Peter Muller (architect)

Peter Muller
AO
Born(1927-07-03)3 July 1927
Leabrook, Adelaide, Australia
Died17 February 2023(2023-02-17) (aged 95)
Alma materSt Peter's College, Adelaide, 1944
University of Adelaide, 1948
University of Pennsylvania, 1951
OccupationArchitect
Known forSydney School
BuildingsAudette House, 1952
Muller House, 1954
Richardson House, 1956
Richardson Ski Lodge, 1959
Hoyts Cinema Centre, 1967
Amandari Hotel, 1989
ProjectsOberoi Hotels
Websitepetermuller.org

Peter Neil Muller AO (3 July 1927 – 17 February 2023) was an Australian architect with works in Sydney, New South Wales, Victoria, Adelaide, Bali, and Lombok.

Early life and education

Muller was born in the suburb of Leabrook, Adelaide on 3 July 1927.[1] He was educated at St Peter's College from 1942 to 1944. He studied at the University of Adelaide graduating with Bachelor of Engineering degree together with the South Australian School of Mines and Industries graduating with a Fellowship in Architecture in 1948. Muller won the Board of Architectural Education and Royal Australian Institute of Architects travelling scholarship in 1947. He won a Fulbright Scholarship and was awarded a Graduate Tuition Scholarship at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia in 1950 and 1951, where he obtained a Master of Architecture degree. Muller became an Associate of the Royal British Institute of Architects.

Career

After completing study in the United States Muller began private practice in Sydney in 1952, based in Whale Beach on the Northern Beaches. Muller took an alternative design approach to the then-contemporary modern movement.[2] He travelled and lived in many places around the world which included France, London, Bali, South Australia and Sydney.[3] He had several influences including Adrian Snodgrass (1952), Albert Read (1954) and lastly, Frank Lloyd Wright (1952) whom only "influenced him on the Audette house at the beginning of his practice".[4] In Sydney 1953, Muller worked in his own architectural practice called 'The Office of Peter Muller'. He avoided synthetic finishes and instead used natural materials, as he felt strongly about the Australian landscape. This is reflected in many of his Sydney contemporaries.[2]

Muller later moved to Marulan, New South Wales where he practised at home in his grazing property 'Glenrock'.[3] In 1962 Muller tutored at the University of New South Wales. He worked as a director of the National Capital Branch of the National Capital Development Commission in Canberra from 1975 to 1977. This inspired him to author a book 'The Esoteric Nature of Griffin’s Design for Canberra[5]’ in 1976.[3] Later, in 1978, he was the founding Principal of Regional Design and Research and he has acted independently from locations all around the world as a consultant for 'Peter Muller International'.[3]

Recognition

In the 2014 Australia Day Honours, Muller was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) "for distinguished service to architecture, to the adaptation and preservation of Indigenous design and construction, and to the integration of the built and environmental landscape".[6]

Personal life and death

In 1953, Muller married Rosemary Winn Patrick. They had three children named Peter, Suzy, and James. In 1964, they divorced and he married Carole Margaret Mason, whom he also divorced in 1991. He remarried, but three years after the death of his third wife, Helen Hayes, in 2001, he returned to Sydney and reunited with Carole.[3]

Muller died on 17 February 2023, at the age of 95.[7]

Notable projects

Richardson House, 1956

949 Barrenjoey Road, Palm Beach, Sydney, Australia

Like many of Peter Muller’s designs, the Richardson House began with extensive research of the site. Muller designed this house to sit on the edge of a cliff face, seven metres below the adjoining road and fifteen metres above the water. One design key was the use of circles as the primary motif. This motif came from the form of a large rock already on the site. Twenty-nine hollow cylinders, made of curved concrete blocks and of a natural grey and green appearance, made up the main support system. Muller was a designer of organic architecture and all of the interior spaces of this design are connected and freely flowing.[8]

