Murcutt Masterclass 2024

Since 2003, the Glenn Murcutt Masterclass has brought architects from around Australia and the world for a unique immersive, residential experience led by four recipients of the Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal; Glenn Murcutt, Rick Leplastrier, Peter Stutchbury and Brit Andresen.

In 2024, we welcomed 36 participants from Australia, India, the US, New Zealand, France, the UAE and more  to Tocal, NSW between 6-16 June. As always, participants met at Sydney Airport, with the first stop being the Harbour House, designed by Peter Stutchbury, in Newcastle.

Once at Tocal, the design brief focused on the Tocal Homestead precinct; acknowledged to have one of Australia's finest collections of colonial farm buildings dating from the 1830s. But to really understand the landscape in which Tocal is sited, participants heard from former  Chief Geologist of NSW, Lindsay Gilligan PSM, and from  John Roberts, who lectures in design, site studies and drawing at the School of Architecture and Built Environment at the University of Newcastle.

Over 9 days the focus is on observing and understanding the site through drawing, supported by evening lectures from Peter Stutchbury, Rick Leplastrier and Brit Andresen and informal pin-up and desktop sessions that run throughout the day.

Evening design sessions with Rick Leplastrier AO

After final presentations of schemes, the masterclass winds down with the screening of ‘Glenn Murcutt - Spirit of Place’ and ‘Cobar Sound Chapel’ by noted Australian filmmaker, Catherine Hunter which brings together the weeks’ immersion with a look at Murcutt’s extraordinary body of work over more than 50 years of practice. 

But the final act of the masterclass is to gather at the home of Rick Leplastrier and Karen Lambert at Lovett Bay, on Pittwater in Sydney’s north. It's here the alumni convene one last time before many start the journey home. Others choose the option of a visit to the Boyd Centre at Riversdale on the NSW south coast - the winner of the 1999 Sir Zelman Cowan Award for public architecture, designed by Glenn Murcutt AO in collaboration with Wendy Lewin and Reg Lark.