Kerry Hill

William Kerry Hill (19 June 1943 – 26 August 2018) was an Australian architect who specialised in hotel design in tropical Asia. Based in Singapore, his works were known for their features of steeply pitched pavilion roofs, shaded walkways, and an abundance of water features, affectionately dubbed the "Kerry Hill touch".

Hill has been widely named as an influential figure in refining tropical modernist architecture and defining the Bali architectural style for his works on numerous hotels on the island. Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, whom he had a personal friendship with, influenced his early works "by understanding and embracing the architectural traditions of the East".

Early life and career Hill was born in Perth, Western Australia, on 19 June 1943, the same year his father died in the Battle of Britain. Hill grew up in northwestern Australia, and spent his teens travelling around the country, ultimately influencing his decision to become an architect. Between 1969 and 1971, Hill worked for the Perth-based Howlett & Bailey architecture practice, on projects including the building of the Perth Concert Hall.

Career

Hill subsequently left Australia in 1971 to work at Hong Kong-based practice Palmer & Turner, marking the start of Hill's decades-long career in Asia. His position at Palmer & Turner would later send him to Bali, Indonesia to work on the construction of Peter Muller's Bali Hyatt in Sanur. He would spend the next seven years with Palmer & Turner in Indonesia moving between Jakarta and Bali; from 1974 to 1978 he managed Palmer & Turner's Jakarta branch office. designing the Amanusa and Serai hotels in Bali; along with the designs of Zecha's Chedi, Beaufort Sentosa, and Datai hotels in Bandung, Singapore, and Langkawi, respectively, among others.

In 2013, Hill released a 440-page book entitled Crafting Modernism, detailing his approach and numerous projects over the years. His works have been said to have sought traditional designs as a reference in his modernist buildings through association and suggestion. Richard Hassell of Singapore's WOHA spoke of Hill saying, "His design amplifies what it means to be in a particular place, what sets that place apart”.

Awards and recognition In 1995 he was awarded the Kenneth F. Brown Asia Pacific Culture and Architecture Design Award, in 2001 the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, in 2003 the RAIA Robin Boyd Award for the Ogilvie House, and in 2006 the Royal Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal. In 2010, he received the President's Design Award, awarded by then-President of Singapore, Nathan. He was appointed as a recipient of the Order of Australia in 2012 for his services in architecture and for being an ambassador of Australian design in South-east Asia. His death prompted many tributes, including among them from Richard Kirk, then president of the Australian Institute of Architects; he credited Hill's work to have defined the region's tropical modernist style and named Hill one of Australia's most renowned architects.

Notable projects

Darwin Centre, Darwin, Australia (1986) Sukhothai Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand (1991) Amanusa Hotel, Bali, Indonesia (1992) The Chedi Hotel, Bandung, Indonesia (1994) The Serai Hotel, Bali, Indonesia (1994) The Datai Hotel, Langkawi, Malaysia (1994) Singapore Cricket Association Pavilion, Singapore (1999) The Lalu Hotel, Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan (2002) Ogilvie House, Sunshine Beach, Queensland, Australia (2002) ITC Sonar, Kolkata, India (2003) The Chedi Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand (2003) Amankora, Bhutan (2007) State Theatre Centre of Western Australia, Perth, Australia (2010) City of Perth Library, Perth, Australia (2014) Aman Tokyo (2015) COMO The Treasury Hotel, Perth, Australia (2015) RAH FALHU, Maldives (2018) Aman Kyoto (2019) One and Only Desaru, Malaysia (2020) The Conlay, Malaysia (2025) EQ West, Perth, Australia (2026)