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Frederick Romberg

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785: 672: 733: 344:), one of the world's leading technical universities. The earlier semesters of the course had a strong component of technical subjects such as mathematics, geometry and building statics. He developed a remarkably consistent and rigorous more fern my cement language of architectural form, employing ribbon windows, cantilevers, roof gardens, open plans and new urban typologies. After graduating from ETH-Zurich, he joined 465:, designed as early as 1943, and built 1947-1950. The client was businessman and entrepreneur Stanley Korman, who commissioned a number of further schemes from Romberg which mostly came to nothing. One project that did get built was another flat development called Hillstan, on the Nepean Highway in Brighton, built in 1947, two long curving rows of two storey blocks joined by glazed stairwells. 606: 362: 135: 25: 705: 348:’s office as an architectural assistant for 6 months, working mainly on one project, a seven-storey laboratory building in Basel. Completing his studies in 1938, he emigrated to Melbourne that same year, and became a registered architect in 1940. In his professional career from the 1940s to 1960s, he gradually refined his European modernist approach into a local one. 452:, Romberg & Shaw, a pioneering female architect 10 years his senior, who had also worked at Stephenson & Turner, administering various large projects. Together they designed and built a number of pioneering Modernist large-scale apartment buildings, introducing a completely new approach to multi-family dwellings. They include 687:
4,5,6,8 flats; the genesis of the present building. However, the scheme of the building has been changed three times due to the changes of local building regulations. Although Stanhill was no longer an advanced design by the time it was completed, it is one of the works by which Romberg is now best known.
776:. Abandoned for many years, only part of the curtain wall facade and the entry courtyard area was retained when the majority of the factory space was replaced by a ‘big box’ retail building and carpark. Despite these changes, it is still considered one of the best post-war factories built in Victoria. 763:
was designed for a client, Nut Foods, for the iricution if their ETA brand margarine. With its elegant, extremely long curtain wall presenting as the public façade, it was one of the most distinguished industrial buildings of the post-war period. At ETA, of interest is the handling of the curtain
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and Glenunga Flats in 1940. They also designed a few houses, combining Modernist and domestic elements. The partnership ended in 1942 as the war made private practice impractical. Romberg then worked in various offices and spent a year interned as an ‘enemy alien’, returning to private practice in
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for little more than a year when he embarked on Newburn project. It was his first reinforced concrete multi—storey residential building. There are four storeys of twenty-four flats, with the living spaces on the sunny north side, each with an angled window bay and balcony so as to obtain a view
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that responds positively to its urban context—— multi-storied urban housing which is both eligible as dwelling and as modernist monument. The idea of a penthouse on the roof of the tall building was put forward at this time. The building was initially arranged in four vertical stacks containing
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at its centre, a ring of toilets, laundries and other utilities, a passageway and students’ rooms, and common study areas around the perimeter. Picken Court was a rare fusion of a 19th-century form and contemporary ideas that elucidated the common theoretical bonds between the two.
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is of fundamental importance in understanding the architecture of Fredrick Romberg. While his commitment to Australia was absolute from the moment he arrived, he brought with him memories, knowledge and attitudes that were European in general and German in particular. Arriving in
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is one of the more intriguing aspects of his practice during the 1950s and early 1960s. Brutalism in Australia is generally understood as a style of ‘rational and robust’ concrete architecture, largely institutional, widespread in the 1960s and 1970s. Its forms derived from
301:. The family returned to Berlin in September 1913 when Frederick was only a few months old. When World War 1 broke out, his father volunteered, and was killed in 1915. In 1920 his mother married a doctor, Hans Riebling, and the family moved to the town of 269:
Romberg was best known as the "middle term" in the architectural partnership of ‘Gromboyd‘ - Grounds, Romberg and Boyd (1953-1962), as well as for some landmark apartment buildings in 1940s Melbourne. He brought an awareness of great
489:, Romberg continued to explore local idioms in his schools, colleges and churches and to link his work to historical precedent in Australia. At the same time, he excavated his own past, resurrecting its latent 717:
towards Queens Road and park beyond. Stair towers at each end connect with access balconies on the south side. Romberg used the technology he was familiar with from his time in Salvisberg's office,
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In 1951, Romberg's practice was in a precarious position. He had moved his office from La Trobe Street in 1949 to the front flat on the top floor of Newburn and the following year into a
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Leslie Body & Stephen Jeffries (eds.) 1986, The German Connecting: Sesquicentennial Essays on German-Victorian Crosscurrents in Victoria, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 1986.
