Early Architects of the Hunter Region

Les Reedman's Early Architects of the Hunter Region is a chronology of the Hunter Region's early days and the architects who helped shape its built environment.

This work connects the development of the Hunter Valley with the architects living and practising architecture within the region. It outlines the early settlement and growth of the valley in which the architectural profession gradually responded to the challenges and opportunities in partial isolation, a hundred miles from big Sydney town.

It tells the story of the architects, how they worked and how they contributed to the life and planning of coal, industrial and rural towns. Their architecture is illustrated and so are some of their drawings which were needed to present themselves with skill to clients, the public and the early building industry.

The study concludes at 1940 before the disruption of World War II. The period covers the evolution of styles from Post-Colonial to Victorian times to Federation and on to Inter-War Functionalism, Art Deco and early Modern. This is interesting as the Hunter architects operated as a necessarily local enclave and can be seen as a contained microcosm of the architecture of the period.