In Ballarat Street, Brunswick, one block back from Sydney Road, there's this crazy thing - the former #BrunswickMarket was designed by #IGAnderson (who went on to do loads of great #ArtDeco flats later), and built in 1930, just in time for the depression to hit, and it went bankrupt in 1933 (it was a private … Continue reading Brunswick Market, IG Anderson, 1930 →

Another old interest - #earlycinema buildings; lots survive, where the later grander ones didn’t, because they were often just slightly elaborated flat-floored halls, sometimes with windows ! They also tended to be thinly applied classical/baroque rather than typical Edwardian / early 20s. The first is La Scala, later the Broadway Theatre (such grand names) in … Continue reading Early Cinema’s x 2 →

In Ballarat Street #Brunswick, this stylish #Modernist #factory was built in 1955 for #YAKKA #brand overalls ! Later #FletcherJones, then #PerrucciShirts. By the long-named #AKLinesMacFarlaneandMarshall, pretty intact, just the tiles on ground level painted; love the external skinny posts and long #steelframedwindows, with opening bits, and angled ground floor. I think even doors original ! … Continue reading Hard Yakka! Since 1955 →

The hall in the #SouthMelbourneTownHall is very grand, but just a bit bland; maybe in 1880 it had a far more decorative #colourscheme ? Quite likely. Don’t know but maybe this scheme is from the 1930s when it had a big renovation, the #blackwood panelling, doors, nice #terrazzo stair all date from then. Heard there … Continue reading South Melbourne Town Hall interior; 1880+1937 →

The 1887 #GothicBank chamber in all its glory; proof that Victorian interiors weren’t all gloomy (though plenty were). Lots of #goldleaf and #eaudenil (a pale aqua). Important to note that it’s now double the width it was originally; in 1887 it was a fairly intimate thing only three bays wide, with counters either side and … Continue reading The gorgeous Gothic Bank, a William Wardell triumph. →

#MarianaHardwick’s #weddingdress superstore more or less carries on the function it was built for in 1908, as Hooper’s #Drapery. Designed by the prolific brothers #TompkinsAndTompkins, in the #tallarchedredbrickRomsnesque style mostly seen in Flinders Lane warehouses- but they also used it in the same year for Dimmeys Richmond, another suburban #departmentstore. This one noted for the … Continue reading Hoopers Drapery now Mariana Hardwick’s →

19 January 2019 Some more #MockTudor ‘residential shops’ on #ToorakRoad, right next to #SouthYarraStation, a bit dominated by the #highrise clustering behind. Found an article about them - built 1935, designed by Oliver Dixon, ‘in the Old English style’ - not as ornate as others but the #oldeworlde #leadlight #shopfronts are completely intact ! And … Continue reading Mock Tudor Toorak Road →

This cute little thing in #GleadellStreet #Richmond was built in 1883 as a house for a #GasInspector, whose job I guess was to look after the #gasometer that was behind it, dem in 1959. Couldn’t find a pic of it, so here’s one of North Melb one, on #ArdenStreet.

So #WilliamPittArchitect designed the #MelbourneStockExchange (left) first in 1888, then the #SafeDeposit (for the Stock Exchange Co, facing Queen Street, the two forming an L), in 1889, winning a competition - guess they liked the fact it was so much like the earlier design! The Safe Deposit was finished first in 1890, I guess because … Continue reading William Pitt double vision. →

19 Jan 2019 Only ever driven down #GrandviewGrove, #Prahran, happened to be invited to a book launch, and goodness I can see why it’s called Grandview. One of those streets in a good suburb subdivided (in 1880) with big blocks so of course it’s lined with #VictorianMansions, or at least very large houses, not quite … Continue reading Grandview Grove Prahran is grand. →