Hoyts Cinema Centre, 1966

134-144 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Australia

The Hoyts Cinema Centre, designed in 1966 and completed in 1969, is considered unique due to the shape of the building, taking similar traits to an upside down oriental pagoda was seen to be of considerable interest in the local area. In fact the design was based on a structural idea of bracketing each floor out similar to the way in which very wide eave overhangs were created in Chinese and Japanese roofs. This particular building is the largest built project by Peter Muller and was the first 'cinema centre' of its kind in Australia; housing three screens in the complex.[9]

Complete list of works

[10]

Design YearProjectAddressTypeNotes
1952Audette House[11][12]265 Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag, SydneyResidential
1952Olympic Stadium CompetitionMelbourne, VictoriaCompetitionWith Adrian Snodgrass
1953Molinari House[13]Forestville, SydneyResidentialFor Mr FA Molinari (unbuilt)
1954Winns Department StoreWare Street and Spencer Street, Fairfield, SydneyCommercialClosed 1981, redeveloped.
1954Muller House[14]42 Bynya Road, Whale Beach, SydneyResidential1995 addition by Glenn Murcutt and Wendy Lewin, 2022 addition by Peter Stutchbury.
1955Walcott House[15]40 Bynya Road, Whale Beach, SydneyResidentialArts and Architecture, House of the Year, 1956[16]
1955Palm Beach Real Estate AgencyPalm Beach, SydneyCommercialUnbuilt
1955Barnaby HouseBeaumont, Texas, USAResidentialUnbuilt
1955Slyper HouseHollandResidentialUnbuilt
1956Barker HouseLot 40, Grand View Drive, NewportResidentialUnbuilt, for Mr & Mrs George Barker.
1956Richardson House ('Kumale')[17]949 Barrenjoey Road, Palm Beach, SydneyResidentialFor Mervyn Victor Richardson
1956Sydney Opera House Competition EntryBennelong Point, SydneyCompetition
1957McGrath House4 Dunara Gardens, Point Piper, SydneyResidentialFor Walter & Joan McGrath. Added to NSW State Heritage Registry in May 2025.[18]
1957Nicholson House[19]5 Angophora Crescent, Forestville, SydneyResidential
1957Commonwealth Bank branch[20]176 Victoria Street, Taree, New South WalesCommercialClient: H. C. Coombs. Substantially modified street frontage. Original mural by Byram Mansell 'Bilinga and the Fig Tree' still insitu.
1957Commonwealth Bank branchEastwood, SydneyCommercialClient: H. C. Coombs (unbuilt)
1957Coogee Apartment BlockCoogee, SydneyResidentialFor Dr R. Stewart-Jones (unbuilt).
1958Walker House21 Arterial Road, St Ives, SydneyResidentialFor Mr & Mrs John Walker
1958Palm Beach Kindergarten1053 Barrenjoey Road, Palm Beach, New South WalesSchool
1958Victa Lawnmowers Head Office318 Horsley Road, Milperra, SydneyCommercialFor Mervyn Victor Richardson. Demolished.
1958Ward House200 Foote Street, Templestowe, Melbourne, VictoriaResidentialFor Pauline Ward. Demolished 2015. One of only two houses designed by Muller in Victoria, and the only one in the Melbourne metropolitan area.[21]
1959Sculfer House3 Livistona Lane, Palm Beach, Sydney[22][23]Residential
1959Richardson Ski Lodge 'Manohara' (now Wombiana Chalet)[24]5 Buckwong Place, Thredbo Village, NSWResidentialFor Garry Richardson (son of Mervyn Victor Richardson)
1959Fogarty House'Dunalister Stud', 4979 Northern Highway, Runnymede, Elmore, VictoriaResidential
1960Southside Plaza Shopping Centre1 Rockdale Plaza Drive, Rockdale, SydneyCommercialOpened 15 August 1963. Demolished 1992 and redeveloped.
1960Southside Plaza Shopping Centre Ten Pin Bowling Centre1 Rockdale Plaza Drive, Rockdale, SydneyCommercial