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wall fronting Ballarat Road with its alternating bands of clear and black glass, tubular steel diagonal members (originally picked out in gold matte paint) and classical
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and Cultural Centre project, where the practice of Grounds, Romberg and Boyd was appointed as the architects; at a more personal level, it caused the breakup of the
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The name Stanhill was first coined by Romberg as a combination of the names of the two brothers Stanley and Hilel Korman. It is a strong building with a powerful
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in Switzerland in 1931, and then at various other universities, he then swapped in 1933 to the architecture course at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (
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The Frederick Romberg Award for Residential Architecture, Multiple Housing is awarded annually at the Australian National Architecture Awards.
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Romberg's complex and varied approach to the central plan suggests a secure grounding in historical precedent (a subject he taught at
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1945 as soon as the war ended, the same year he was naturalised. He already had a very large project in hand, the landmark high-rise
653: 409: 108: 561:. To some extent, Romberg believed the building would have been much more significant with the teamwork and contribution of three. 986: 89: 1079: 61: 1090: 631: 387: 46: 1105: 744:
building linked together at each of their three storeys by semi-enclosed bridges. Each had a radial plan with a light and
68: 554: 616: 372: 1125: 883: 75: 635: 620: 391: 376: 35: 869: 310: 963: 589: 57: 863: 533: 486: 448:. He was seconded to the design section and worked there for a year. In 1939 he formed a partnership with 345: 445: 1011: 293:
Frederick Romberg, second child of Prussian parents Kurt and Else Romberg, was born on 21 June 1913 in
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Frederick Romberg, David L.Smith, The decline of the environment, Cassell Australia, Melbourne, 1973.
337: 330: 1056:, Collusions of Modernity: Australian Pavilions in New York and Wellington 1939, Fabrications, 1999. 462: 718: 474: 906: 784: 82: 760: 745: 226: 817:
Hilstan Flats, corner Nepean Highway and Marriage Road, Brighton, Victoria, 1947 (demolished)
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Frederick Romberg, Before Gromboyd: An Architectural History, typewritten manuscript, 1986.
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in 1938, and became a leading figure in the development of Modernism in his adopted city.
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in intention and form, using local materials within the formal framework of modernism.
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tradition, and the Modernist architecture of Switzerland and Germany, re-formed into
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Jennifer Taylor, Australian Architecture since 1960, Law Book Company, Sydney, 1986.
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in the late 1940s) and possibly some knowledge of the immensely influential text by
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Inaugural President’s prize, National Architecture 2006 - National 25 Year Award
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Modern in Melbourne 1 : Melbourne Architecture 1930-50, Frederick Romberg
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Harriet Edquist (ed.), Frederick Romberg: Architecture of Migration 1938–1975,
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Aboriginal Keeping Place, (now the Bangerang Cultural Centre), Shepparton, 1982
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In 1965, Romberg was appointed the foundation Professor of Architecture at the
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Picken Court is designed to be a student and staff facility comprising three
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34 Queens Road, South Melbourne, Victoria; designed in 1943, built 1947-1950
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Newburn. Frederick Romberg's office was located for a time in the penthouse
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Stanhill, 34 Queens Road, South Melbourne, designed 1943, built 1947—1950
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ICI Staff Recreation Centre, Deer Park, Victoria, 1955 (demolished)
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Lutheran Church Hall, South Melbourne, Victoria, 1953 (demolished)
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Inaugural President's Prize, awarded by Victorian Chapter of the
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CSIRO: Division of Protein Chemistry, Parkville, Victoria, 1958
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appropriate to Australia. His buildings are characteristically
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in 1975 where he carried on a small practice into the 1980s.
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The breakup of the partnership: Romberg and Boyd: 1962—1975
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Grounds Romberg and Boyd (Gromboyd), later Romberg and Boyd
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in order to affirm Australia's earliest, and particularly
313:), where the principal Walter Schadow, was a supporter of 309:. Here he attended the Stresemann Real-Gymnasium (now the 844:
ETA Foods Factory, 254 Ballarat Road, Braybrook, 1957
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Picken Court, Ormond College, University of Melbourne
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Frederick Romberg Collection at RMIT Design Archives
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Bruck House, Bruck Mills, Wangaratta, Victoria, 1955
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and he held this position for the following decade.
