Originally published in 1947, Robin Boyd’s Victorian Modern presents a selective and highly engaging history of architectural design in Victoria. Perhaps more significantly, it also presents Boyd’s vision for the future, “the Victorian type” – a well-designed and affordable modern home.
The renowned architect was working on this second edition of the book when he died in 1971 and now the Robin Boyd Foundation has published it. Designed by Boyd, using a number of typefaces and paper stocks and featuring photographs and Boyd’s own drawings, the book is a beautiful and timely reminder of Boyd’s vision and passion for his craft. It provides an ideal introduction to modernism for those unfamiliar with its tenets and with Boyd’s own concerns and ideas.