Daughter of the Honourable Clive Evatt QC, Penelope Seidler AO studied at the University of Sydney, initially enrolling in philosophy, history and anthropology before switching to architecture. Upon completing her Bachelor of Architecture, she registered as an architect in 1964 and has since become one of the University’s most distinguished architecture alumni. Over five decades, Ms Seidler has played a pivotal role in architecture and in the cultural life of Sydney and Australia.

Following graduation, she joined one of Australia’s most influential architecture practices, Harry Seidler and Associates. As wife and business partner to the late Harry Seidler, she managed the practice’s financial operations and has served as Director since 1966. She is also directly responsible for commissioning artists for projects, contributing significantly to the intersection of architecture and the arts.

Together with Harry Seidler, she championed modernist art and architecture in Australia. The practice’s work demonstrates how modern architectural principles, rational design, and innovative engineering can be combined with exceptional business acumen to produce internationally significant buildings, including Sydney’s Australia Square.

Ms Seidler has shown lifelong dedication to the cultural sector as a patron, advocate, and philanthropist. She has served on arts boards and councils including the National Gallery of Australia, the Museum of Contemporary Art, New York’s Museum of Modern Art, and the Venice Biennale, and remains a member of the National Gallery of Australia Foundation. She has nurtured the careers of emerging contemporary artists and has been the subject of two portraits, including the 2014 Archibald Prize-winning work by Fiona Lowry.

Her philanthropy has had a lasting impact on architecture and the arts. She helped establish the Seidler Chair in the Practice of Architecture at the University of New South Wales in 2014, contributed to the creation of the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney in 2015, and regularly provides private access to Seidler-designed buildings to support cultural fundraising. Her establishment of the Penelope Visiting Professorship continues this legacy, fostering architectural debate and education in Australia.

Ms Seidler’s contributions have been widely recognised. She received a Centenary Medal in 2001 for service to Australian society in business leadership and was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2008 for her service to cultural heritage, visual arts, and architecture.

In 2011, she was made a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur by France and received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of New South Wales. She was awarded the University of Sydney Alumni Award for Cultural Contribution in 2017 and an honorary Doctor of Architecture by the University of Sydney in 2021, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to architecture, the arts, and Australian cultural life.

Photo credit: James Horan Photography for Museums of History NSW. Wall sculpture in background is by Hilarie Mais, commissioned by Harry Seidler for Penelope Seidler’s birthday.