Ray Walsh House #1

INFO

Ray Walsh House, completed in 1975, stands as one of New South Wales's most significant examples of Brutalist architecture. Designed by PTW Architects, the building is composed of raw concrete and interlocking rectangular forms to give it a sense of monumental scale and civic importance, befitting its original usage as Tamworth's council chambers.

The building is well known for a visit by Queen Elizabeth II during its opening, which attracted over 15,000 visitors. This would be the only time the Queen would visit the town of Tamworth.

In 2021 the building was vacated due to asbestos related risks. This, along with other incidents and reports, has led to an ongoing debate amongst locals of Tamworth over the future of the building. At the time of writing, the future of Ray Walsh House still remains up in the air, with the merits of its architectural and historical importance being weighed up against the costs associated with full refurbishment or demolition.

Ray Walsh House was a building I became aware of after an Instagram reel from architecture influencer Tim Ross, where he featured a news snippet talking about the upcoming demolition of the building. Given its unique appearance, I immediately began planning a trip to Tamworth to capture it in case the worst might happen.

My plan was to drive up for an afternoon shoot of the building, capturing the main "Blade Runner" facade before departing the next day. So after an early departure and eight-hour drive, I arrived at the spot giddy with excitement.

This was the hero shot of the afternoon shot on a 35mm shift lens, the building filling the frame, afternoon light on the raw concrete and deep shadows throughout, the structure looked straight out of a sci-fi movie.

Ray Walsh House #1

Architecture straight from Blade Runner in Tamworth, New South Wales