Modernist Adelaide

Home
Australia
Adelaide, SA
Modernist Adelaide

Celebrating Adelaide’s modernist architecture online, in print and award-winning tours and events.

Step back in time to the mid-century jet age of Mad Men era Adelaide, when a new wave of modernist architecture redefined the city’s streetscapes and skyline. Many of Adelaide’s iconic examples of 50s, 60s and 70s architecture still stand, well preserved and well worth discovering on this relaxed and informative one-hour walk through downtown Adelaide. From Australia’s first curtain-wall high-rise of the 50s to the International Style of the 60s and the Brutalism of the 70s, this walk through time will appeal to anyone with a love of mid-century architecture and design, history or just looking up and seeing the beauty in our everyday built environment.

10/10/2026

There are a few tickets left for the 18 October Modernist Adelaide Walking Tour for Adelaide Design Week. Hope to see you there! https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/modernist-adelaide-walking-tour-18-oct-11am-tickets-1993988285639?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

18/09/2026

Modernist Adelaide is profiled in CityMag’s 50th edition, travelling back 50 years to explore some of Adelaide’s standout architecture of the 1970s.

I had a great chat with Charlie Gilchrist about the Colonel Light Centre, Education Department Building, Adelaide Festival Centre and a few other favourites from the decade.

It’s a really nicely written piece, featuring photographs from my book Modernist Adelaide: 100 Buildings 1940s–70s.

Pick up a free copy around the city – or see some of these buildings for yourself on the next Modernist Adelaide Walking Tour on Sunday 18 October for Adelaide Design Week.

Tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/modernist-adelaide-walking-tour-18-oct-11am-tickets-1993988285639?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

15/09/2026

The fantastic Adelaide Design Week 2026 program is out now, including a mid-century double header on Sunday 18 October.

I’ll be leading a Modernist Adelaide Walking Tour at 11am, before joining the Émigré speaker series at the stunning 1962 Lynton Residence by Huub van der Pennen at 2.30pm curated by Jet O’Rourke.

I’ll be speaking about Czech émigré Eric von Schramek’s modernist architecture in Adelaide, as part of an afternoon exploring the influence of émigré artists, designers and architects on our city.

Bookings are now open:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/modernist-adelaide-walking-tour-18-oct-11am-tickets-1993988285639?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

https://events.humanitix.com/emigre-speaker-series-at-lynton-residence

09/09/2026

Don Dunstan: 100 Years takes us inside the former South Australian Premier’s modernist 1974 home in Clara Street, Norwood by Dickson & Platten – lovingly preserved by his partner Steven Cheng and beautifully curated for this exhibition by Tony Kanellos.

Dunstan’s dining table, Tessa T21 swivel chairs, safari suits, Robyn Archer vinyl and art by Otto Hajek, Clifton Pugh, Pro Hart and others are displayed alongside period photographs of the house.

A highlight is a glorious 70s TV interview, with Dunstan cooking ch*****ne breakfast under the vines while bemoaning the price of avocados (“A Berliner pays less for Israeli avocados”), the lack of local limes and our wariness of the wok.

It’s a stunner.

On until 7 November at The Gallery, St Peters Town Hall – opposite the excellent modernist 1957 Catholic Church of the Holy Name.

Presented by the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters, Don Dunstan Foundation and Centre of Democracy.

https://www.npsp.sa.gov.au/events/3599_don_dunstan_100_years_exhibition

06/09/2026

At the eye-popping space-age-nanna-chalet Clarence Gardens Bowling Club, on the drums for three sets with Michelle last night.

Those chairs! The lights! The Woodtex acoustic panels! The $7 glasses of Barossa claret!

01/09/2026

Happy 50th birthday to Rundle Mall, which opened on this day 50 years ago as Australia’s first major purpose-built pedestrian street mall.

Designed by the great modernist architect Ian Hannaford, its cobbled bricks, shady trees and comfortable seating were inspired by pedestrian spaces in Canada, Scotland and Europe.

“It was all designed so people would psychologically feel that they were being looked after, it was human-scale and they liked being there – that was the secret.”

Photos: Rundle Mall, University of Melbourne Archives, State Library of South Australia

24/08/2026

Thanks to ABC Adelaide’s Rory McLaren for a great chat this morning about Adelaide’s modernist architecture, including the heroic ABC building at Collinswood, designed by Dr Oscar Gimesy, 1967–74.

Fantastic to see so much media interest in Adelaide’s mid-century architecture lately.

09/08/2026

Three favourites from the excellent NT Modern maps during a quick visit to Darwin today.

St Mary’s Star of the Sea Catholic Cathedral (1958, Ian Ferrier, J.P. Donoghue, Cusick & Edwards) is one of Australia’s great modernist churches with its soaring parabolic arches and locally quarried porcellanite stone.

Up the road, Darwin Memorial Uniting Church (1960, Gordon C. Brown, Brown & Davies, Adelaide) is an archi-nerd favourite. Designed to symbolise the Risen Lord, its sweeping roof lifts into the sky while honouring those who defended Darwin during WWII.

The Reserve Bank of Australia branch (1968, John Scott, Commonwealth Department of Housing & Construction) is a beautiful piece of tropical modernism, with a crisp white quartz aggregate façade and deep louvres.

Highly recommend the beautiful NT Modern guides and information at https://ntmodern.org

01/08/2026

Great to see so many people at Nunyara in Belair this afternoon for Tim Ross’s chat about Australian design and innovation.

It was also a chance to revisit the beautiful chapel, designed by Maurice Doley of Cheesman, Doley, Brabham & Neighbour in 1962–63.

Floating lightly above its Basket Range stone base, the glass pavilion sits beautifully in the landscape with views across the Adelaide Hills and plains. I do miss the original Solomit strawboard ceilings though.

Have a good weekend everyone.

27/07/2026

A beautiful day exploring Adelaide’s modernist architecture with Czech architectural photographer and writer Adam Štěch and his wife Nicole, Deputy Editor of Elle magazine.

Together we visited Wright House, Graham and Barbara Dickson House, Walkley House and Jarosik House.

A huge thank you to the generous homeowners for welcoming us in.

Address

GPO Box 835
Adelaide, SA
5000

Website

http://www.modernistadelaide.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Modernist Adelaide posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Modernist Adelaide:

Want your business to be the top-listed travel agency in Adelaide?