Australian architect Glenn Murcutt will celebrate his eightieth birthday

London/Prague - Australian architect Glenn Marcus Murcutt, born on July 25, 1936, in London, is renowned for family homes in the wilderness, featuring corrugated metal roofs, large glass facades, and a structure that resembles a makeshift tent. These lightweight and nature-friendly homes have made Murcutt one of the most famous Australian architects. In 2002, he received the most prestigious award in the field - the Pritzker Prize.

Murcutt's famous houses, Meager House, Marie Short Funhouse, and Riversdale-Houses, tucked away in the landscape, resemble beetles with their flaps and metal wings. They stand in the Australian desert, embodying the ideal of escaping from civilization. Murcutt was inspired to create them by the famous book Walden - Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau.

Murcutt was born to Australian parents in Britain. He grew up in New Guinea and now lives in Sydney. He studied architecture there and after five years working for the firm Ancher Mortlock Murray & Woolley in Sydney, he became independent in 1969 and established his own office. He lives on a farm with vast grounds and drives a 1979 Citroën.