If you embark on a study of Glenn Murcutt’s work and philosophies, you may wonder if it is architect or poet that is under his skin. The living spaces he designs curiously echo the environment in which they are built, at once stark and natural, modernistic and primitive. Part of this contrast comes from the materials used— steel, stone, glass and sometimes brick or wood, but always materials that are economical and unpretentious. But it is the work that happens before one line is drawn that is the mesh that weaves nature and structure together in Murcutt’s designs.

Murcutt explores the building location to understand its light, the movement of the sun and moon, river flood and ebb cycles, winds, topography and climate as well as views and geological patterns. He then designs the building to reflect the location as well as make best use of it. For instance, the Arthur and Yvonne Boyd Education Centre in Riversdale, NSW, Australia, faces a pastoral meadow that slopes down to the Shoalhaven River and has at its back a bush of steep eucalyptus-covered hills. Its two main steel roofs, which cover a meeting room and sleeping quarters, slope toward one another, mirroring the landscape and providing a valley for capturing rainwater--and a metaphor for the river valley it overlooks.

Raised on Thoreau, Murcutt has adopted an Aboriginal proverb, “touch the earth lightly,” as his own axiom. Murcutt believes that the buildings he designs should be a flexible shelter that exists in harmony with nature’s rhythms. He selects materials that consume as little energy as possible in their manufacture and useful life. The houses respond to all manner of climatic conditions (in most cases requiring no air conditioning or heating other than a fireplace). Designs are created to control sunlight penetration and manipulate breezes at various times of the year and the day, often using adjustable exterior metal storm blinds that can be opened and closed to accommodate. The Marika-Alderton house, designed for an Aboriginal artist in Australia’s Northern Territory, opens and closes like a plant to keep it open to fresh air, yet insulated from intense heat and protected from strong cyclone winds. Murcutt also varies roof pitch according to a region's latitude and climate. In some areas, he overlaps layers of steel roof to promote natural ventilation.

Always, measures are taken to do as little as possible to disturb the surrounding environment. Structures are built to float above the surface so as not to intrude the soil. The Ball-Eastaway house is an artist's retreat tucked away in an arid Australian forest. The main structure of the building is supported by steel columns and steel I-beams. By raising the house above the earth, Murcutt protected the dry soil and surrounding trees.

Murcutt keeps his practice as simple as the buildings he designs, being a sole practioner without the usual big-firm glitz that you might expect from a distinguished career. As well, Murcutt prefers houses over large-scale projects since the smaller works and working alone provide him with more opportunities to experiment with the site’s natural characteristics. However, he did choose to change that habit temporarily to partner with colleague, Wendy Lewin, on the exclusive Moonlight Head Lodge, built on the precipices of Australia’s breathtaking Great Ocean Road (see www.moonlighthead.com) that opened for business on November 5.

Carlos Jimenez, a Pritzker Award Juror, commenting on Murcutt’s work and career said, "Nurtured by the mystery of place and the continual refinement of the architect’s craft, Glenn Murcutt’s work illustrates the boundless generosity of a timely and timeless vision. The conviction, beauty and optimism so evident in the work of this most singular, yet universal architect remind us that architecture is foremost an ennobling word for humanity."