14 December 2023
Former BP House, St. Kilda Rd, 1963-65 Demaine, Russell, Trundle, Armstrong & Orton. It was turned into luxe apartments in the 90s, called The Domain, in the process the brown brick sides and columns were rendered over, at first pale, now dark, so the effect from a distance is much the same. In 2017 I got a snap when the main elements went from beige to whitish, which is probably what they were originally. Quite a landmark when first built, though now tall buildings all round. And I wonder if the inhabitants havnt been really annoyed by the non stop construction in front.
Repost 21 June 2017:
Former #BPHouse, #StKildaRoad, 1963-65 Demaine Russell, Trundle Armstrong & Orton – is getting (another) make over. Think it was originally white then made beige in the 90s when turned into apartments, now white again. Unfortunately the piers and side walls that were brown brick were rendered over in beige, now going charcoal, so white and charcoal, very now colours. Old photo Graeme Butler, 1967. It’s unusual amongst postwar towers, being a tiny bit Frank Lloyd Wright, quite solid, with a pattern in the balustrades.
23 June 2025
‘Princes Terrace’ once stood on the curve of St Kilda Road round into Albert Road, built probably 1889. I think because of the odd shape of the lot (perhaps previously one house), they didn’t just follow the curve, they were all kind of wedge shaped, overlapping each other. The cast iron is rather elaborate, and there’s one big pediment, but apart from the curve effect, they’re not that remarkable. The first pic is 1955, the framed one is dated 1889, showing a whole lot of very young trees. It likely remained in one ownership, so BP could buy it in c1960 and take advantage of the newish commercial zoning of the street to go as high as they liked.
Storey of Melbourne 