Mrkusic, Stephen Victor, 1928-2021

Date: 22 May 1999

From: `Back to the drawing board' - Hamilton architects oral history project

By: Mrkusic, Stephen Victor, 1928-2021; Kellaway, Laura Liane, 1965-

Reference: OHInt-0483-12

Description: Steve Mrkusic was born at Aratapu, near Dargaville in 1928. Describes growing up with his mother and two siblings at Oratia in West Auckland. Recalls his schooling, the end of the war and working on a farm before travelling to Yugoslavia and spending two years there. Describes studying architecture at Zagreb University and life in Yugoslavia at the time under a dictator. Mentions food rationing and difficulty leaving the country. Discusses enrolling at Auckland University to finish studying architecture part-time and working for the Auckland Education Board and Auckland Harbour Board. Mentions working for Sargent, Smith and Partners. Describes becoming Project Architect and then Chief Architect for the South Auckland Education Board. Discusses the effects of the post World War II baby boom on school buildings and the pressure to build schools in the 1950s and 1960s. Comments that his job was more administrative than architectural. Describes court cases as the result of builders going bankrupt and the involvement of the Department of Education. Recalls responsibility for forty six staff in Hamilton and Auckland. Comments that architectural work for schools is now done with Boards of Trustees as clients rather than the Department of Education as a result of educational reform. Discusses a concept plan for Rakumanga, Kura Kaupapa school in Huntly and the widespread public consultation. Talks about going into practice with Warwick Kellaway, Victor Procuta, John Sexton and Paul Trenwith as Five Plus One architects after his redundancy in 1989. Comments on enjoying design and private practice. Discusses the architecture of early Hamilton and the failure to use the river as a feature. Describes being on the Civic Trust, arguments about cutting down trees and the proactivity of some of the architects' wives. Mentions his wife Kerry Mrkusic. Describes a lifestyle change which involves growing olives and lemons at Karaka near Auckland. Mentions his Dalmatian heritage. Interviewer(s) - Laura Kellaway Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 1 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3103.

Date: 29 Apr 1998

From: `Back to the drawing board' - Hamilton architects oral history project

By: Procuta, Vaclovas Viktoras, 1929-; Kellaway, Laura Liane, 1965-

Reference: OHInt-0483-14

Description: Vic Procuta was born in Lithuania in 1929. Describes how his father was an army officer and his mother a dressmaker. Discusses the role of his grandparents in his upbringing. Talks about living in the old city of Vilnius and his love of its architecture. Describes the political `benevolent dictatorship' of the 1930s in Lithuania. Discusses the effect on the country of being between Germany and Russia. Recalls the German occupation while he was in high school and the German retreat from the Russians in 1944. Describes how his family left Vilnius in a convoy with other army families, crossed into Germany, saw the bombardment of Dresden, and went to Speigelau on the German-Czechoslovak border. Mentions that his father left and was later returned to the family with tuberculosis and died. Describes being taken over by American troops in 1945. Describes the acceptance of his family for immigration to New Zealand in 1947 and being sent to the Pahiatua camp. Discusses their three months there before being sent to Dunedin, working in a clothing factory and as a draughtsman for the Otago Education Board. Comments on Dunedin. Describes assistance from architects John Fathers and Ted McCoy and advice to go to the School of Architecture rather than undertake long-term extramural study. Describes the family's move to Auckland. Mentions Vernon Brown, a lecturer at the School of Architecture. Discusses moving to Whangarei after studying architecture and working for Ray Woolford and Ron Smith. Describes returning to Auckland and working with Steve Vilicich on restaurant alterations in 1957-1958. Mentions the Clevelands Hotel. Describes abandoning his architectural thesis. Mentions Professor Dick Toy. Talks about moving to Hamilton and doing hospital design for Frank Gillman and David Sayers, briefly working for the South Auckland Education Board then moving to the United States. Describes living in Wisconsin and resitting exams to qualify for architectural registration. Comments on the United States in the 1960s. Describes the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, his impact and his personality. Talks about the family's decision to return to New Zealand in 1967 for financial reasons, the need to get a re-entry permit and settling in Wanganui. Describes shifting to Hamilton and working for the South Auckland Education Board. Discusses his lack of practical knowledge and assistance given by Noel Earls. Discusses the Building Code used by the Education Board. Recalls his work on secondary schools. Recalls working with Warwick Kellaway on the open plan concept of classrooms at Deanwell and its wider application. Describes the use of relocatable classrooms and their flexibility. Comments on the industrial growth of Turangi, Tokoroa and Putaruru, the need for extra classrooms and being flooded with work in the 1970s and 1980s. Discusses the Waikato-Bay of Plenty branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects and some of their conferences. Talks about Hamilton architects and their failure to speak up more against the Council. Mentions some of the architects' wives as being more actively involved. Comments on the failure to utilise the river in town planning. Describes the work of Warwick Kellaway in preserving local architecture. Comments on the design work of Doug Angus and Bernie Ray (Rae). Mentions working with Steve Mrkusic and others in Five Plus One Architects when the Education Boards were disbanded in 1989. Describes going into business on his own. Comments on the expectations of clients. Mentions some of the local women architects including Laura Kellaway, Ros Empson, Jane-Lee Smith and Wendy Moody. Interviewer(s) - Laura Kellaway Quantity: 5 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 5 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3105.

Date: 8 Nov 1998 - 08 Nov 1998

From: `Back to the drawing board' - Hamilton architects oral history project

By: Kellaway, John Warwick, 1933-; Kellaway, Laura Liane, 1965-

Reference: OHInt-0483-09

Description: Warwick Kellaway was born in Christchurch in 1933. Recalls his family's move to Auckland in 1937 and living in one of the first state houses at Orakei. Talks about blackouts, rationing, flying boats and American troops during World War II. Describes compulsory military training and entering the School of Architecture in 1951. Describes the courses available and lecturers. Recalls working for the Auckland Education Board, the Auckland Harbour Board and then moving to Hamilton with the South Auckland Education Board. Mentions the impact of the baby boom on educational architecture and the building of many primary schools during the 1960s. Comments on registering as an architect and the New Zealand Institute of Architects. Describes returning to Auckland, working with Steve Mrkusic at Sargent and Smith and moving back to Hamilton with the South Auckland Education Board when Steve Mrkusic became its chief architect. Describes the change in classroom design at the Melville Experimental School which became Deanwell Primary. Discusses the open plan concept which became popular in the 1970s. Discusses some awards received. Comments on the condition of rural schools and the change from Education Boards (to Tomorrow's Schools) and from the Department of Education to the Ministry of Education. Discusses architectural tools of the trade and diazo copying. Mentions the travel required because of the large area covered by the Education Board. Discusses the role of draughting staff. Talks about design for school teachers' houses. Describes the formation of the architectural firm Five Plus One with Steve Mrkusic, John Sexton, Vic Procuta, Brian Aish, Paul Trenwick and himself. Mentions that the firm was primarily involved in educational architecture. Describes how his daughter Laura Kellaway occasionally works with them in conjunction with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Discusses his interest in town planning and comments on architectural training. Interviewer(s) - Laura Kellaway Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 3 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3100.