Ermin Smrekar

Ermin Smrekar (1931–2016) (FAIA) was an Italian-Australian architect who lived and practiced in Melbourne, Australia from the 1960s to 2007. He was noted for his modernist designs, which "have been celebrated by architects because they inspired new references for a modern Australian architectural language."

Originally named 'Erminio', Smrekar was born in 1931 in the Italian/Slovenian border town of Trieste. He undertook his initial training at the technical institute, and then studied architecture at the University of Trieste. He migrated to Australia in 1956, because of political and economical uncertainty, accompanying his father Carlo (died 1980) and mother Bruna (1913-2015). The family lived in Moonee Ponds, in Melbourne's northern suburbs and Smrekar continued his education at the University of Melbourne Design Atelier (1960 – 1962) and the Melbourne Institute of Technology in Architecture, completing supplementary exams to qualify to work as an Architect in Australia.

Ermin began his architectural practice in 1964 and established Smrekar Architects in 1969. The firm operated up to 2007 when it amalgamated with BGA Architects of Bendigo to form e+ architecture, continuing to operate from the same Melbourne Office and retaining senior key personnel from Smrekar Architects. Smrekar had previously worked with Terry Mitton for 12 years before the latter joined BGA as a director in 1998.

Smrekar's earliest known surviving design is the Mirabella House, 38 Henry Street Keilor East Melbourne from 1966. Other buildings include:

Smrekar's work has be compared to that of Luigi Moretti and Marcello D'Olivo () in Italy and other Australian emigre architects such as Enrico Taglietti and Czech emigre, Alex Jelinek. Much of his work has been involved in projects connected to the Italian community in Melburne, and in particular Triest emigrees, such as remoddling a factory in Essendon for the Triestine's community San Giusto Alabarda Club, while he is also credited with designing a ...variety of large homes in the suburb of Bulleen which were designed with a distinct 'Mediterranean feel' for an Italian clientele. His Lygon Court Shopping Centre, which involved partial demolition of the Historic Holdsworth Building on Lygon Street, and loss of The Pram Factory theatre at the rear.

...
Wikipedia