Online Archives Search

Discover just some of the amazing material held in the Archives.

The Online Archives Search is a limited search of the UNSW Archives' collection - please note that it does not cover everything held by the Archives.

UNSW staff can also search for archival records through theĀ RAMS interface.

A small selection of the Archives' digital photographs are also available for searching and viewing via UNSW Digital Collections.

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    In 1963 the Faculty of Architecture offered an extension course in Landscape Design for architects, engineers and town planners with the intention that a more comprehensive program would follow. The driving force behind this course was Associate Professor Peter Spooner, a long-standing staff member who in addition to his architectural qualifications held a Graduate Diploma in Landscape Design from the University of Durham. The following year the faculty introduced a part-time postgraduate diploma in Landscape Design. (BRF - Spooner, Peter) On 12 September 1973 the Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Committee approved the creation of a Department of Landscape Architecture within the School of Architecture, effective from 1 January 1974. On 8 July 1974 Peter Spooner was appointed as the department's foundation chair. (CN968/11 File: 4601013E) In that year the Department offered for the first time its four year undergraduate degree course in Landscape Architecture. (UNSW Annual Report 1974: 19; Uniken 3 -16 June 1978: 1), a first for an Australian university. (SRF - UNSW - Architecture) On 16 January 1978 Council re-classified the Department of Landscape Architecture as the School of Landscape Architecture with Professor Peter Spooner as Head of School (resolution 78/7 - 26445; Focus 31 May 1978: 1) and the department therefore ceased to exist from this date. Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 01/01/1974-16/01/1978
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    The Department of Architecture & Building dates back to the formation of the university itself on 1 July 1949, as it was one of the departments that had much of its origins in the Sydney Technical College. This included the first head of the department, Professor F. E. A. Towndrow, whose appointment from the college to the university was simply transferred on the date of the university's establishment. When the first three university faculties were established by Council on 8 May 1950 (resolution 54), Architecture & Building became the sole department within the Faculty of Architecture. On 10 September 1951 Council changed the designation of all departments to schools and so the School of Architecture & Building came into existence (resolution 153). On 10 May 1971 Council approved a re-establishment of the Faculty of Architecture, whereby the School of Architecture & Building became the School of Architecture and a separate School of Building was created (resolution 71/53). At the meeting of Council on 13th September, 1993, the name of the faculty was changed to the Faculty of the Built Environment (resolution CL93/73g). On 25 August 1997 Council disestablished all schools within the Faculty of the Built Environment - including the School of Architecture - and created in their place a single School of the Built Environment effective from 31 December 1997 (resolution CL97/66/9c). Subordinate agency: Department of Industrial Arts - 01/01/1981 - 31/12/1990 Subordinate agency: Department of Landscape Architecture - 01/01/1974 - 16/01/1978 Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 01/07/1949-31/12/1997
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    Agencies Series
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    The Faculty of Architecture was established by Council on 8th May, 1950 (resolution 54). Under Dean F. E. Towndrow the Faculty included just the single School of Architecture and met for the first time on 25th July, 1950. At the meeting of Council on 13th September, 1993, the name of the Faculty was changed to the Faculty of the Built Environment (resolution CL93/73g). The list of Deans below was compiled for an enquiry in 2011. Dates listed as years are approximate only based on Calendars and should be double-checked. 1 July 1950 - 30 June 1963 (on a leave of absence from 3 December 1962) - Professor Frederick Edward Anthony Towndrow 3 December 1962 - 31 December 1963 - Professor John Maxwell Freeland (Acting Dean) 1 January 1964 - 1 September 1972 - Professor Henry Ingham Ashworth 1972 - 1984 - Professor Gareth Roberts 1984 - 1985 - Professor Eric Charles Daniels 8 July 1985 - 11 July 1986 - Professor Richard Clough 1986 - 1995 - Professor Arthur Raymond Toakley 1996 - 2002 - Professor Chung-Tong Wu 2002 - 2008 - Professor Peter Murphy (initially as Acting Dean) 2008 - present - Professor Alec Tzannes Subordinate agency: Department (1949 - 51) / School of Architecture & Building (1951 - 1971) / Architecture (1971 - 1997) - 08/05/1950 - 31/12/1997 Subordinate agency: School of Town Planning (1971 - 1995) / Planning & Urban Development (1995 - 1997) - 10/05/1971 - 31/12/1997 Subordinate agency: School of Building - 10/05/1971 - 31/12/1997 Subordinate agency: School of the Built Environment - 31/12/1997 Subordinate agency: School of Landscape Architecture - 16/01/1978 - 31/12/1997 Subordinate agency: Department of Industrial Arts - 24/07/1978 - 31/12/1980 Subordinate agency: Graduate School of the Built Environment - 24/07/1978 - 31/12/1997 Subordinate agency: Department of Industrial Design - 03/02/1992 - 31/12/1997 Subordinate agency: Centre for Health Assets Australasia (CHAA) - 01/01/2005 Subordinate agency: City Futures Research Centre (CFRC) - 24/05/2006 Subordinate agency: Building Research Centre - 01/08/1998 - 02/02/1999 Subordinate agency: Australian Centre for Construction Innovation (ACCI) - 02/02/1999 - 19/12/2003 Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 08/05/1950-
