became his wife, life companion, and professional partner.

In Australia, Seidler emerged as one of the most prominent figures of the Modern Movement. His technical expertise, especially of reinforced concrete, was rare amongst his generation, and set him apart from his peers. This also provided the foundation for the fluid forms produced with Pier Luigi Nervi that characterised his work from the early 1960s. The combination of engineering competence and sculptural flair meant that he was one of the few designers of his age capable of fulfilling the modernist dream of integrating art and technology.

From the early stages of his career, and following influential projects such as Blues Point Tower (1959–61) and Australia Square (1961–67), Harry Seidler expanded his architectural influence, securing prestigious international commissions and progressively establishing his reputation within the global architectural discourse. Major projects included the Australian Embassy in Paris (1973–77), a project managed in collaboration with Marcel Breuer, the Hong Kong Club (1980–1984), and, the Wohnpark Neue Donau (1993–99) and Hochhaus Neue Donau (2002), which represented a return to his native Vienna.

Harry Seidler (b. 1923) escaped Nazi-ruled Vienna at the age of 15, fleeing to England. After being interned as an enemy alien, he was deported to further internment camps in Canada. Upon release, in 1941, he completed a degree in architecture before moving to the US. He studied at Harvard Graduate School of Design and Black Mountain College, working under a remarkable lineage of masters including Walter Gropius, Josef Albers and Marcel Breuer, then spent time in Brazil with Oscar Niemeyer, before travelling to Australia. He arrived in Sydney in 1948 to design a house for his parents – Rose Seidler House – and started his private practice in 1949. He went on to become one of the most influential voices of the Modern Movement in Australia, shaping a legacy spanning single-family houses, commercial and residential towers, and large-scale housing schemes. Many of his former mentors would become his peers and collaborators.

Following influential projects such as Blues Point Tower (1959-61) and Australia Square (1961-67), Seidler secured prestigious international commissions, progressively establishing his reputation within global architectural discourse. Major projects included the Australian Embassy in Paris (1973–77), in collaboration with Marcel Breuer, the Hong Kong Club (1980-1984), and Wohnpark Neue Donau (1993-99) and Hochhaus Neue Donau (2002) in his native Vienna. Seidler died in Sydney in 2006.

Produced in collaboration with the Chau Chak Wing Museum,
The University of Sydney

Curated by Ann Stephen and Paolo Stracchi

Curatorial Advisor Nikolaus Hirsch
Exhibition Design Philipp Krummel
Graphic Design A.M. Stockholm
Exhibition Production Luke Parker

Major Exhibition Partners
State Library of New South Wales
Powerhouse
National Gallery of Australia

Lenders
Chau Chak Wing Museum,
The University of Sydney
Helen Frankenthaler Foundation
Museo MAXXI Roma
National Gallery of Australia
Powerhouse
Schaeffer Fine Art Library, The University of Sydney
Harry Seidler & Associates
Penelope Seidler
State Library of New South Wales
Paolo Stracchi
Private Lenders

Technical Sponsor
Ott-Art

Located on Gadigal land, the Chau Chak Wing Museum is a hub for sharing the University of Sydney’s extensive collections with the wider community. Officially opened in 2020, the Museum comprises three separate collections within one multidisciplinary institution. From First Nations culture, natural history collections, antiquities, and contemporary art works, the Museum’s collection embodies cultural and artistic creativity at its core and welcomes all communities to engage with the collections.