Harold Desbrowe-Annear: A Life in Architecture

Harold Desbrowe-Annear was an enigma: an architect who counted among his clients some of Melbourne's wealthiest families and among his friends a wide range of bohemian artists and writers. In this beautifully illustrated and highly readable biography, Harriet Edquist explores both the multifaceted work and unconventional life of this intriguing man, a life that was sometimes scandalous and always eventful. Trained during the heady days of Melbourne's 1880s land boom and imbued with the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement, Desbrowe-Annear embraced the power of architecture to improve people's lives. He promoted the idea of an 'architecture of democracy': an art available to everyone. From 1889 to 1933, he was responsible for some of the most innovative houses in Melbourne and on the Mornington Peninsula. Adopting a variety of styles, the houses were nonetheless all planned for comfort and functional efficiency, as well as good design. For Robin Boyd, Desbrowe-Annear was a 'pioneer modernist' whose best works deserved recognition alongside his European and American contemporaries. ""Harold Desbrowe-Annear"" brings the charm and innovation of that work to the fore.