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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

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Sean Godsell

2009
Earl Carter

type C photograph on paper (sheet: 63.2 cm x 50.7 cm, image: 50.8 cm x 35.8 cm)

Sean Godsell (b. 1960) a Melbourne-based architect, is known internationally for his distinctive residential architecture. His dwellings range from single family houses such as St Andrew's Beach House and Glenburn House (both award-winners); to 'compassionate infrastructure' projects providing refuge for displaced persons in the urban environment, including the Park Bench House and Bus Shelter House; to his Future Shack concept, a mass-produced relocatable emergency housing unit made from recycled shipping containers (the prototype of which was exhibited in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, New York through much of 2004). In 2002 he was the only architect and the only Australian named by wallpaper magazine as a person 'destined to change the way we live', in 2003 he received a citation from the President of the American Institute of Architects for his work for the homeless; and in 2005 he was the only Australian and the only architect named in the 'Who's Who - the New Contemporaries' section of Time magazine's Style and Design issue. Godsell has received many awards in Australia and abroad, including the 2006 RAIA Robin Boyd Award.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2010
© Earl Carter/Copyright Agency, 2024

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Earl Carter

Sean Godsell (age 49 in 2009)

Subject professions

Architecture, design and fashion

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

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