The 'Transition Translations': marginality, vagueness and egalitarianism as characteristics of an Australian architectural periodical

Published between 1979 and 2000, the Australian independent architectural magazine, Transition, was to a large degree concerned with the discussion of global theoretical developments and their appropriateness for Australian architecture. As a shared object, the magazine provided a space in which writers from varied backgrounds were able to work collaboratively despite differences in disciplinary specialisation or geographic location. This paper identifies three specific characteristics of the magazine which made it particularly effective in the translation of ideas into the context of Australian architecture: its qualities of marginality, vagueness, and egalitarianism. Data for the study was derived from content analysis of Transition as well as analysis of the magazine’s contributors. This data is interpreted with reference to the concept of the ‘boundary object’ drawn from Society and Technology Studies (STS) and is discussed to provide an account for the importance of Transition in the translation of ideas within the context of late 20th century Australian architecture.