1960McGrath/O'Neill Ski Lodge
(now Obergugl Lodge)[25]		8 Buckwong Place, Thredbo Village, NSWResidentialClients: Mr Dennis O'Neill and Mr & Mrs Walter McGrath. Substantially modified in 2008 and 'disowned' by Muller. DA submitted with further design changes in May 2019 (DA 7926).[26]
1960Gunning House369 Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag, NSWResidentialDemolished.
1960Hoyts Cinema CentreNewcastle, NSWCommercialUnbuilt.
1960—1978Eight Craftbuilt Prototype HousesVarious locationsResidentialPrototype houses.
1961Patrick House10 The Scarp, Castlecrag, SydneyResidentialDemolished
1961Park HouseLot 24, Prince Alfred Parade, Newport, SydneyResidential
1962Creaser House1 Womerah Street, Turramurra, SydneyResidentialFor Mr & Mrs Bod Creaser
1962Hamilton House3 Pindari Place, Bayview, SydneyResidentialBuilt on 4300m2 site adjacent to houses by Ian McKay and Bruce Rickard. Placed on interim Heritage Order in 2015.[27]
1962Purcell House14 Fisher Street, Balgowlah, SydneyResidential
1962Lance House 14 Lindsay Avenue, Darling Point, SydneyResidentialFor Dr & Mrs Jim Lance. Demolished 2006 (Michael Dysart).[28][29]
1962Barling House4 Paradise Ave, Clareville, SydneyResidential
1963Barton House22 Morella Place, Castle Cove, SydneyResidentialFor Mr & Mrs Gordon Barton. Highly altered interior and exterior. Roof tiles replaced and sandstock bricks rendered, extended to rear.[30]
1963Green House7 Wolseley Road, Point Piper, SydneyResidential
1963Walder House 1 (Weekender)Lot 3, Cabarita Road, Stokes Point, Avalon Beach, SydneyResidentialFor Sam & Di Walder. Demolished.
1964Lance House 215 Coolong Road, Vaucluse, Sydney[31]ResidentialDemolished 2019.[32]
1964Mitchell House20 Robe Terrace, Medindie, AdelaideResidential
1964Turner House57 Sylvan Avenue, East LindfieldResidential
1964IPEC Head Office259 Glen Osmond Road, Frewville, AdelaideCommercial
1964–1984'Glenrock' homestead[33]248 Highland Way, Marulan, NSWRestorationOwned by Peter Muller. 1830s colonial mansion on 990 hectares with Hereford cattle. Sold in 1984 for $1.6m. Muller later published a book about the property in 2010.[34]
1964Greenwood HouseMulgowrie Avenue, Balgowlah, SydneyResidential
1965Walder House 261a Kambala Road, Bellevue Hill, SydneyResidentialFor Sam & Di Walder. Acquired by Kerry Packer and demolished to expand his garden.
1965IPEC Airfreight TerminalLaunceston, TasmaniaCommercial
1965Carroll House6 Rockbath Road, Palm Beach, SydneyResidential
1965McArthur House[35][36]11 The Tor Walk, Castlecrag, SydneyResidential
1966Dickson HotelDickson, Canberra, ACTHotelDemolished.
1966Hoyts Drive-in Theatre Tamworth[37]Duri Road and Hillvue Road, Tamworth West, NSWCommercialClosed 1984, later demolished.
1967Hoyts Drive-in Theatre Casula[38]25 Pine Road, Casula, SydneyCommercialClosed 1985.
1967Hoyts Cinema Centre[39]134—144 Bourke Street, MelbourneCommercialInteriors by Neville Marsh. Opened 1969, closed 2005.
1968McGrath House8 Castra Place, Double Bay, SydneyResidential
1968Hoyts Drive-in Theatre Bulleen/Doncaster[40][41]49 Greenaway Street, Bulleen, Melbourne, VictoriaCommercialClosed 1984, redeveloped 2022.
1968Hoyts Drive-in Theatre Wantirna[42]Mountain Highway and Boronia Road, Wantirna, VictoriaCommercialClosed 1984. Converted to outdoor market.
1968Regent and Paris Theatres & Regent Arcade (Hoyts)Rundle Street, AdelaideCommercialLater redesigned by local architects and rebuilt.
1968Walsh House7 St Andrews Drive, Glen Osmond, Adelaide, South AustraliaResidential
