Guy St John

09/06/1879

Makin was a committed and influential member of the South Australian Institute of Architects (SAIA) and the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) for many years. He was known particularly for his imposing domestic architecture which was generally in the Georgian style (Page 1986).

Makin was born into a wealthy family at Gawler, South Australia on 9 June 1879 and attended St Peter’s College from the third term of 1890 to 1897. At this time his father, Frank, was listed as Lieut.Col. Makin of Gilberton. He had married Louisa Duffield in 1870 and is listed in Sands & McDougall Directories as a pastoralist and sharebroker, the latter with Duffield and Co, Sharebrokers (Freeland 1971; Headmaster’s Roll Series 162 and 163; South Australian marriages index 2004). Guy Makin undertook articles with two Adelaide architectural firms before studying at the Architectural Association School in London (Freeland 1971). Sketches of various buildings in southern England by Makin are dated from 25 May to 8 October 1905 (Claridge Collection). He married Dilys Salier Jones in Victoria in 1915 and they had a son, Paul, in 1920 (Births, Deaths and Marriages Online Shop 2006; South Australian births index 2004). Makin later married again and lived until 91 years of age. He died on 26 July 1970, leaving his wife, Lavinia, his son and three stepdaughters (Advertiser 1970).

As Makin had independent wealth, he chose to practise architecture for the love of it (Page 1986). From 1909 to 1927, his office was at Cowra Chambers, Grenfell Street, the address of his father’s business concerns. He is later listed as being at Cavendish Chambers, 23 Grenfell Street (Sands & McDougall 1909; Willis 1998).

Makin became an Associate of the SAIA in 1907 and a Fellow in 1917. In 1919 he joined the Institute’s Council and fulfilled numerous roles for the next 22 years. He was president from 1927 to 1929. During the meeting at which he was elected to that role, Makin proposed a toast to the Ministry in which he referred to the government’s rejection of the proposal that architects be registered. He concluded that, ‘the Bill should appeal to the Ministry because it would not cost the Government anything … Good architects meant good, noble buildings, which were a good advertisement for the State’ (‘Architects’ Institute: City Building Act and Registration’ 1927: 16a).

Makin was one of two South Australian delegates present at the formation of the RAIA in 1929. Although not fully in favour, at the outset, of a Federal Institute, he later championed the cause after being influenced by Professor A.S. Hook, the Institute’s first president. These two men continued their joint influence in the RAIA until 1944, including during Makin’s presidency from 1935 to 1936. During his tenure, he was required to intervene over the competition of the rebuilding of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, enforcing the original conditions, and chaired somewhat tense discussions between the Master Builders’ Federation of Australia and the RAIA (RAIA (SA Chapter) Bulletin 1963; Page 1986).

He became a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1937 and in 1940 was the inaugural chairman of the newly formed Architects’ Registration Board of South Australia. In 1941, a committee comprising Makin, Norman Fisher and Dean Berry considered the proposal for the SAIA to become a chapter of the RAIA. After extensive deliberation they reached the conclusion that ‘things have worked out all right as they are’ and because of the fuss involved the idea was abandoned (Freeland 1971: 185; Page 1986).

With regard to Makin’s opus, Willis (1998) cites regular work designing houses including alterations and additions with occasional variations such as the new Mission for Seamen at Outer Harbour (1926) and a Framed Church at Wolseley (1928). A debate held in 1934 by the SAIA gives a clear insight into Makin’s architectural philosphy. The debate, featured in the Building and Construction journal, was between proponents of Modern Architecture, represented by Jack Cheesman, and defenders of Traditionalism, represented by Makin. To make his case, Makin drew upon his wide knowledge of the arts in general and stated that ‘architecture, music and painting are all governed by similar principles, and standard of beauty, all fixed and dominated by precedent and a following of tradition … if you can’t be original in an accepted style, you have no originality, and the restrictions that fret you are your safeguard against the absurd … any architect, who is worth his salt, is not a mere imitator. Every combination of features is a new arrangement; every detail his own invention; he merely follows the general spirit of a style, working in the same manner as those who generated the style’. He cited Scott, Goodhue and Lutyens as ‘traditionalists, brilliantly original, vividly alive’. From further comments, it is obvious that Makin was unimpressed with New York skyscrapers, ‘although I don’t mean to imply all this new art is bad. Colour has been revived and the building has the quality of mass, but it is severe and grim to the extreme, and utterly lacking in grace’ (Makin 1934: 8-10).

The RAIA’s listing of South Australia Significant Twentieth Century Architecture contains three homes designed by Makin in North Adelaide. The 1915 house at 235 Ward Street is noted for its omission of ornamentation. 70 Pennington Terrace (1927) and 117 Barnard Street (1938-9) are both in the Georgian style with the former being cited as an excellent example of that era of architecture. Makin has one listing on the South Australian State Heritage Register. The dwelling is Kingsmead House, a mid Victorian villa (1865) in Brougham Place, North Adelaide, originally designed by Wright and Woods. He undertook additions in the 1920s and the Australian Homes and Gardens in January 1930, stated ‘the cooperation between architect and builder [Arthur Owen] has successfully remodelled Kingsmead without losing any of its character’ (Marsden et al. 1990: 331).

Alison McDougall

Citation details
McDougall, Alison, 'Makin, Guy St John', Architecture Museum, University of South Australia, 2008, Architects of South Australia: [http://www.architectsdatabase.unisa.edu.au/arch_full.asp?Arch_ID=56]