436:at Station Pier, he had an initial, brief visit to 221: 213: 201: 193: 185: 166: 144: 125: 49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 532:The relationship of Romberg's work to be emerging 545:’s later work and the Japanese new architecture. 814:Miller-Short House, Upper Mast Road, Upwey, 1947 520:, first published in 1949 which dealt with both 811:St Quentin, Ellery House, Upwey, Victoria, 1941 830:Sacred Heart Girls' College building, Oakleigh 329:'s Expressionist house, as well as his famous 321:artist's colony north of Bremen, where he met 882:Newcastle City Council Offices, King Street, 850:Picken Court, Ormond College, Parkville, 1959 788:Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Canberra (1960) 8: 964:"Round of applause for iconic city building" 853:Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Canberra, 1960 1016:RBA Architects and Conservation Consultants 768:implied in the regular rhythm of expressed 634:. Unsourced material may be challenged and 390:. Unsourced material may be challenged and 835:Harris Flats, Barkers Road, Hawthorn, 1955 823:Yarralands Flats, Hawthorn, Victoria, 1951 133: 122: 911:Maggie Edmond Enduring Architecture Award 701:30 Queens Road, South Melbourne, 1939-41 654:Learn how and when to remove this message 410:Learn how and when to remove this message 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 919:Royal Australian Institute of Architects 901:Royal Australian Institute of Architects 856:St George's Anglican, East Ivanhoe, 1962 808:Romberg House, Eaglemont, Victoria, 1941 805:Glenunga Flats, Armadale, Victoria, 1940 950:The architecture of migration 1938-1975 933: 796:, 30 Queens Road, South Melbourne, 1939 515:Architectural Principles in the Age of 675:Stanhill Flats, view from Queens Road. 7: 943: 941: 939: 937: 712:The 26-year-old Romberg had been in 632:adding citations to reliable sources 501:Architecture style: The Central Plan 469:Grounds, Romberg and Boyd: 1953—1962 388:adding citations to reliable sources 336:After his first studying law at the 325:. Here he would have seen architect 47:adding citations to reliable sources 1111:Modernist architecture in Australia 952:. Melbourne: RMIT University Press. 757:254 Ballarat Road, Braybrook, 1957 248:Friedrich Sigismund Hermann Romberg 16:Swiss-trained architect (1913–1992) 1131:20th-century Australian architects 729:College Crescent, Parkville, 1959 231:MacFarland Library, Ormond College 14: 1141:German expatriates in Switzerland 966:. Newcastle Herald. 23 June 2017 862:, and School of Microbiology of 604: 427:To understand the experience of 360: 23: 985:Editiorial (13 December 2018). 524:geometry and the central plan. 225:Stanhill Flats, Newburn Flats, 34:needs additional citations for 948:Edquist, Ed., Harriet (2000). 1: 1146:German emigrants to Australia 802:, South Yarra, Victoria, 1940 528:Architecture style: Brutalism 254:– 12 November 1992, in 1044:Publishing, Melbourne, 2000. 725:Picken Court, Ormond College 565:University of Newcastle, NSW 555:National Gallery of Victoria 423:Migration and early practice 1136:German expatriates in China 1012:"Bangerang Cultural Centre" 1162: 694: 596:Key building and projects 311:Friedrich-Ebert-Gymnasium 237: 209: 139:Frederick Romberg in 1937 132: 875:School of Architecture, 333:development in Bremen. 289:Early life and education 1084:24 October 2009 at the 879:, New South Wales, 1968 877:University of Newcastle 870:Luther College, Croydon 864:University of Melbourne 588:He died at his home in 571:University of Newcastle 258:), was a Swiss-trained 915:National 25 Year Award 789: 737: 709: 676: 346:Otto Rudolf Salvisberg 787: 735: 707: 674: 446:Stephenson and Turner 250:), (21 June 1913, in 180:, Victoria, Australia 1106:Modernist architects 628:improve this section 581:Romberg returned to 481:. With his partners 384:improve this section 338:University of Geneva 43:improve this article 907:Robin Boyd House II 719:reinforced concrete 577:Return to Melbourne 58:"Frederick Romberg" 991:ArchitectureAU.com 860:MacFarland Library 790: 738: 710: 677: 592:in November 1992. 