Dirk Bolt

Dirk Bolt (b 1930), architect and town planner, regarded as Tasmania's most significant 'New Australian' architect. Bolt collaborated with artists, designers and sculptors and added a sophisticated edge to the austere Modernism of the post-war period. Born in Holland, he migrated to Hobart in 1951 after initial studies at Delft, and completed his qualifications at the Hobart Technical College. A partner of D Hartley Wilson, he designed many highly regarded projects in a short time. Christ College (1960) at the University of Tasmania is recognised as one of the state's finest examples of post-Second World War architecture. He left the state in 1964 to practise in Canberra, later working for the United Nations in Africa. After posts in Auckland and Fiji he returned to Holland and completed his career at Enschede. His brother Frank continues to make a significant contribution to Tasmanian historical studies and photography.

Further reading: B McNeill & L Woolley, Architecture from the edge, Hobart, 2002; Tasmanian Architect, Journal of Tasmanian Chapter RAIA, July, October 1961, April, July, October 1962, February 1963, May 1964, August 1965.