He may be best known for his work on TV and radio (at different times hosting both the number one breakfast and drive shows in Sydney) but comedian Tim Ross has also always had a passion for architecture and design.
Over the last 11 years, he has performed his live Man About the House show in architecturally-significant buildings and homes all over the world.
Tim also passionately supports important issues in Australian architecture and design, and in 2018 Tim was awarded the National Trust Heritage Award for Advocacy. In 2019 Tim was awarded the National President’s Prize from the Australian Institute of Architects, then in 2022 Tim was not only asked to be a member of the National Architecture Awards jury, but also awarded an honorary member of the Australian Institute of Architects.
Tim’s first two-part series on Australian architecture, Streets of Your Town, premiered on ABC TV in November 2016 to rave reviews, and quickly became the most watched arts program on the ABC for the year.
Tim’s latest TV series about why architecture matters, Designing A Legacy, featuring Australian families whose lives have been shaped within the walls of modern masterpieces and poses the question of what will happen to these legacy homes, went to air in February 2021, to rave reviews. A second series of Designing A Legacy, with a broader look at Australian architecture is set to air on the ABC in mid 2023.
He has written on architecture for various publications including Real Living, Habitus, The Saturday Paper, The Smith Journal, QANTAS magazine and The Guardian. In 2017, Tim launched his second book, The Rumpus Room, and Tim’s latest book of short stories, Scorcher, embraces the Australian summer, and an exert was included in the national newspaper, The Australian.
In 2018, Tim partnered with the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney to curate his first exhibition, Design Nation, bringing together design objects from the mid-1960s to late 1980s, and casting a spotlight on Australia’s rich manufacturing history, which led to a nationally touring talk.
MOTEL by Tim Ross and Kit Warhurst toured Australia in 2019. A nostalgic, thought provoking and funny exploration of Australian holidays of the past. Motel. Images of Australia on holidays the book inspired by the live show and produced in conjunction with the National Archives of Australia and has now also been adapted into a nationally touring exhibition titled Reception This Way.
