Thoroughly Modern

For a brief period between the end of the Depression and the beginning of WWII, Canberra, one of the twentieth century's handful of new, planned cities, looked set to be defined by the distinctive precepts and forms of functionalism. It represented a clear break with the architectural conventions of the past and partners in life and practice Moir and Sutherland were at the forefront of this push, as designers of an singularly coherent collection of functionalist residential and commercial buildings, spread throughout the fledgling city. The richly illustrated narrative of Thoroughly Modern traces the evolution of Moir and Sutherland's architecture, which represents some of the earliest examples of modernism built in Australia, and examines the national and international contacts and influences that shaped and informed their work-including the internationally renowned architect, author and designer Raymond McGrath, who was a friend and colleague to both, and the famous Australian opera singer Joan Sutherland, Heather's younger sister, among others. This remarkable history brings together a wealth of primary source material, including exquisitely rendered water colour sketches, architectural drawings, period photography, and correspondence, to paint a picture of the thrilling but at times deeply challenging beginnings of Canberra and modernist architecture in Australia.