Dirk Bolt (24 October 1930 – 13 December 2020) was a Dutch-born architect who is best known for his post-Second World War Australian modernist architecture and his later career as an academic and consultant that applied sustainable, equitable and humane principles to town planning.
He commenced his studies in architecture at the Delft University of Technology, but moved to Australia in 1951, and finished his qualifications as an architect and town planner at Hobart Technical College.[3] He designed many innovative residential and commercial buildings in Hobart and Canberra. In Canberra, where he worked between 1964 and 1971, he also consulted to the National Capital Development Commission, providing advice on planning of the growing capital. The Australian Institute of Architects (ACT) is in the process of publishing a monograph on his architectural and town planning work in Canberra.[4]
In the 1970s, he worked for international development organisations in Africa and Asia, including the UN Office of Technical Cooperation. He consulted to many agencies and governments on planning, development and sustainability.[4][5]
He was appointed senior lecturer in urban design at the University of Auckland, where he received a PhD in town planning in 1984.[4][5] His doctoral thesis, titled The development ratio: a model for a humane urban future, was concerned with sustainable, equitable and humane town planning.[6] This is also reflected in his later work that included low-energy aspects of planning, providing tools for planning in mega-cities in developing countries, and affordable residential modular construction using timber.[5] In 1987, he returned to the Netherlands and later became professor and head of urban planning at the University of Twente.[4]
Bolt was an honorary fellow of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and past president of the ACT division of the Australian Planning Institute.[5] In his later years, he lived in Scotland, and died in Aberfeldy on 13 December 2020.[2]
Notable buildings
Christ College, University of Tasmania
Christ College, University of Tasmania (1961–1962)
Commissioned to accommodate the relocation of the University of Tasmania to Sandy Bay, Christ College was the first residential college to be completed on the new campus. It could be regarded as a good example of Tasmanian modernist architecture, and in its style similar to Säynätsalo Town Hall designed by Alvar Aalto.[7] Situated on a steep slope, "Bolt created a virtual hill town of visually different buildings grouped around a garden court" using materials that were designed to mature with time, such as natural concrete blocks and untreated timber.[8] The building received the Australian Institute of Architects 2011 Enduring Architecture Award (Tasmania). [9]
Murray Street State Offices, Hobart (1966–1969)
Completed in 1969, 10 Murray Street, as the Hobart building is commonly known, has been described as a unique example of Australian Brutalist architecture that was common in the 1960s.[10] It is a multi-storey office building with an external reinforced concrete frame and recessed windows. Recently earmarked for demolition, a petition was started to save the building and to consider refurbishment. [10][11]
Burgmann College, Australian National University
Burgmann College, Australian National University, Canberra (1970–1971)
Given the success of the Christ College buildings at Sandy Bay, Dirk Bolt was commissioned to design Burgmann College, a residential mixed-sex college at the Australian National University. Even though originally intended to consist of four wings around a central courtyard with attached service buildings, only two wings were completed to form an L-shape building. The college building could be regarded as a Japanese inspired design combined with Dutch pragmatism using sliding doors and windows similar to shōji screens, recessed horizontal fenestration, and a restricted palette of materials.[8]
References
^Calder N (1999). Significant Tasmanian architecture of the 20th century. In: Australian Bureau of Statistics (1999). Tasmanian Year Book 2000 (Cat. No. 1301.6). Retrieved 18 November 2012.
^ ab"Dirk Bolt death notice". New Zealand Herald. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
^McNeill B and Ratcliff E (2006). Dirk Bolt. Centre for Tasmanian Historical Studies. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
^ abcdAustralian Institute of Architects. Biography: Dirk Bolt 25 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. CAPITheticAL. Big Ideas. Big Future. A design ideas competition for a hypothetical Australian capital city. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
^ abcdAustralian Capital Territory (2008). Heritage (Decision about Provisional Registration of 1 Astley Place, Garran) Notice 2008 (No 1) (Notifiable Instrument NI 2008 – 104).
^Bolt, Dirk (1983), The development ratio: a model for a humane urban future (Doctoral thesis), ResearchSpace@Auckland, hdl:2292/56280, Wikidata Q111963266
^King S (2011). Life Cycle: Christ College. Australian Design Review. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
^ abGoad P (2001). The Design and the Building. In: Burgmann College (Australian National University) (2001), The place to be: Burgmann College 1971–2001.
^Australian Institute of Architects (2011). 2011 Tasmanian Architecture Awards: Full List of Winners 25 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Australian Institute of Architects Media Release. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
^ abPetition started to save 10 Murray Street. Australian Design Review. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
^Stedman M (2009). Architect pleads for building 7 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine. The Mercury (Hobart). Retrieved 18 November 2012.