534:Brutalist movement 1126:ETH Zurich alumni 753:ETA Foods Factory 746:ventilation shaft 664: 663: 656: 477:created from the 420: 419: 412: 244:Frederick Romberg 241: 240: 227:ETA Foods Factory 127:Frederick Romberg 119: 118: 111: 93: 1153: 1063:Kenneth Frampton 1028: 1027: 1025: 1023: 1008: 1002: 1001: 999: 997: 982: 976: 975: 973: 971: 960: 954: 953: 945: 909:was awarded the 832:, Victoria, 1954 659: 652: 648: 645: 639: 608: 600: 511:Rudolf Wittkower 450:Mary Turner Shaw 415: 408: 404: 401: 395: 364: 356: 323:Heinrich Vogeler 262:who migrated to 173: 170:12 November 1992 154: 152: 137: 123: 114: 107: 103: 100: 94: 92: 51: 27: 19: 1161: 1160: 1156: 1155: 1154: 1152: 1151: 1150: 1096: 1095: 1086:Wayback Machine 1075: 1037: 1032: 1031: 1021: 1019: 1010: 1009: 1005: 995: 993: 984: 983: 979: 969: 967: 962: 961: 957: 947: 946: 935: 930: 896: 782: 755: 727: 699: 693: 669: 660: 649: 643: 640: 625: 609: 598: 579: 567: 551: 530: 503: 471: 456:(1939-41), and 425: 416: 405: 399: 396: 381: 365: 354: 327:Bernard Hoetger 315:Weimar Republic 291: 181: 175: 171: 162: 156: 150: 148: 140: 128: 115: 104: 98: 95: 52: 50: 40: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1159: 1157: 1149: 1148: 1143: 1138: 1133: 1128: 1123: 1118: 1113: 1108: 1098: 1097: 1094: 1093: 1088: 1074: 1073:External links 1071: 1070: 1069: 1066: 1060: 1057: 1051: 1048: 1045: 1036: 1033: 1030: 1029: 1003: 977: 955: 932: 931: 929: 926: 925: 924: 921: 903: 895: 892: 891: 890: 887: 880: 873: 867: 857: 854: 851: 848: 845: 842: 839: 836: 833: 827: 824: 821: 818: 815: 812: 809: 806: 803: 800:Yarrabee Flats 797: 781: 778: 754: 751: 726: 723: 695:Main article: 692: 689: 668: 667:Stanhill Flats 665: 662: 661: 644:September 2023 612: 610: 603: 597: 594: 590:East Melbourne 578: 575: 566: 563: 550: 547: 529: 526: 502: 499: 497:, traditions. 470: 467: 463:Stanhill Flats 458:Yarrabee Flats 424: 421: 418: 417: 400:September 2023 368: 366: 359: 353: 350: 331:Böttcherstraße 305:, adjacent to 290: 287: 239: 238: 235: 234: 223: 219: 218: 215: 211: 210: 207: 206: 203: 199: 198: 195: 191: 190: 187: 183: 182: 176: 174:(aged 79) 168: 164: 163: 157: 146: 142: 141: 138: 130: 129: 126: 117: 116: 99:September 2023 31: 29: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1158: 1147: 1144: 1142: 1139: 1137: 1134: 1132: 1129: 1127: 1124: 1122: 1119: 1117: 1114: 1112: 1109: 1107: 1104: 1103: 1101: 1092: 1089: 1087: 1083: 1080: 1077: 1076: 1072: 1067: 1064: 1061: 1058: 1055: 1052: 1049: 1046: 1043: 1039: 1038: 1034: 1017: 1013: 1007: 1004: 992: 988: 981: 978: 965: 959: 956: 951: 944: 942: 940: 938: 934: 927: 922: 920: 916: 912: 908: 904: 902: 898: 897: 893: 888: 885: 881: 878: 874: 871: 868: 865: 861: 858: 855: 852: 849: 846: 843: 840: 837: 834: 831: 828: 825: 822: 819: 816: 813: 810: 807: 804: 801: 798: 795: 794:Newburn Flats 792: 791: 786: 780:List of works 779: 777: 775: 771: 767: 762: 758: 752: 750: 747: 743: 734: 730: 724: 722: 720: 715: 706: 702: 698: 697:Newburn Flats 691:Newburn Flats 690: 688: 685: 680: 673: 666: 658: 655: 647: 637: 633: 629: 623: 622: 618: 613:This section 611: 607: 602: 601: 595: 593: 591: 586: 584: 576: 574: 572: 564: 562: 560: 556: 548: 546: 544: 539: 535: 527: 525: 523: 519: 518: 512: 508: 500: 498: 496: 492: 488: 484: 480: 476: 468: 466: 464: 459: 455: 454:Newburn Flats 451: 447: 443: 439: 435: 430: 422: 414: 411: 403: 393: 389: 385: 379: 378: 374: 369:This section 367: 363: 358: 357: 351: 349: 347: 343: 339: 334: 332: 328: 324: 320: 316: 312: 308: 304: 300: 296: 288: 286: 284: 280: 276: 273: 267: 265: 261: 257: 253: 249: 245: 236: 232: 228: 224: 220: 216: 212: 208: 204: 200: 196: 192: 188: 184: 179: 169: 165: 160: 147: 143: 136: 131: 124: 121: 113: 110: 102: 91: 88: 84: 81: 77: 74: 70: 67: 63: 60: –  59: 55: 54:Find sources: 48: 44: 38: 37: 32:This article 30: 26: 21: 20: 1035:Bibliography 1020:. 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Qingdao
Melbourne
ETA Foods Factory
MacFarland Library, Ormond College
Qingdao
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architect
Australia
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architecture
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