January 2026 Not much to look at, but this little cream brick box in Hotham Street, East St Kilda is the earliest remaining intact Modernist church in Victoria. St Margaret’s Presbyterian was completed in May 1954, and up till about then churches were still being built with clearly Gothic form and details. The modernist arch … Continue reading Modernist church, one of the first →

January 2026 Very grand block of flats that come as quite a surprise going down the relatively ordinary side street of Sidwell Avenue in East St Kilda. Rothesay Court was built 1928-1930, and the style is very 1920s classical, complete with Doric columned porticos and charming pergolas, and a sweeping front lawn. There’s only 12 … Continue reading Grand flats →

2 January 2026 Grimwade Court in North Caulfield, behind the school, is a fabulous cul-de-sac of 6 houses, all built 1935-41, 4 in Art Deco, 2 in Old English style, and all amazingly intact. They’re also covered by a heritage overlay, and the study has some original sketches. The designers are mostly not known, but … Continue reading Art Deco all round →

2 January 2026 The first block of Mitford Street St Kilda has a good collection of interwar flats, many with the names quite prominent. Ive found some details as follows : Oberon, 1933, Harry R Johnson, great brickwork; Rayson, probably late 1930s; Greenmoun(t?), probably early 1930s, I like the stylised Tudor effects; Marlo, 1930, a … Continue reading Mitford Street flats →

31 Dec 2025 Im ending the year on a good news story - that 50 modernist houses (and one precinct) scattered across Beaumaris, Black Rock and Brighton finally got heritage protection, confirmed in October. They range from lightweight 1950s to concrete block 1970s, some by well known architects, and some they don’t know who the … Continue reading Bayside modernist houses →

December 2025 This place on Beaconsfield Parade Middle Park was built as a house in c1910 in typical Edwardian style, then greatly altered when it was converted to flats in c1931. It was graded contributory to the heritage precinct, though you could have argued it was too altered. I saw it 2021 when somehow it … Continue reading Unnecessary compromise →

December 2025 Unusual set of flats on Beaconsfield Parade, Middle Park, which feature repeated bay windows over two/ three levels, a bit like Regency terrace houses - but probably more directly inspired by typical British semis of the 1910s and 20s (last pic) in turn inspired by the 1890s work of CF Voysey. This has … Continue reading Early flats on the beach →

27 December 2025 The old Housing Commission towers are rather massive ! This is the Racecourse Road Flemington Estate, the one the Tullamarine sound tube goes past, and consists of four ‘S’ blocks each with 200 flats. They’re quite widely spaced, with some grass and lots of trees and surface carparks. It’s not great but … Continue reading Flemington towers demolished soon →

Christmas Day 2025 Merry Christmas! Back in the 50s and 60s the corner of Bourke & Swanston was dominated by a giant (slightly scary) Santa with a finger beckoning you into the store behind - Foys, a pretty big Art Deco department store, which had a rooftop Christmas carnival for the kiddies too ! It … Continue reading Giant Santa →

December 2025 This post is about how successful built form controls along the Richmond Hill part of Bridge Road have been, in my opinion. The north side has seen the most development because of the many large ex-industrial sites. I’m starting with the least successful one though, near the crest, which is huge and black … Continue reading Bridge Road big blocks but ok. →