Repost 2018 :
There isn’t really a #goodangle for St Michaels Church Melbourne; all the skyscrapers behind it kind of detract, though in real life you can subconsciously #editthemout. It’s by #ReedandBarnes (#JosephReedArchitect), 1867, and the first full blown #polychromebrick design in Melbourne, which Reed himself said was inspired by the medieval churches of Lombardy, but they don’t really look like this, he was no doubt mostly inspired by the English polychrome gothic movement, as advocated by #JohnRuskin, and brought to life by #WilliamButterfield, but Reed developed here his own version, much more toothed and applied pattern rather than the stripes, chequerboard and mixed materials of Butterfield.
The #brickwork is pretty amazing; presumably #JosephReedArchitect said to the brickmakers ‘I want three different colours in 6 different shapes’ and they said ‘ok sure’ even though they hadn’t done anything like that before.
New photos 2024
31 December 2024
One of the few good things about 120 Collins Street is you get to see the rear of St Michael’s (Joseph Reed, 1867), nice brick volumes, but not as interesting as the front sides. Also it’s a bit lost in a sea of paving, and fenced off to boot. If you turn around, there’s a planted courtyard, which was never very appealing somehow, and still isn’t despite new planting and seating. Maybe if I saw it when it was sunny ?
Storey of Melbourne 