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    On 16 January 1978 Council re-classified the Department of Landscape Architecture as the School of Landscape Architecture with Professor Peter Spooner as Head of School. (resolution 78/7 - 26445; Focus 31 May 1978: 1) On 13 September 1993 the name of the faculty was changed from the Faculty of Architecture to the Faculty of the Built Environment (resolution CL93/73g). At its meeting on 25 August 1997 Council resolved to disestablish the School of Landscape Architecture along with the Schools of Architecture, Building, and Planning and Urban Development, the Graduate School of the Built Environment and the Department of Industrial Design within the Faculty of the Built Environment, effective from 31 December 1997 and establish as of 31 December 1997 the School of the Built Environment. (resolution CL97/66 Item 9 (c)) Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 16/01/1978-31/12/1997
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    Archives Series
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    This series consists of the booklet leaflet collection of the Department / School of Landscape Architecture. The material is typed and maintained in a manilla folder and includes booklets, leaflets and other material as released by the school, including course information.
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    Archives Series
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    This series consists of the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Graduand Exhibition / Final Year Studio Catalogues. Each item is a typed booklet including pictures and a brief summary of the work of Bachelor of Landscape Architecture students graduating in a particular year. These projects were exhibited and the programs were printed to accompany the exhibition. The University Archives' holdings of this series are incomplete.
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    Archives Series
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    This series contains the publication UNSW Campus: A Guide to its Architecture, Landscape and Public Art. Edited by Desley Luscombe, it was published in 2001.
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    Agencies Series
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    The School of the Built Environment was created as the single school within the Faculty of the Built Environment on 25 August 1997 as a result of Council disestablishing all previous schools in the faculty effective 31 December 1997 (resolution CL97/66/9c). The school was initially headed by Professor Jon Lang and consisted of the Architecture, Building Construction Management, Industrial Design, Interior Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Planning & Urban Development programs. In 2006 the school continued to run these programs under Head of School James Plume. Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 31/12/1997-
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    On 8 July 1947 the NSW Government appointed a Developmental Council (under the chairmanship of the Minister for Education, the Hon R.J. Heffron, MLA) to establish the New South Wales Institute of Technology. The purpose of the Institute was to train scientists and technologists to meet the needs of the expanding economy. The Council met on 18 occasions between 27 August 1947 and 26 May 1949, during which time the name of the proposed body was changed to the New South Wales University of Technology. The major role of the Developmental Council had been preparation of a bill for an Act that passed though the parliamentary process in 1949. The Council had identified two unique features of the new University courses - some humanities component would be included, and practical industrial training would be a requirement. Premises of the Department of Technical Education were utilised until a site and buildings for the university were available. The first degree courses in Civil, Electrical, Mechanical and Mining Engineering commenced at Sydney Technical College in March 1948. (1) The Technical Education and University of Technology Act, 1949 (Act No 11, 1949) came into effect on 1 July 1949. It formally constituted the University as a body corporate, and consisting of the Council, the professors and other such classes of persons giving instruction within the University as may be prescribed and the graduate and under-graduate members thereof. (2) The objects of the University were (a) to provide facilities for higher specialised instruction and advanced training in the various branches of technology and science and in their application to industry and commerce; and (b) to aid by research and other suitable means the advancement, development and practical application of science to industry and commerce. (3) The University was managed by a Council of up to 30 members, (4) who were appointed by the Governor for periods of up to four years. The principal officers of the University were the President, Vice-President and Director. The Council was appointed on 5 July 1949 (5) and held its inaugural meeting the following day. The first by-laws were adopted on 12 September 1949, which included provision for the formation of the Professorial Board in the following year. (6) Building on the University's site at Kensington commenced in October 1949. (7) Finance was allocated for the building program by the New South Wales University of Technology (Construction) Act, 1951 (Act No. 35, 1951). The buildings authorised under the Act included a 3-4 storey permanent brick building to accommodate the schools of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Mechanical