Australian Institute of Architects – WA Chapter
Located at 33 Broadway, this building was originally constructed in 1965 as a furniture showroom for David Foulkes Taylor, with its design by architect Julius Elischer.
In 2005, the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) acquired the property and undertook refurbishment work in 2007 to transform it into the WA Chapter headquarters, following a design by Bernard Seeber Pty Ltd.
David Foulkes Taylor: Visionary Designer and Influencer
Born in Perth in 1929, David Foulkes Taylor was the eldest of five children of Douglas Foulkes Taylor, an English-born pastoralist, and Helen Foulkes Taylor. Educated at Christ Church Grammar School, Perth, and later at Geelong Church of England Grammar School, he was introduced to modernist design concepts by his art teacher, Ludwig Hirschfeld-Mack, a Bauhaus-trained artist.
Initially enrolling in architecture at Perth Technical College in 1947, David left after a year to pursue studies at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London. His time in Europe and work with furniture craftsman Norman Potter in Wiltshire influenced his design aesthetic. He also spent time in New York before returning to Perth in 1954 to establish his career in furniture design.
In 1957, he founded Taylormade, his furniture business. His home in Nedlands, located on Crawley Avenue, doubled as a showroom where he displayed European-imported furniture, ceramics, glassware, and fabrics. Over time, he added the Triangle Gallery, a space dedicated to showcasing the works of local artists. His showroom, with its vine-covered courtyard, became a key meeting place for Perth’s art and design community in the 1950s and 1960s.
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The Architectural Significance of 33 Broadway
In 1964, David Foulkes Taylor commissioned Julius Elischer to design 33 Broadway as an expanded showroom for his growing collection of furniture and imported design pieces.
Elischer’s design was a double-height, single-volume structure, featuring two steel-framed mezzanine floors connected by a central suspended mezzanine and accessed via a steel staircase. A key design consideration was the window placement, ensuring natural light entered the space while avoiding direct exposure that could damage displays. The result was an abstract, sculptural arrangement of deep-revealed windows, with a cubic, white-painted exterior accented by colored window recesses.
The building was widely praised for its innovative use of light and spatial dynamics. In 1969, it received a citation in the RAIA Bronze Medal Award for Western Australia in recognition of its architectural excellence.
Later Use and Transformations
Following David Foulkes Taylor’s passing in 1966, 33 Broadway transitioned into a showroom for Jim Brant, assisted by his brother Michael Brant.
The Jim Brant Pty Ltd showroom gained popularity among architects, design lecturers, and students, particularly due to its display of contemporary European furniture and textiles such as Artek and Marimekko, as well as the renowned Le Corbusier furniture collection.
During this period, the building remained largely unchanged except for the addition of carpeting over the original brick floor in the late 1970s or early 1980s.
In 1985, the Brants vacated the building, and it was repurposed as commercial office space until 2006. During this time, the brick-paved flooring was replaced with concrete, and the interior was partitioned into rooms without significant regard for the original architectural integrity. However, essential elements of the design remained intact.
RAIA Acquisition and Refurbishment
In 2005, the RAIA purchased 33 Broadway, and by 2007, refurbishment works were completed to accommodate the WA Chapter headquarters, along with complementary tenants, including the Architects Board of Western Australia and Archicentre.
Architect Bernard Seeber Pty Ltd led the refurbishment, ensuring the transformation retained the original showroom’s open-plan spatial qualities while adapting the interior for offices and meeting spaces. The modifications were designed to be reversible, preserving the building’s historic architectural essence while incorporating new elements and materials reflective of its original craftsmanship.
The RAIA remains committed to the ongoing conservation and refurbishment of 33 Broadway, in alignment with its mission to promote the art and craft of architecture.
The refurbished RAIA WA Chapter headquarters was officially opened on October 22, 2007, by The Hon. Michelle Roberts MLA, Minister for Housing and Works, in the presence of guests and members, including Alec Tzannes, National President of the RAIA, and Rod Mollett, President of the RAIA WA Chapter.
