As part of Melbourne Design Week, Tim Ross has curated a unique experience within Australia’s first skyscraper, ICI House, blending mid century inspired installations with his ground breaking show, Man About the House. Following on from a sell-out Sydney season at the Harry Seidler designed Kalowski House, the heritage listed 1958 Melbourne icon, is the perfect venue for this season of The Mid Century Project. The show will take place in the Bates Smart Gallery on the building’s ground floor. “I’d driven past the building hundreds of times and only recently did I venture inside. Within seconds I knew that we had to perform the show there” says Tim.

Tim Ross has been entertaining audiences for over 5 years, with tours around the world performing in buildings by some of the greats of architecture including Boyd, Lautner, Rogers, Goldfinger and Seidler. His unique show, performed with his best friend and talented musician Kit Warhurst, weaves story-telling, comedy and music attracting lovers of architecture, modernism and design for an entertaining and fun evening.

Melbourne Design Week 2018 (16-25 March) is an initiative by Creative Victoria in partnership with National Gallery Victoria. ICI House presented as the perfect venue for The Mid Century Project, designed by Sir Osborn McCutcheon (of Bates Smart McCutcheon) in 1958, with the original bank now renovated into the Bates Smart Gallery.

“I love the building because it embodies the spirit of Melbourne’s path to becoming a modern city.” Tim said. “Between the building, the installations and the actual show I think people are going to love this experience.”

Tim Ross has enlisted the help of artists, designers and architects to help complete the installations for The Mid Century Project. These include:

-“We’ll meet again” A series of paintings on bricks by artist Miranda Skoczek

-“Optimism” A wall graphic by graphic designer Dominic Hofstede

-“Shapes” Sculptures by Bec Smith

-“This Brutal Dunny” An adaptation of the work of London designer Peter Chadwick.

Also on display will be a collection of Grant Featherston Furniture and a new series of architecture based films directed by Tim Ross with soundscapes composed by Kit Warhurst. Tickets are limited for the short season of shows. Tickets and more details can be found at http://tickets.themanaboutthehouse.net/product/midcenturyproject16/. Further information on the Melbourne Design Week can be found here.

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Tim Ross

Tim Ross Best known for his work on TV and radio (he has the rare distinction of hosting both a number 1 drive show and breakfast show in Sydney) comedian Tim Ross has a longstanding passion for architecture and design. Following the success of Man About the House, his two-part series on Australian Architecture, Streets of Your Town premiered on ABC TV in November 2016 to rave reviews and became the most watched arts program on the ABC for the year. Tim Ross writes for a number of publications including a regular column in Real Living. His second book, The Rumpus Room, capturing short stories about growing up in Australian suburbia, launched in 2017 and is in its third print run.

Bates Smart Gallery

The Bates Smart Gallery is located on the ground floor of Bates Smart’s classic modernist skyscraper ICI House. Opened in 1958, the space fronting Albert Street was originally home to a branch of the Bank of NSW. In 2017, Bates Smart transformed the unused space into a gallery venue. It now hosts a range of exhibitions and talks, providing insight into the architectural design process and helping to engage the general public in conversations about design.

Melbourne Design Week – 15 – 25 March 2018

Melbourne Design Week is an annual design program linking creativity with business and community. Melbourne Design Week is part of a Victorian Government strategy to strengthen, support and promote the state’s design industry