Creative People

The Mid Century Project · Kalowski House

We just can’t keep up with prolific output of everyone’s favourite design and architecture enthusiast, Tim Ross.

Having just returned from staging a series of his popular ‘Man About the House’ shows in London, Tim is in Sydney this week, presenting ‘The Mid Century Project’ at the Harry Seidler designed Kalowski House in Dover Heights.

Written
by
Lucy Feagins

Exterior of the Kalowski House, designed by Seidler & Associates in 1957 and upgraded by architect Colin Griffiths in 2008. Photo – Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

The Sydney home is hosting The Mid Century Project this weekend. Photo – Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

The event brings together installations and new films of classic Australian modernist buildings. Photo – Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

Tim Ross is running the project as part is his Man About the House show, and says it will be their most immersive experience yet. Mural by Rory Toomey. Photo – Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

There’s also an art installation by LA-based Australian artist Paul Davies, and an inventive display of rare Featherston furniture. Photo – Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

Author, comedian and mid century enthusiast Tim Ross. Photo – Rachel Kara for The Design Files.

Tim Ross gets a LOT done. The past couple of years have seen the author, comedian and presenter produce the wildly popular ‘Streets of Your Town’ TV series on the ABC, self-publish his nostalgic and hilarious memoir ‘The Rumpus Room’, and tour his ‘Man About the House’ performance in London, as part of the London Festival of Architecture.

This month, he’s back in Sydney with a very special new project.

‘I had met the owner of the 1958 Kalowski House by Harry Seidler through a mutual friend, and we chatted about how she could make the house work for her current lifestyle’ Tim explains (he is very good at making friends). ‘The owner is one of those gems who stopped a mid century house being bowled over, and is about to embark on a renovation and restoration of the house’ he elaborates. With a small window of time before the restoration works commence, Tim managed to negotiate access to the property to stage a unique event.

Whilst he’s no stranger to mid-century homes, this is the first time Tim has had the opportunity to completely take over a house, and curate a series of experiences within in. Visitors are invited to join Tim for his ‘Man About the House’ show, as well as viewing an art installation by LA based Australian artist Paul Davies, architecture film screenings, and an inventive display of rare Featherston furniture.

‘I have blown one of Paul’s paintings up to wallpaper a room, and it has a twist to make it a bit of an insta moment for people’ Tim explains. Various film screenings include a new film documenting the Brutalist Callum Offices in Canberra by John Andrews, video installations featuring mid-century record collectors Andrea Black and Russell Hopkinson (of You Am I) playing records in the bathroom (!), and a Featherston film that has a twist Tim says he would prefer not to give away!

Of course, the appeal of having a sticky-beak in the house itself is not to be overlooked. The Kalowski House was designed by Seidler & Associates in 1957 and upgraded by architect Colin Griffiths in 2008.

‘The best thing about this is that it will never happen again’ Tim surmises. ‘It’s a truly unique experience’.

The Mid Century Project‘ – a ‘Man About the House‘ series by Tim Ross
Multiple sessions, Thursday, August 2nd to Sunday, August 5th
The Kalowski House, Dover Heights, Sydney

There are still a few places available for several sessions. Click here for more details.

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