22 September 2017:

This #massiveedifice of stonework was built on the corner of Collins & Queen Streets for National Mutual in 1891-3. Originally it stood alone and very vertical, since the queen street side was only 3 bays – it was more than doubled in matching style in 1911-13, designed by Gibbs & Finlay.

At 8 levels (130ft) it’s one of the two surviving #melbourne #VictorianSkyscrapers, the other is Stalbridge Chambers (last pic). Unusual application of the #gothicrevival to a tall building by Wright, Reed and Beaver from Adelaide, who won a competition, but also struggled I think with the proportions, with the top three floors almost plonked on top of the rest. It does have a great skyline, but the tower/spire thing a bit tiny.

Beaver came over to supervise the building and stayed, later forming a partnership with #ArthurPurnell in the 1910s.

10 May 2019:

The fantastic Gothic lobby of the first #NationalMutualBuilding on the corner of Collins & Queen, all white vaulting and marble. Love the lavish use of red and green marble, and the original stairs going up all seven floors with a Gothic cast iron railing to the side. The marble floor is nice but it was originally mosaic. I think the back part of this lobby was part of the addition, which would explain why the vault is rectangular, not square

The corner is the original public hall, with a panelled ceiling supported on clustered collonettes, all painted up nicely, and tall polished timber panelled dados. It’s now an antiquey cafe that does high tea, my kind of place.

There’s 2nd hall added to the rear in 1913 is very elaborate, but it’s offices so I only glimpsed it through the doors.

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