Hugh Vivian Taylor

Hugh Vivian Taylor (1894-1981) was a prominent Australian architect, construction engineer and acoustic consultant, known for his work in both fields.

Born in 1894, Taylor's early education was at Swinburne Technical College, but his architectural career was forged under unique circumstances. Following service in World War I, Taylor could not afford a formal apprenticeship, so he worked on building sites saving money and eventually passing the Royal Institute of British Architects exams to qualify as an architect in 1921. By 1925, he had returned from London to Australia and formed the architectural firm H. Vivian Taylor & Soilleux with Garnet Argyle Soilleux, a collaboration that lasted for many years. In 1933 Best Overend, another prominent Melbourne architect joined the firm, and for several years, the practice operated as Taylor, Soilleux & Overend. His firm's legacy has been compromised by the number of theatres and cinemas that he worked on being pulled down in recent decades to make way for other types of buildings. One of the best examples that remains today is the heritage listed Rivoli theatre in Hawthorn East.