1968Schwartz House[43]39 Palmerston Street, Watsons Bay, SydneyResidential
1969TownhousesTrelawney Street, Woollahra, SydneyResidential
1969Turner House8 Sylvan Avenue, East Lindfield, SydneyResidential
1969–1971Five projects for Tony BambridgeTahitiVariousClient: Tony Bambridge
1970Matahari HotelSanur Beach, BaliHotel
1970Dulhunty HomesteadNant Lodge, Glen Innes, NSWResidential
1970Steidler House7a Wentworth Street, Point Piper, SydneyResidentialModified street frontage c.2017.
1970Winderadeen Homestead restoration and manager's house5178 Federal Highway, Collector, NSWRestorationFor Mr & Mrs Garner Anthony, Honolulu
1970Coolangatta Apartment TowerCoolangatta, QueenslandResidentialUnbuilt
1971Snider House12 Wolseley Road, Point Piper, SydneyResidentialModified, timber painted.
1971Woolf House8 Gilliver Avenue, Vaucluse, SydneyResidentialDemolished August 2014.
1971Burrell HomesteadRockdale, Armidale, NSWResidential
1972Peter Muller HouseCampuan, Bali, IndonesiaResidentialArchitect's own house.
1972–87Peter Muller houseCampuan, Bali, IndonesiaRestorationArchitect's own house.
1973Kayu Aya HotelKayu Aya Beach, Seminyak, Bali, IndonesiaHotelDeveloped in to Bali Oberoi from 1977.
1975–77Director, National Capital Development CommissionCanberra, ACTConsultancyEstablished Australian Parliament House design competition terms of reference.
1977Peter Muller houseUnawatuna Beach (Galle), Sri LankaRestorationArchitect's own house.
1977–2001The Bali Oberoi (Kayu Aya Club)[44]Seminyak Beach, Bali, IndonesiaHotelContinuous upgrading of Kayu Aya Hotel
1978Establishment of Regional Design and Research (RDR)PracticeFounding of design practice.
1978Lian Cove Beach HotelBatangas, Luzon, PhilippinesHotelUnbuilt
19781,200 luxury housing settlementJubail, Saudi ArabiaResidentialUnbuilt
1979Peter Muller HouseUnawatuna Beach via Galle, Sri LankaResidentialArchitect's own house; begun 1977
1979Travelodge Beachcomber Condominium ApartmentsPapeete, TahitiResidentialUnbuilt
1980The Oberoi Kolva Beach resort hotelGoa, IndiaHotelwith Sharad Madan (India)
1982Karnak Oberoi HotelLuxor, EgyptHotelUnbuilt
1982Si-Rusa Resort Hotel DevelopmentPort Dickson, MalaysiaHotelUnbuilt
198367 Townhouses300 Cottesloe Drive (Sailfish Point), Mermaid Waters, Gold Coast, QueenslandResidentialFor Burleigh Forest Estate, unbuilt.
1985Williams House64 Minkara Road, Bayview Heights, SydneyResidentialWith Mike Harris (Spooner Harris Bryant)
1989Amandari Hotel[45]Jalan Raya Kedewatan, Kabupaten Gianyar, Ubud, BaliHotel
1994Amandari Village (13 luxury estates)Kedewatan, Bali, IndonesiaResidential
1995–1998Antap West Bali Luxury housing estateWest Bali, IndonesiaResidentialUnbuilt
1995–1998The Oberoi UbudBali, IndonesiaHotelUnbuilt
1995–1998The Oberoi BedugalBali, IndonesiaHotelUnbuilt
1995–1998Canyon Ranch Health ComplexWest Bali, IndonesiaHotelwith James Christou and Partners (Perth), unbuilt.
1996Club Med VanuatuVanuatuHotelwith AJC Architects, unbuilt.
1997The Oberoi Beach Resort, LombokMedana, Tanjung, North Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, Lombok, IndonesiaHotel
1997–2003'Kookynie' homestead[46]488 Muanu Road via Outa-Wurta Road, Boconnoc Park/Blyth, Clare Valley, South Australia[47]RestorationFor Peter Muller (new outhouses)
1997–2003Hayes LodgeLoches, FranceRestorationOriginally built 1679; Restoration for Helen Hayes.
1998Canyon Ranch Health complexMasala Alam, Red Sea, EgyptInstitutional
1998Amandari Village Show VillaKedewatan, Bali, IndonesiaResidentialShow villa built.
2007Prickle FarmIlford, NSWResidentialFor daughter Suzy Flowers.