January 28, 2023
dirk, bolt, october, 1930, december, 2020, dutch, born, architect, best, known, post, second, world, australian, modernist, architecture, later, career, academic, consultant, that, applied, sustainable, equitable, humane, principles, town, planning, born, 1930. Dirk Bolt 24 October 1930 13 December 2020 was a Dutch born architect who is best known for his post Second World War Australian modernist architecture and his later career as an academic and consultant that applied sustainable equitable and humane principles to town planning Dirk BoltBorn 1930 10 24 24 October 1930Groningen NetherlandsDied13 December 2020 2020 12 13 aged 90 Aberfeldy Perth and Kinross ScotlandNationalityDutchAlma materDelft University of TechnologyHobart Technical College University of AucklandOccupationArchitectBuildingsChrist College HobartMurray Street State Offices Hobart Burgmann College CanberraScientific careerThesisThe development ratio a model for a humane urban future 1983 His most notable buildings include the Sandy Bay Campus buildings of Christ College at the University of Tasmania and the Murray Street State Offices in Central Hobart 1 Contents 1 Professional life and education 2 Notable buildings 2 1 Christ College University of Tasmania 1961 1962 2 2 Murray Street State Offices Hobart 1966 1969 2 3 Burgmann College Australian National University Canberra 1970 1971 3 ReferencesProfessional life and education EditBolt was born in Groningen on 24 October 1930 2 He commenced his studies in architecture at the Delft University of Technology but moved to Australia in 1951 and finished his qualifications as an architect and town planner at Hobart Technical College 3 He designed many innovative residential and commercial buildings in Hobart and Canberra In Canberra where he worked between 1964 and 1971 he also consulted to the National Capital Development Commission providing advice on planning of the growing capital The Australian Institute of Architects ACT is in the process of publishing a monograph on his architectural and town planning work in Canberra 4 In the 1970s he worked for international development organisations in Africa and Asia including the UN Office of Technical Cooperation He consulted to many agencies and governments on planning development and sustainability 4 5 He was appointed senior lecturer in urban design at the University of Auckland where he received a PhD in town planning in 1984 4 5 His doctoral thesis titled The development ratio a model for a humane urban future was concerned with sustainable equitable and humane town planning 6 This is also reflected in his later work that included low energy aspects of planning providing tools for planning in mega cities in developing countries and affordable residential modular construction using timber 5 In 1987 he returned to the Netherlands and later became professor and head of urban planning at the University of Twente 4 Bolt was an honorary fellow of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and past president of the ACT division of the Australian Planning Institute 5 In his later years he lived in Scotland and died in Aberfeldy on 13 December 2020 2 Notable buildings Edit Christ College University of Tasmania Christ College University of Tasmania 1961 1962 Edit Commissioned to accommodate the relocation of the University of Tasmania to Sandy Bay Christ College was the first residential college to be completed on the new campus It could be regarded as a good example of Tasmanian modernist architecture and in its style similar to Saynatsalo Town Hall designed by Alvar Aalto 7 Situated on a steep slope Bolt created a virtual hill town of visually different buildings grouped around a garden court using materials that were designed to mature with time such as natural concrete blocks and untreated timber 8 The building received the Australian Institute of Architects 2011 Enduring Architecture Award Tasmania 9 Murray Street State Offices Hobart 1966 1969 Edit Completed in 1969 10 Murray Street as the Hobart building is commonly known has been described as a unique example of Australian Brutalist architecture that was common in the 1960s 10 It is a multi storey office building with an external reinforced concrete frame and recessed windows Recently earmarked for demolition a petition was started to save the building and to consider refurbishment 10 11 Burgmann College Australian National University Burgmann College Australian National University Canberra 1970 1971 Edit Given the success of the Christ College buildings at Sandy Bay Dirk Bolt was commissioned to design Burgmann College a residential mixed sex college at the Australian National University Even though originally intended to consist of four wings around a central courtyard with attached service buildings only two wings were completed to form an L shape building The college building could be regarded as a Japanese inspired design combined with Dutch pragmatism using sliding doors and windows similar to shōji screens recessed horizontal fenestration and a restricted palette of materials 8 References Edit Calder N 1999 Significant Tasmanian architecture of the 20th century In Australian Bureau of Statistics 1999 Tasmanian Year Book 2000 Cat No 1301 6 Retrieved 18 November 2012 a b Dirk Bolt death notice New Zealand Herald 19 December 2020 Retrieved 19 December 2020 McNeill B and Ratcliff E 2006 Dirk Bolt Centre for Tasmanian Historical Studies Retrieved 17 November 2012 a b c d Australian Institute of Architects Biography Dirk Bolt Archived 25 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine CAPITheticAL Big Ideas Big Future A design ideas competition for a hypothetical Australian capital city Retrieved 18 November 2012 a b c d Australian Capital Territory 2008 Heritage Decision about Provisional Registration of 1 Astley Place Garran Notice 2008 No 1 Notifiable Instrument NI 2008 104 Bolt Dirk 1983 The development ratio a model for a humane urban future Doctoral thesis ResearchSpace Auckland hdl 2292 56280 Wikidata Q111963266 King S 2011 Life Cycle Christ College Australian Design Review Retrieved 17 November 2012 a b Goad P 2001 The Design and the Building In Burgmann College Australian National University 2001 The place to be Burgmann College 1971 2001 Australian Institute of Architects 2011 2011 Tasmanian Architecture Awards Full List of Winners Archived 25 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine Australian Institute of Architects Media Release Retrieved 18 November 2012 a b Petition started to save 10 Murray Street Australian Design Review Retrieved 18 November 2012 Stedman M 2009 Architect pleads for building Archived 7 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine The Mercury Hobart Retrieved 18 November 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dirk Bolt amp oldid 1133188260, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
