Original post 17 April 2017:

The grand #TandGBuilding, #CollinsStreet, #AandKHenderson, 1929, enlarged to the right and taller #tower 1939 (and to the rear in 1959). The largest #interwarmelbourne #officblock, the HQ for the once huge #TemperanceandGeneral Insurance business, with mini versions of this in capital cities and many smaller towns across Australia and New Zealand, almost all by the same architects.

In 1983 the company merged with National Mutual, and didn’t need the building, which despite being heritage listed and in the 40m height limit zone, was proposed to be facaded with a tower rising up behind.

The compromise eventually worked out was a large area lower building with a central atrium that required the whole site and buildings next door too, and demolition of everything but the facades and entry. Even the old insurance hall was demolished, then reproduced, the leadlight dome being the only part saved.

The resulting office complex, KPMG House, opened in 1991, was designed by Metier III architects. Its a sort of rectilinear postmodernism, with a dramatic atrium featuring exposed stainless steel lifts, and a floor with glass block cubes imprinted with various Melbourne landmarks.

But why did they paint it grey recently ? It’s always been cream. Being renovated again, taking back old name, maybe @tandg_melb will #repaint it cream !

Update : nope, still grey. Also, the atrium with its curious glass blocks had a makeover, putting in some seats (nicer actually), but covering over the visible lift shafts – that was the best bit ! Rather shockingly the insurance hall with its glass dome disappeared inside Versace two years ago – hopefully just covered up ! (Update yes just covered up).

1 May 2020:

I was looking for something nice to post, but I found I had pics of this, which still makes me mad – this great 1928 mural (actually an oil painting) by #NapierWaller, tiled ‘better than to squander life’s gifts is to conserve them and ensure a fearless future’, graces/d the vestibule of the grand #TandGbuilding in #CollinsStreet, and was open to the street for everyone to enjoy – but in 2018 they somehow got a permit to turn that area into shop, and plonk display cases on the boundary, so now you have to look hard to see it, and there’s lights in the way. I never did get a satisfactory answer from the @cityofmelbourne how that happened, except maybe it was because it was an ‘interior’ (which it wasn’t before they put the doors on) and so heritage listing didn’t apply. 🙄 Hardly any fuss at the time from memory either, lost in the unbridled joy of having a new Versace store. @ Versace

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