Philip Cox facts for kids

The old Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney, designed by Philip Cox's firm.

The Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.

Craigieburn railway station in Melbourne.

The Energex headquarters in Brisbane.

The Helix Bridge in Singapore at night.

The Kaohsiung Exhibition Center in Taiwan.

Philip Sutton Cox is a famous Australian architect. He started a big architecture company called Cox Architecture. It's one of the largest architecture firms in Australia. Philip Cox has won many awards for his amazing building designs. He received his first award in 1963, just one year after finishing university.

Early Life and School

Philip Sutton Cox grew up in a place called Killara, which is on the North Shore of Sydney.

He went to Gordon Public School and then to Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore). At Shore, he learned art from a teacher named John Lipscombe. John Lipscombe helped design the school's new art building, which was even praised by a famous architect, Harry Seidler. Philip decided he wanted to be an architect quite early on. He won a special scholarship that paid for his university studies.

Philip studied architecture at the University of Sydney from 1957 to 1962. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree. Later, he continued his studies at the University of New South Wales from 1970 to 1975, where he received a Doctorate of Science.

Building a Career

Philip Cox started his first architecture business with Ian McKay in 1962. In 1967, he opened his own company, called Philip Cox and Associates.

After Michael Rayner graduated in 1980, he joined Philip Cox & Partners. Michael worked closely with Philip for ten years. He helped design important public buildings like the Australian National Maritime Museum and the old Sydney Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour. In 1990, Michael Rayner moved to Brisbane and started Cox Rayner Architects.

Philip's company grew a lot and became Cox Architecture. Today, it has offices all over Australia. It also has offices in other countries like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Philip Cox was involved in designing many projects for over 50 years. He stepped back from the daily business in 2015. Cox Architecture has worked on projects across Australia and in places like Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East, South Africa, and Europe.

Philip Cox's early designs are known for being part of the "Sydney School of Architecture." This style often uses natural materials and fits well with the Australian landscape.

Awards and Special Honors

Philip Cox has won many awards for his architecture. His first award was in 1963, soon after he finished university.

He has received important awards like the Sir Zelman Cowen Award. In 1984, he won the Royal Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal, which is a very high honor for architects in Australia. He also became a Life Fellow of the RAIA in 1987. In the same year, he became an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.

In 1988, he was given the title of Officer of the Order of Australia. This was to recognize his great service to architecture in Australia.

In 1993, he received the first-ever award for Sport and Architecture from the International Olympic Committee. In the same year, he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

Other Important Roles

Philip Cox has also volunteered his time in many ways. He was the Vice President of the Environment Board for the RAIA in New South Wales. He was also a member of the Historic Buildings Committee for the Cancer Patients Assistance Society of NSW. He served as Vice President of that society too. He was Vice Chairman of the Architecture and Design Panel for the Visual Arts Board, Australia Council. He also chaired the Education Board of the RAIA, Federal Chapter.

Famous Buildings and Projects

Philip Cox and his firm have designed many well-known public buildings in Australia and Southeast Asia. They even designed several buildings used for the Sydney Olympics. Here are some of the major projects Philip Cox and his firm have worked on:

• St Andrews Presbyterian Church (1963) in Leppington, New South Wales. It won the John Sulman Medal.
• C B Alexander Agricultural College (1965) in Tocal, New South Wales. It also won the John Sulman Medal.
• Bruce Stadium (1977) in Canberra, which is now known as Canberra Stadium.
• Ayers Rock Resort (1985) in Yulara, Northern Territory. This project won the Sir Zelman Cowen Award.
• Rod Laver Arena (1988) in Melbourne, Victoria. This is a famous sports arena.
• Sydney Football Stadium (1988) in Moore Park, Sydney. This stadium was used for many sports events.
• Australian National Maritime Museum (1991) in Darling Harbour, Sydney. This museum is a popular attraction.
• Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (1995) in Brisbane, Queensland.
• Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (1994) in Sydney Olympic Park. This was used for swimming events during the Sydney Olympics.
• Sydney Super Dome (1999) in Sydney Olympic Park. This large arena was also used for the Olympics.
• Singapore Expo (1999) in Changi, Singapore. This is a large exhibition center.
• National Wine Centre of Australia (2001) in Adelaide, South Australia.
• Goodwill Bridge (2001) in Brisbane, Queensland. This is a pedestrian and cycle bridge.
• Brisbane Magistrates Court (2004) in Brisbane, Queensland.
• The Helix (2010) bridge in Marina Bay, Singapore. This bridge has a unique spiral design.
• AAMI Park (2010) in Melbourne, Victoria. This stadium won awards for its design.
• Kaohsiung Exhibition Center (2014) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
• Anna Meares Velodrome (2016) in Brisbane, Queensland. This venue was used for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
• Sir John Monash Centre (2018) in Villers-Bretonneux, France. This is a memorial.
• National Maritime Museum of China (2020) in Tianjin, China.
• Oman Across Ages Museum (2021) in Muscat, Oman.

Personal Life

Philip Cox is separated from his wife, Louise Cox, who is also an architect. They got married in Sydney in 1972 and have two daughters.

His longtime partner is a journalist named Janet Hawley.