Interview with Murray Slavin - Fighter Pilot Architect

Murray Slavin is a director of the well-known Fremantle architectural practice, Slavin Architects – and a long-time Fremantle resident.

The Eyebrow. Credit Fremantle Shipping News, Michael Barker

Murray’s approach to his discipline – as it is to Freo – is thoroughly holistic, viewing it as the convergence of art, science, culture, spirituality and philosophy.

St Francis Chapel and Stage Seven of the Mausoleum. The new Mausoleum comprises outdoor crypts, an enclosed chapel and several family rooms

Extensive travel and involvement on overseas projects informs Murray’s global view of architectural design.

On his home turf, Murray would like to see more sustainable and adaptable structures cropping up, buildings designed for multiple (and changing) uses over the long term.

All of this came to fruition recently in the redevelopment of the the Old Courthouse project in Henderson Street, Fremantle that won not one, but five awards for historic restoration.

If he hadn’t been an architect, Murray might have been a fighter pilot – now he has the best of both worlds, architecture during the week and flying planes for fun on weekends.