Graham McDonald

Asquith Boys' High School, Sydney Australia

1960-64

After completing my Leaving Certificate, I then pursued an undergraduate degree in architecture at the University of NSW and facilitated by a Federal public works scholarship.

On completion, I entered the construction industry in 1970. This year was fateful. First, I married my French-Italian girlfriend Laura who is still my wife. We have a daughter Vanessa and a son Fabian. Second, I secured a job in the office of the architect Harry Seidler who was of Austrian origin. That is in this year I became subject to powerful continental European influences.

After working several years on diverse projects, my wife and I then decided in 1972 to see some of the world and headed to Europe for several months on a working holiday. The trend amongst our friends was to go to London. However, my wife took me to Paris. There I secured a job in the office of the architect Marcel Breuer who was of Hungarian origin and whose head office was in New York, USA. The French authorities facilitated my resident and working visas through an eighteen-month apprenticeship arrangement, which permits overseas professionals to gain experience in France. Then after this time, you must leave and return to your home country. Rather than being a short stay, progressively it extended and I worked on diverse projects throughout France. One of particular interest was working on a section of the A86 ring expressway around Paris. A characteristic of the French is that they employ architects on civil engineering projects to participate in their design and integration into the urban and rural environments.

As the permissible period of stay was ending, I was preparing to leave when Harry Seidler arrived. He had received the commission from the Australian government to design and build a new Australian Embassy in Paris and asked me to stay and look after the project in Paris. There upon the Australian government lodged application to extend my stay, which the French authorities promptly rejected. It was then resolved that my French-Italian wife lodge application on my behalf, which the French authorities promptly accepted.

Instead of being an interesting, but passing experience, my extended stay in France a further two years (1972-75) had a profound and formative influence on me.

While in Europe there was an opportunity for me to pursue a postgraduate degree (1975-76) at the University of Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA and facilitated by an R.G. Menzies scholarship. The school gives emphasis that design professionals must have an understanding of all disciplines of planning, design and construction in order to be proficient in their chosen field. The school structure therefore facilitates interaction between the departments of Architecture, Landscape Design, City and Regional Planning and Urban Design.

Throughout my career, in association with multi-disciplinary project teams, either as a director or a consultant, my experiences are on predominantly government and commercial projects. Amongst some of my most substantial involvements, include:

Department of Defence, Navy weapons electronic workshop, modernisation of Garden Island, Sydney.

Capita Financial Group corporate headquarters, 9 Castlereagh Street, Sydney.

An unusual experience was working with the French again (1993-94) on two projects important to the economy of the French territory of New Caledonia; the South Pacific Commission facilities and Le Méridien hotel complex both located in the capital of Nouméa.

In recent years, I have worked on predominantly diverse housing projects at federal, state, and local government levels.

From time to time, I participate in community activities. One that achieved a positive outcome was when I was part of the small action group FOLP, which campaigned (1989-92) to save Luna Park as Sydney harbour public foreshore land and to retain as a recreation facility and its heritage.

Graham R. McDonald

2 March 2020

(Updated 31 Jan 2023)