Publications

Publications by Peter Muller

  • The Esoteric Nature of Griffin's Design for Canberra, Canberra 1976[48]
  • The New and Permanent Parliament House, with others, Canberra 1977
  • Canberra and the New Parliament House, with others, Dee Why West, New South Wales 1983
  • Glenrock, Marulan, Sydney, New South Wales, Walsh Bay Press, 2014

Publications about Peter Muller

Books

  • An Australian identity: houses for Sydney, 1953-63 by Jennifer Taylor, Sydney 1972
  • Fine Houses of Sydney by Robert Irving, John Kinstler and Max Dupain, Sydney 1982
  • Architecture Bali by Bingham-Hall, Pesaro Publications 2000
  • Peter Muller by Jacqueline C. Urford (398 pages) 2013[49]

Articles

  • "Molinari House" in Architecture and Arts (Melbourne), July 1954
  • "Audette House" in Architecture in Australia (Sydney), July/September 1955
  • Special issue on Peter Muller in Architecture and Arts (Melbourne), December 1955
  • "Peter Muller House" in Architecture in Australia (Sydney), January/March 1956
  • "Richardson House" in Architecture and Arts (Melbourne), August 1956
  • "House by Peter Muller" in La Architettura (Rome), August 1958
  • "Craftbuilt Houses" in Architecture in Australia (Sydney), September 1961
  • Article by David Saunders in Art and Architecture (Sydney), June 1971
  • Numerous illustrated articles in The Australian Home Beautiful, Vogue Australia/ France, Belle, 1955–1999

Theses

  • "Peter Muller Domestic Architecture — The First Ten Years" by J.C.Urford 1984, in 6 Volumes, University of Sydney
  • "The Architecture of Peter Muller " by J.C. Urford 1993 in 9 Volumes, University of Sydney
  • "Discriminating Eyes in Bali, Indonesia" by Vanessa R. Preisler, University of Oregon, U.S.A.

