T&W Editorial Director Karen McCartney writes about her upcoming talk as part of the Sydney Open Talks series. Read on for your chance to win a double pass.

I was pleased to be asked to be part of a series of talks run by Sydney Living Museums on the changing roles of rooms within the house over the decades. I was glad to get the living room as it seems to have been the focus of the most change as the walls have come down between living, dining and kitchen, the connection to outdoor spaces now defines the Australian lifestyle and through technologies we interact differently with one another.


Peter Stutchbury and Sue Harper's Reeves House in Sydney's Northern Beaches opens up to the northerly light. Photograph by Michael Wee from '70/80/90 Iconic Australian Houses'.

I am paired with architect Anthony Gill, who is clever with contemporary spaces and that will be his point of discussion. Although he has had the privilege of sleeping in the famous Robin Boyd Walsh Street house – which was a living room by day and a master bedroom by night.


Robin Boyd's Walsh Street House  had the unusual arrangement whereby the living room was used as a bedroom by night. Photograph by Michael Wee from '50/60/70 Iconic Australian Houses'.

I will concentrate on the lessons I have learnt through writing both Iconic Houses books which span 50 years and have some great concepts as to how space for living can be used. Architects have been inspired by the Japanese in terms of sliding walls to create versatile spaces, circular internal courtyards create an endless flow of light and energy while, climate willing, the complete opening up of internal space allows for extension into the external making the outdoor room another valid living space.


The Rose Seidler House with its sandstone hearth acting as a divider between the living and the dining and kitchen area breakes up the space with an organic treatment that contrast the more precision feel of the rest of the house. Photograph by Michael Wee from '50/60/70 Iconic Australian Houses'.

The talk is for 30 minutes and I hope to cover quite a few thought provoking ideas about how we use space and what we can learn from the mid-century architects from whom open-plan was a radical departure from long hallways and poky, dark rooms. I will also talk about my own experience living in a 1960s Bruce Rickard-designed house, and what impact it has had upon me and my family.

I would love to see you there.

Karen and Anthony Gill are speaking at The Mint on Thursday 3 October 6.30 - 8pm as part of a series of 8 talks exploring the ongoing evolution of the rooms we call home. Find out more and book here.

We have two double passes to Karen & Anthony's talk to give away, thanks to Sydney Living Museums. To win one, leave a comment here on the blog before 5pm AEST Friday 27 September 2013. You must be a member of Temple & Webster to enter and you may only enter once. We will contact the winners on Monday 30 September at the email address associated with their Temple & Webster account or via Facebook. If we are unable to make contact on Monday 30th we will choose alternative winners.
Competition closed.