DE GRUCHY, Graham De Quetteville

Architect

DipArch 1948 (Witwatersrand)

Graham De Quetteville De GRUCHY was born in South Africa. In 1943 he enrolled in the architecture course at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg but after eighteen months enlisted for service in World War II with the South African Air Force. He served as a gunner in the Middle East and in Italy. After the war, he was based in Italy and Egypt, taking advantage of the opportunity for architectural sightseeing. He completed his architecture course in 1947-48 and soon afterwards commenced private practice designing houses and other buildings which were published and attracted favourable attention. In 1954, he moved to a banana farm in Eastern Transvaal (Mpumalanga) where he designed the modern Bushmen's Rock Hotel at the entrance to the Kruger National Park. He returned to practice and a teaching position in Johannesburg while his wife Joy, a social scientist, worked for the Institute for Racial Relations. Following the Sharpville massacre in 1960 and fearful of being placed under house arrest, they moved to London where he worked for the Greater London Council. Not liking the climate, in 1962 the family migrated to Queensland where Graham worked for the Works Department on projects including the George St Government Precinct and Queen's Gardens. He moved to the Architecture Department at University of Queensland where he spent the rest of his career, undertaking post graduate study including a PhD completed in 1977. His research was based on ideas for Brisbane, which also led to his publishing a guide to Brisbane architecture in 1988 (updated in 2012). Throughout his career, he experimented with the design of houses, including further dwellings in Brisbane and a small block of flats for his family's use. Many were published. He was involved with a pioneering interior design shop, Craftsman's Market which Joy de Gruchy opened at Toowong and which introduced Brisbane residents to Marrimeko fabrics and modern Scandanavian design generally.

In 1959 his address was listed as Studio 7, University of the Witwatersrand, Milner Park, Johannesburg. (Transvaal Inst. practicing. ISAA Yearbook, 1959)

List of projects

With photographs
With notes

Bushman's Rock Hotel: 1954. White River, Mpumalanga - Architect

Books citing DE GRUCHY

ISAA. 1959. The Yearbook of the Institute of South African Architects and Chapter of SA Quantity Surveyors 1958-1959 : Die Jaarboek van die Instituut van Suid-Afrikaanse Argitekte en Tak van Suid-Afrikaanse Bourekenaars 1958-1959. Johannesburg: ISAA. pp 89, 183

ISAA. 1969. The Yearbook of the Institute of South African Architects and Chapter of SA Quantity Surveyors 1968-1969 : Die Jaarboek van die Instituut van Suid-Afrikaanse Argitekte en Tak van Suid-Afrikaanse Bourekenaars 1968-1969. Johannesburg: ISAA. pp 91, 144