Original post 8 July 2020

This is #NewspaperHouse, built in 1932-33 for the Herald as their city office as it is, and as it might have been; there was a competition, with 8 entries published, mostly quite conservative but all Art Deco more or less, showing how it had taken hold after first emerging in 1929-30. There were some big names and some unknown ones. The winner was #StephensonAndMeldrum, with a blocky stolid design, the best bit being the Napier Waller mosaic; they soon went on to do a lot of streamlined hospitals. The fabbo zippy zigzaggy confection is by C Alexander (who was he ?), next to that is #ArthurPlaisted (gothicy!), and next to that #StuartCalder (boring); next page Love & Marocco (boring) #BatesSmartMcCutcheon (deco Gothic), then John Gawler with John Scarborough (interesting). Equal second went to Schmerberg & Fisher (very stylish, but who were they?) and #NormanSchefferle & Maxwell Dean (looks like simplified Tudor ?). So much talent. 1st pic 2024.

The prize winning design of #NewspaperHouse by #StephensonAndMeldrum vs what was built; all the same except the first two levels, notably the mosaic by #NapierWaller expanded from just a central panel to one that ran right across, and the shopfront is simpler, without the frame. Overall it’s a cautious move towards Art Deco, with a traditional base middle and top, and I guess stylised forms, but without the fluidity of later Deco, or the zippy ornament of early Deco. Interestingly the sign at the top isn’t just incised stone, it’s mainly #neon.

• artdeco