#ArchiNerd research – finally got to see the archive plan I wanted – and yes the building in #LittleBourkeStreet that I thought was interesting 50s is actually 1940 ! The only change is the pink gridded area being rendered in grey (and losing the cute rooftop sign). Designed by RM & MH King, it was built for John Donne & Sons chart and map markets and sellers, there until recently. Very modernist for its day, when everything else was Art Deco, this is flat gridded rather than streamlined or vertical vs horizontal. The Kings were v commercial architects, but happened to go a bit #Modernistic in exactly this year – their #ApexBelting in Footscray also gridded Modern. Surprised to see that this six storey concrete and brick and tender thing was built using 4 sheets of plans and elevations ! Plus a dozen sheets of conc and reinforcing details. I looked this up cos a there’s a plan to demolish it, and it’s currently got no protection, @lovellchen incorrectly stating that it had been greatly altered. (It’s a hotel now – god knows what it’s like, given it was built with large areas far from the windows, the side ones are all still frosted glass too).
Not much to look at but special I think – the #shopfronts in#ChartHouse in #LittleBourkeStreet turn out to be original 1940, very modernist for then, all chromed metal, and angular – and the #goldlettering is possibly original too ! And the door too.
Storey of Melbourne 