Woollahra Interwar Buildings Thematic History
Thematic History
Woollahra Council
Woollahra LGA, NSW
Gadigal and Birrabirragal Country
The interwar period was a short but momentous time of social, economic and technological change that transformed Australia’s built environment. Sydney’s harbourside suburbs in particular saw the rapid development of large houses for residential flat buildings.
In order to better understand the legacy of this period, Woollahra Council engaged GML to prepare a thematic history of the local government area’s interwar architecture, spanning residential flats, houses, and commercial and public buildings.
The thematic history examines the wider social and technological trends of the period and how they impacted the built environment of the Woollahra municipality.
An important period of development, much of what shapes the Woollahra area today, emerged during the interwar period. In particular, the growth of apartment living, where today Woollahra can be seen as the area of Sydney with the highest concentration of interwar flats, by architects including Dudley Ward, Samuel Lipson, Emil Sodersten, EC Pitt, Aaron Bolot, and Scott, Green and Scott.
The municipality’s location beside Sydney Harbour and its proximity to the city resulted in considerable population growth. Many developments were shaped by the growth of car ownership including a new building form: the garage and service station, of which Woollahra still has fine interwar examples.
The thematic history includes a comprehensive list of architects working in Woollahra during this period; a summary of key interwar buildings, encompassing architect, date and style; and a style guide of buildings of the interwar period.
You can read the Woollahra Interwar Buildings Thematic History on the Woollahra Municipal Council website.
