Match 2026

Architect Daryl Jackson died a couple of weeks ago; he was a major name when I was doing my archi degree in the early 1980s, and instead of posting about him I had a go at improving his Wikipedia page – and that reminded me of this fabbo Brutalist project, the 1973 YWCA in Suva Fiji. If it was in Australia we’d be swooning and heritage-listing, but these various snapshots and streetview images are just about all I could find.

The first image is from Jennifer Taylor’s 1990 book ‘Australian Architecture since 1960’, and she notes the very Brutalist robust rough concrete with ‘Corbisian’ expressed joins and sculptural modelling. This was partly because it was designed to be comfortable without aircon, but the conc sun shading on the north side has been replaced by blue metal awnings. I think it’s great though ! It’s right on the waterfront, and for some time has been a hotel, now called De Vos on the Park. Seems to have been painted since about 2023, before that it had an atmospheric grimy look.

Taylor dates it at 1970, but I think it opened in 1973. Both dates are early for Jackson, or rather Jackson Walker (with Evan Walker), a firm they started in 1965. Jackson seems to have separately done the seminal Harold Holt Pool with Kevin Borland in 1969, with lots of rough concrete, then a series of schools.

They get more sculptural, and use smoother concrete, and include Princes Hill High 1972, MLC Woodgate Centre 1976, and the wonderful Canberra School of Music 1976. These last four images from @brutalistcharm. All great stuff, and I think the YWCA is up there with them.

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