Designing a Legacy (ATOM Study Guide)

Comedian and design nerd Tim Ross is on a journey to find buildings that tell a different story about Australian Architecture. Tim is passionate about how the structures we create can shape our lives … in ways we don’t always expect. 

From stunning private homes, both large and small, to a school, a surf club, motel, museum and a mosque – Tim uncovers buildings that show us who we are, and who we could be. Among them are truly sensational properties that make us dream, but in his charming, funny and down-to-earth style, Tim also reminds us that good design isn’t just about fancy houses. He believes that great architecture shows respect: for the people that use it, for the environment around it and crucially, here on this continent, for the ancient history of the land. Although we haven’t always done these things, there is, if you look for it, a solid tradition of good design in Australia. When done well, it can do amazing things: creating community, forging a sense of place, and offering, in difficult times, much needed visions for our future.

In the end, this is what Tim is on the hunt for, because when we can do all this, we aren’t just building for ourselves anymore, we’re designing a legacy.

Curriculum Links:

Designing a Legacy can be linked to the following subject areas within the Australian National Curriculum:

• English
• Humanities and Social Sciences
• Technologies

Designing a Legacy is also suggested as a supplementary text for studying the following Senior School subjects:

• English
• Sociology

At undergraduate tertiary level Designing a Legacy may be relevant to course units in Architecture.