SUPPORTING ART S , L AW AND ARCHITEC TURE
Course brings fresh eyes to State’s architectural heritage With the passing of Joan Green OAM in March, it is timely to reflect on a lifetime of service to the community and generous giving to areas such as the arts and, as this article outlines, architecture. When the Green family children were growing up in northern Tasmania in the 1960s and ’70s, they were already immersed in caring for heritage buildings. Through their parents, Dick and Joan, they were exposed to building conservation and to discussions with architects and builders. Together they pored over plans that would see some of Tasmania’s most cherished heritage buildings protected and revitalised. Dick and Joan Green were deeply involved in the National Trust. Initially, it was the vision of Dick Green AM, a solicitor who would go on to become Mayor of Launceston, to co-found a Tasmanian branch of the Trust to preserve and restore Franklin House, built in 1838. “We helped at working bees at Franklin House and Clarendon House over many years with other passionate volunteers,” Caroline Johnston, one of Dick and Joan’s children, said. “We were there on the ground.” Members of the Green family
In the years that followed, Dick was instrumental in achieving the incorporation of the Australian Council of National Trusts and served as the longest continuous member of its Board from 1965 to 1983. Joan Green OAM was also heavily involved in heritage projects and managed the Clarendon House volunteer group for over 50 years. But the family’s interest in, and passion for, the State’s heritage buildings does not stop there. The formative experience the Green children had visiting historic buildings and being exposed to the important roles of architects and builders is now being extended to students at the University of Tasmania’s School of Architecture and Design. In 2019, the Dick and Joan Green Family Architectural Design Studio Award was established, a donor-funded university unit which runs every two years, alternating with The Green Family Award for Tasmanian History. “We wanted to do something quite tangible and we decided that something that embraces the majority of the students in a class would be best as it would provide a broader impact,” Caroline said. “After talking with the Dean at the time, we decided we’d prefer to connect up students and experts in the field, either architects or builders or materials specialists.” In 2021, the innovative teaching and learning unit enabled a three-day field trip to visit historic buildings in Hobart, Richmond, Oatlands and Longford. Significantly, the class of 40 students were accompanied by architects involved in the buildings’ restoration and renovations. “There was a heritage flavour but with what (course coordinator) Dr Andrew Steen calls ‘New Heritage’ – actually relooking at what you can do with a building. It seemed a really good way of helping the students with their learning,” Caroline said. Dr Steen said the field trips and the opportunity to interact with architects involved in the various projects couldn’t have happened without the donation.
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