Harry Seidler collection

Designs and photographs from Australia's best known modernist architect.

Back to all stories

Any list of great Australian architects would be incomplete without one name: Harry Seidler.


Born in Vienna in 1923, Seidler arrived in Australia at the age of 25 and began his architectural practice, becoming famous for his modernist designs. He is the father of Australian modernism, a tireless champion for dramatic yet graceful architecture, and the artist behind many landmark Australian buildings.

The State Library of New South Wales has an extensive Harry Seidler collection which includes over 6,000 architectural plans and drawings, photographs, specifications and personal papers.

 

Untitled interior {"type":"image","clickUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/collection-items\/untitled-interior","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/37056\/a541005r.jpg?itok=paEXVYfG","thumbnailLarge":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/37056\/a541005r.jpg?itok=plCwApY6","mediaDerivativeUrls":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/37056\/a541005r.jpg?itok=paEXVYfG","large":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/37056\/a541005r.jpg?itok=plCwApY6","responsive__quarter_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__quarter_hd\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/37056\/a541005r.jpg?itok=avglmaLa","responsive__half_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__half_hd\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/37056\/a541005r.jpg?itok=Wtlic-Ih","responsive__full_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__full_hd\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/37056\/a541005r.jpg?itok=h-RkjD1M"},"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/37056\/a541005r.jpg","mediaMime":"image\/jpeg","transcriptUrl":null,"width":1200,"height":686}
Harry Seidler
Call # PXD 613
Digital ID: 
Tube No: 147 -- Interior
View collection item detail
Blues Point Tower, McMahons Point, September 1958 {"type":"image","clickUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/collection-items\/blues-point-tower-mcmahons-point-september-1958","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40041\/a541002r.jpg?itok=bHMZFq01","thumbnailLarge":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40041\/a541002r.jpg?itok=ww-LBcpQ","mediaDerivativeUrls":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40041\/a541002r.jpg?itok=bHMZFq01","large":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40041\/a541002r.jpg?itok=ww-LBcpQ","responsive__quarter_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__quarter_hd\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40041\/a541002r.jpg?itok=EXWvSyDG","responsive__half_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__half_hd\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40041\/a541002r.jpg?itok=FHsHl3cL","responsive__full_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__full_hd\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40041\/a541002r.jpg?itok=pjv6t6jh"},"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40041\/a541002r.jpg","mediaMime":"image\/jpeg","transcriptUrl":null,"width":840,"height":1200}
Harry Seidler
Call # PXD 613
Digital ID: 
a541002
View collection item detail
Waks 2 House, Lot 11, Minimbah Road, Northbridge, NSW {"type":"image","clickUrl":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/collection-items\/waks-2-house-lot-11-minimbah-road-northbridge-nsw","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40046\/a541001r.jpg?itok=at05ipcw","thumbnailLarge":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40046\/a541001r.jpg?itok=CZzJ4ZfO","mediaDerivativeUrls":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/thumbnail\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40046\/a541001r.jpg?itok=at05ipcw","large":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40046\/a541001r.jpg?itok=CZzJ4ZfO","responsive__quarter_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__quarter_hd\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40046\/a541001r.jpg?itok=zntPAOSS","responsive__half_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__half_hd\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40046\/a541001r.jpg?itok=tQsh8P_p","responsive__full_hd":"https:\/\/www.sl.nsw.gov.au\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/responsive__full_hd\/https\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40046\/a541001r.jpg?itok=BZljR3LH"},"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com\/prod--slnsw-corporate-site\/uploads\/2018-06\/collection-items\/40046\/a541001r.jpg","mediaMime":"image\/jpeg","transcriptUrl":null,"width":1400,"height":886}
Harry Seidler (sketched by Colin Griffiths)
Call # PXD 613
Digital ID: 
a541001
View collection item detail

This story has been developed with the support of the State Library of NSW Foundation.

We would like to acknowledge the generosity of Penelope Seidler AM and the late Harry Seidler AC OBE.

Next chapter
Seidler's internment