The Fred Hollows (or is it Cassius Clay?) of architecture

The fighting started in Walcha. Then (in the 1940s) it was between the school kids – the Catholics versus the rest. He acquired some boxing skills as a matter of self-defence.

He came to Sydney and enrolled in Sydney Technical College, Ultimo, studying practical subjects like bricklaying and plastering. Coincidently, the University of NSW took over STC, enabling Col to continue on into architecture, his subsequent career.

While he was a tutor at both UNSW and USyd, the National Union of Students planned an Aquarius Festival (inspired by Woodstock in USA). Here was Col’s next fight. The American promoters of the event wanted to hold it in a rain forest. Even then, Col could see that was a no-no. Quite apart from the fragile environment, there was, then and now, a concern for the future of rural towns – as the youth leave for education and jobs. So Col bundled the festival organisers into a car, which toured northern NSW till they came to a likely town – Nimbin, of course.

Col’s contribution to the festival was the design and construction of the camping facilities. This was long before the ubiquitous portaloos – the army-style long-drop latrine was the model. Col’s design turned their linear multi-holers into a friendlier circle.  He also added comfort with the judicious use of car tyres.

The festival led to many staying on around Nimbin in an alternative community, as intended by Col. This was not necessarily welcomed by the old-timers, particularly as the dwellings the new-comers built showed scant regard for building regulations. The local council slapped demolition orders on them. Here was another fight for Col. With some political support, he persuaded the council to lift the demolition orders. He then tutored the “builders” in the basic minimum structural requirements, and told them to seek approval as agricultural sheds (which was granted).

Col was also involved in the building of a particular alternative community – Bundagon near Coffs Harbour. The fight there was to prevent another ugly, commercial development.

The advent of the Whitlam Government was another opportunity for Col. Tom Uren’s urban renewal created a new public housing estate at Woolloomooloo. The Government wisely sat interested parties (local government, utilities, developers) at the planning table and appointed Col to represent (fight for) the interests of the existing and prospective tenants.

But the big Whitlam legacy, locally, was the Block. The first new building (and probably the oldest remaining in any development) is the gymnasium – designed by Col James. Mick Mundine is a life-long friend. Another mate was Mum Shirl. She said of herself, “I’m an uptown nigger with good left hook”. She said of Col, “Trust him, and he doesn’t charge”. Col is fighting for the Pemulwuy project. That keeps him going – and there will be something else after that.

Beyond the Block, Col fights for buildings as homes for people. The fight starts with changes in the local community. Industry moves out of the inner city. Developers will gladly demolish the factories and build battery apartments when the time is right. Till then they leave buildings empty to avoid pesky evictions when they are ready to move.

On the other hand, factories can live again as residences without demolition. Developers can now see this, but an early resurrection which made this clear was Col’s conversion of an air compressor factory in Shepherd Street, Darlington, to be home for himself and nine others. Stucco in Wilson Street, Newtown, lives on as cheap artist/student housing. Alpha House was another battle which maybe the developers won – but the occupancy by squatters for the interim was worth the fight.

Another social change is that hospitals no longer need to accommodate their nurses. Col found an empty nurses’ home at Marrickville Hospital. The fight is on to fill it with others who do need that roof over them. Hospitals do a grand job caring for the sick.  Recently, Col spent some time in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, under observation for whatever. While the rest of us might give priority to rest and recuperation in hospital, Col walked the grounds and discovered another empty nurses home – Queen Mary. This is a big one. This will solve Tanya Plibersek’s local homelessness issues. I can’t think of a better person than Col James to make it happen – with some support from the rest of us.

So far, I have spoken of Col James’ “fights” in the community. His real punch has been with his students. At his “retirement” function, many students spoke of his influence on them. Tone Wheeler, his first student, spoke of him “clamping a new set of eyes on students – the Fred Hollows of architecture”.

Col’s student projects ranged far and wide. I recall a recent one – the cardboard house down at the Opera house – a  collaboration with another fighter. The secret is to keep the cardboard dry. Maybe his most famous student project was an early one – the autonomous house built behind the old Darlington School. This was years before sustainability and carbon footprint fought their way into our consciousness. While the student’s house is no longer there, Michael Mobbs has built a more permanent functional replica in Chippendale.

At an age when lesser mortals give more priority to social coffee, Col shows no signs of winding down. He has stopped lecturing. As he says: “The lectures are still good – I just can’t remember last week’s.” But that still leaves projects like Pemulwuy and Queen Mary to come (and who knows what else?). At his retirement function, another of his students, Paul Pholeros, spoke of the Housing for Health Project, which restores Aboriginal housing everywhere. This single line reference does not do justice to the excellent work Paul and co-workers are doing.  It is worth a separate article (try www.healthhabitat.com.au in the meantime). But for now, I conclude by saying there is a lot of Col James in Aboriginal housing – now and forever.

Photo: Ali Blogg- Caption: Col James with friend, Oscar

Source: South Sydney Herald July 2009 www.southsydneyherald.com.au