[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Flowers, Suzy (30 June 2023). "Architect left legacy of buildings harmonious with the natural order". smh.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  2. 1 2 Professor Philip Drew, "Profile on Peter Muller". Accessed 12/04/2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Architects Database, "Peter Muller". Accessed 8 April 2011.
  4. ↑ Quotation by Peter Muller, "Influences". Accessed 8 April 2011
  5. ↑ Muller, Peter (1976). The Esoteric Nature of Griffin's Design for Canberra. P. Muller.
  6. ↑ "Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia" (PDF). Website of the Governor General of Australia. Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  7. ↑ "Island Designer: Peter Muller 1927–2023". Balidiscovery. 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  8. ↑ Robert Irving, John Kinstler and Max Dupain, "Fine Houses of Sydney" p160-169. Published 1982 by Methuen Australia.
  9. ↑ National Trust Database; file number B6961, "Hoyts Cinema Centre". Accessed 9 April 2010.
  10. 1 2 Peter Muller "Peter Muller - Architect" Accessed 5 April 2011
  11. ↑ "The Audette House". Museums of History New South Wales. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  12. ↑ "Audette House". docomomoaustralia.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Shock Design For New House At Forestville". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 February 1954. p. 10. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  14. ↑ Power, Julie (5 June 2023). "Escape from the Big House: The small Sydney tree home saved from knock-down rebuild". smh.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "Peter Muller designed 'organic Architecture' — his Pittwater buildings". Pittwater Online News. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "1956 House of the year". Architecture and Arts. 45: 28–31. May 1957 – via Trove.
  17. ↑ "Richardson House". docomomoaustralia.com.au. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "Walter McGrath House". hms.heritage.nsw.gov.au. 22 May 2025. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "5 Angophora Crescent, Forestville, NSW 2087". realestate.com.au. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  20. ↑ "176-178 Victoria Street, Taree, NSW 2430 (Property Details)". lsre.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  21. ↑ Item 027-106, Survey of Post-War Built Heritage in Victoria (heritage.vic.gov.au)
  22. ↑ Welling, Kathryn (16 February 2017). "Designer home in secret Palm Beach pocket sells in five days". realestate.com.au. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "3 Livistona Lane, Palm Beach". propertyshowcase.com. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "Wombiana". alpinepropertycollective.com.au. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  25. ↑ "Obergugl Lodge". booking.com. 24 July 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  26. ↑ "DA 7926 Obergurgl Lodge, 8 Buckwong Place, Thredbo: Alterations and additions to existing lodge". Planning Portal NSW. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  27. ↑ Morcombe, John (6 January 2015). "Hamilton House to be examined for heritage value over next 12 months". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  28. ↑ "Save our structures". smh.com.au. 2 March 2006. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  29. ↑ Nicholls, Stephen (6 March 2019). "Darling Point mansion with a $35m guide is a private paradise". realestate.com.au. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  30. ↑ "22 Morella Place, Castle Cove". realestate.com.au. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  31. ↑ "15 Coolong Road, Vaucluse". realestate.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  32. ↑ Macken, Lucy (26 April 2016). "The buyer of Australia's most expensive property amalgamation? A Russian refugee". afr.com. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
  33. ↑ Chancellor, Jonathan (30 May 2023). "Marulan mansion, Glenrock, in NSW Southern Tablelands listed with $100m price tag". realestate.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  34. ↑ Muller, Peter (March 2014). Glenrock, Marulan. Sydney: Walsh Bay Press.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  35. ↑ "Travel back in time with @home". architecture.org.au. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  36. ↑ Gerstal, Ben (March 2025). "Houses of Castlecrag, 11 The Tor Walk". The Crag (219): 12.
  37. ↑ Roe, Ken. "Hoyts Tamworth Drive-In". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  38. ↑ Roe, Ken. "Hoyts Casula Drive-In". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  39. ↑ Roe, Ken. "Hoyts Cinema Centre, 140 Bourke Street, Melbourne". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  40. ↑ "Bulleen (Doncaster)". drive-insdownunder.com.au. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  41. ↑ "Hoyts Doncaster Drive-In". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  42. ↑ Roe, Ken. "Hoyts Wantirna Drive-In". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  43. ↑ "39 Palmerston Street, Vaucluse, NSW 2030 (Sold $15.5m)". realestate.com.au. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  44. ↑ Winter, Marguerite (31 October 2003). "Homage to Bali Style". afr.com. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  45. ↑ "Accommodation at Amandari". aman.com. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  46. ↑ "'Kookynie', Clare, SA 5453 (Sold $1.6m)". realestate.com.au. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2026.
  47. ↑ "Houses of Clare". Clare History. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  48. ↑ Griffin Memorial Lecture (Viewable Online)
  49. ↑ (Viewable Online)
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