Invited talk at Bathurst Regional Art Gallery – Contemporary Colour Strategies in Design & Architecture: The legacy of Marion Hall Best
6pm to 7pm Wednesday 26 February 2020
Marion Hall Best was at the forefront of design in Australia for forty years (from mid-1930s to 1974). Her interiors featured vibrant colours, bold contrasts and distinctive patterns, and she reinforced her intuitive approach to colour and design approach through her design stores in Rowe Street and Woollahra.
While high chroma hues and bold, contrasting colours were a reflection of the broader 1960s/1970s culture, a number of colour strategies from this period have enjoyed resurgence in design and the built environment, albeit with a contemporary twist.
High chroma colours and colour contrasts have become common in both interior and exterior colour design. In addition, strong tonal value contrasts underpin the ‘New Neutrals’ approach to colour design in the built environment. This presentation explores these key colour strategies in contemporary design and architecture, and the impact these have in respect to activating spaces and encouraging engagement. The presentation also includes a recap of key colour attributes and concepts relevant to design and architecture.
Image: Sydney Design School
