Sad to report that the mutilation of Mary Immaculate in Ivanhoe has begun (photo Graeme Butler ) - and I do think full demolition would have been preferable. They’ve taken off the lady chapel with its great stained glass, then removing original features like the doors and glass screen behind the altar, then adding to … Continue reading Church desecration in Ivanhoe →

Another fine Moderne/ArtDeco house in Elwood Street Brighton, which looks a lot like the Armadale one I posted recently- and yes designer #IGAnderson recycled the ideas (probably it was him) - and apparently someone sued someone over it. I think the big glazed part on the left is a recentish addition. It’s a huge block … Continue reading Moderne mansion in Brighton →

3 July 2019, updated: Hadn’t really noticed this one before, in Elizabeth Street up from Collins, turns out to be a super narrow Victorian thing that was done over in early 1930 for Ackman’s Furniture, who’s main store was in Smith Street (behind that propped up Woolworths facade). See the A on top ? The … Continue reading Ackmans in Elizabeth Street, 1930 →

Repost this day 2018: Carnong Courts, 29-33 #RobeStreetStKilda, another example of grand #terracehouses converted to flats - this was the 6 house Raglan Terrace, 1858, converted in 1926, designed by #AandKHenderson, in a sort of tall bungalow style. They took the internal stairs out, put stairs on the front, an extra floor, and combined the … Continue reading Carnong Courts, Robe Street →

Repost this day 2017: Former #MelbourneTeachersCollege, now part of #MelbourneUniversity, and called the #1888building (even though it was built 1889-91). By far the most OTT example of #queenanne plus #Elizabethan, or maybe it's #Jacobethan ? Architect #GBHAustin for the #PublicWorksDepartment. Impossible to take a photo of the whole building it's very wide, lots of trees … Continue reading Teachers College, 1888 →

I’m doing a bit of a survey of postwar churches, which by the early 60s became almost competitively look-at-me, so here’s a selection of the pointiest ones: Methodist, Katamatite, 1961, Muir & Shepherd; St Bernadette’s, East Ivanhoe, 1962, Robert Ellis; St Peter’s, Clayton, 1963, Ivan Anderson; the next four all by church specialist architect Keith … Continue reading Pointy Modern Churches →

3 July 2021 Sad to see the 1954 #APMBoilerHouse is now being demolished. It was added to the #HeritageRegister in 2017, due to its dynamic massing (especially the south side) and pioneering multi-storey all glass curtain wall - but thanks to a vocal local group that hated it, and a looming state election, Minister for … Continue reading APM Boiler House – demolition →

Another bit of #LostMelbourne, that only lasted about 25 years, and was demolished over 80 years ago - a nice Edwardian ‘chambers’ for doctors and dentists, built 1912, then in 1928 the large new #TandGbuilding opened next door- which expanded to twice the width in 1938, so it disappeared. The nice gabled one next to … Continue reading Lost Melbourne – but 80 years ago. →

Repost this day 2018- remember the pagoda ? And the slim box ? The campaign ? Which resulted in a review, handed down August last year (which I havnt read) - but I see that 3 weeks ago, the management change was announced, which the creation of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Co (missed that) and … Continue reading Fed Square – new management →

Repost this day 2019: The back of the old #HoytsMidCity cinema centre is more chunky-#brutalist than the front. And surprisingly intact, even the rich red #pebblemix finish. Built 1970 as a speculative venture with two screens, a squishy arcade and parking, by the entrepreneurial architect Gordon Banfield who had also developed the Total Carpark, so … Continue reading Pink Brutalism →