Drawing and Design, Geology and Mineral Engineering together with administrative offices, lecture theatre and cafeteria and 13 steel clad aluminium buildings to accommodate the School of Chemical Engineering, furniture, equipment and services for these buildings, access roads and other necessary site works. (8) The first graduates of the University were awarded their degrees on 15 March 1952. Thirty-four degrees were presented to graduates at a ceremony held at Great Hall, University of Sydney. The structure of the Council was altered by the Technical Education and New South Wales University of Technology (Amendment) Act, 1955 (Act No. 8, 1955). The Council was increased to a maximum 39 members and the titles of President, Vice President and Director were replaced by those of Chancellor, Deputy Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor. The University of New South Wales Act, 1958 (Act No. 24, 1958) altered the name of the University to the University of New South Wales and added a third object to that of the principal Act. ' c) to provide instruction and carry out research in the disciplines of humane studies and medicine and such other disciplines as the Council may from time to time determine.' (9) The University of New South Wales Act, 1961 (Act No 49, 1961) increased the Council to 40 members (10) and set in place an annual budget allocation from the NSW Government following the submission of a budget from the University. (11) Existing legislation was consolidated by the University of New South Wales Act, 1968 (No 37, 1968). Under the University of New South Wales (Amendment) Act, 1970 (No 75, 1970) the number of Council members was again enlarged to a total of 43. The University of New South Wales (Amendment) Act, 1978 (Act No 170, 1978) added to the Council one member elected by the non-academic staff of the university. The University's Constitution was altered to transfer responsibilities to the Minister including making nominations to the Council and authorising disposal of real property. In 1984 and 1985 two University of New South Wales (Amendment) Acts (Act No. 15, 1984 & Act No. 81, 1985) were passed. The former regulated the type of investments that Council was permitted to undertake for the University, while the latter decreased the number of Council members to 29. In 1988 the Professorial Board was replaced with a reorganised Academic Board. This was followed in 1989 by a restructure of Council under the University of New South Wales Act, 1989 (No. 125, 1989), where the number of Council members was reduced to 21 and its terms of reference revised. The 1949 Act had given the Council the power to create colleges or branches elsewhere within New South Wales. The first of these was established at Newcastle in 1951. The Broken Hill Division was formed in 1959, while Wollongong University College was founded in 1962. On 1 January 1965, Newcastle was granted its autonomy and became the University of Newcastle. On 1 January 1975 Wollongong likewise attained the status of the University of Wollongong. In 1981 the termination of operations at Broken Hill was commenced, with the final graduation ceremony occurring in 1985. On 10 July 1967 an agreement was signed between the Department of the Army and the University to form the Faculty of Military Studies. The Faculty provided the opportunity for cadets at the Royal Military College at Duntroon to attain University degrees. On 7 May 1981 a new agreement was made between the Australian Government and the University to create a University College within the Australian Defence Force Academy. The College began operations on 1 January 1986. In 1969 the Australian Government created a Committee of Inquiry into Postgraduate Education for Management, under Dr Richard Cyert. In March 1970 the Committee recommended that a 'national graduate school of management be established at the University of New South Wales'. On 23 August 1973 the Government decided to initiate this proposal and the Australian Graduate School of Management was formed. Teaching began at the School in 1977. In 1998 the Australian Graduate School of Management merged with the University of Sydney's Graduate School of Business to form a joint university Australian Graduate School of Management. On 1 January 1990, as a consequence of the Higher Education (Amalgamation) Act 1989, two sections of the Sydney College of Advanced Education - the City Art Institute and St George Institute of Education (both previously a part of Alexander Mackie College) - were integrated with the University. On 2 December 1996 the decision was made to close St George campus, with the premises being vacated by the University in January 1999. The Faculties of the University were formed in the following order: Engineering, Science, Architecture/Built Environment, Humanities & Social Sciences, Technology/Applied Science, Commerce/Commerce & Economics, Arts/Arts & Social Sciences, Medicine, Law, Military Studies, Biological Sciences/Biological & Behavioural Sciences, Professional Studies, College of Fine Arts, Life Sciences and Science & Technology. (1) New South Wales University of Technology First annual report of proceedings for the year ended 30 June 1950 p1. in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1950-51-52 vol. 1 p. 567 (2) The Technical Education and University of Technology Act, 1949 s.16 (3) Ibid. s. 18 (4) Ibid. s. 19 (5) NSW Government Gazette 8 July, 1949 p. 1923 (6) NSW Government Gazette 9 December, 1949 p. 3673 (7) New South Wales University of Technology First annual report Loc. Cit p 8 (8) New South Wales University of Technology (Construction) Act, 1951. Schedule (9) The University of New South Wales Act, 1958 s. 2 c) (10) The University of New South Wales Act, 1961 s. 2(b) (11) Ibid. s.2.c(1) Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 01/07/1949-