The 2026 Murcutt Masterclass

On 9 July, 31 architects and students from 10 countries around the world met in Sydney for the 21st Glenn Murcutt International Masterclass. It may have been the first time it was held on Milson Island, but it’s a place with deep history for the Foundation. In 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020, Milson Island was the site of a different kind of conference: “Deerubbin”.

From 9-19 July, those 31 participants took over Milson Island along with Glenn Murcutt, Richard Leplastrier, Brit Andresen and Peter Stutchbury. And for the first time, these ‘masters’ were joined by four younger tutors: Anna O’Gorman, Ian Martin, Vesna Trobec and Rod Simpson who worked with groups to develop ideas ahead of the final presentation.

The site and brief were not tightly defined or premeditated. Instead, after a few days of individual observation captured by drawing, groups were tasked to identify areas on the Island where essential qualities might be revealed or enhanced; structures removed, altered or augmented.

The Masterclass culminates in a day of presentation and celebration, followed by lunch at Rick Leplastrier and Karen Lambert’s house at Lovett Bay in afternoon sunshine.

A recurring message from participants is the unique focus of the programme - one that encourages a slowing down of thinking in a profession that has become adept at speed and efficiency in response. Thoughts are communicated by hand, not device. Paper. Charcoal. Trace. Overlay. Cardboard. Terrain.

This year, the traditional “day after tour” took us to two projects by Glenn; an almost-complete project in Northbridge that represents one of Glenn newest works, and then to the iconic Ball Eastaway house that passed in to new ownership this year.

It was here that Glenn gifted a copy of the remarkable Murcutt Folio by Editions 01 to the Bassenov Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Satbayev Univerisity in Almaty - to be delivered by Alexey Ivzenhko from Kazakhstan.