21 September 2016:
My favourite house built for the #ministryofhousing’s infill housing program; it’s by #NormanDay, c1983, in St George’s road North Fitzroy, just where it meets Brunswick Street.
Classical references in simple suburban materials – a giant #splitpediment in #redbrick, atop a formal inset square of #creambrick that curves inward for a little #baroque inflection, with vestigial pipe columns and outward curving porch roof. Windows are just standard al frame. The side is almost symmetrical too, and the whole thing is a pretty much a box.
I still love it, even more than the famous ones by Peter Corrigan, I guess I was always a sucker for classical references, as long as they weren’t cheesy and obvious.
Update 2024 : It was behind a big tree just before, and since my 2016 pics new shrubs have grown, so I got it at just the right time, and streetview shows its still in good condition. Unlike the Carlton ones now heritage listed, Yarra hasn’t yet looked at anything much after WW2, let alone Postmodern places, so this isn’t protected, though it’s still a Ministry house. Last pic John Gollings c1983
25 September 2014:
Some 1980s #postmodern townhouses in Carlton, designed by greg burgess by the looks. Built by the then #ministryofhousing as part of their #infillhousing policy, the total opposite of the clearances and tower blocks of the 60s. Seems to be lacking maintenance though. #latergram from last winter.
Update : There’s two blocks, the first in Station Street near Kay Street, and the second on the corner of Kay and Canning. Greg Burgess own website confirms yes they’re his, from 1983, complete with original plans and photos ! Always liked his work, usually organic in some way, in this case zigzagy, sort of restless expressionist really, with wavy fences, and also hints of Edwardian with the brick and trellis verandahs (though that was just wildly popular then). Along with all the other nearby ministry projects, they won an RVIA award in 1984, and the Enduring Architecture Award in 2010.
3 February 2014
Nicholson Street Carlton, cnr Palmerston Street, just up from Elgin Street – some postmodern architecture, a house pair built by the #housingcommission as part of the 1980s ‘infill’ program, when they built houses designed to fit into inner suburban streets instead of tower blocks, like right across the street. Note the #contextual #brickwork. I like it.
Possibly by Geoff Sargeant or Cocks Carmichael. If it was developed now would be 4 storeys of flats.
2024 update : they’ve built 8-10 storey blocks around the towers across the street now, and the infill program won the Enduring Architecture award in 2010. But nobody seems to have done a complete assessment so I don’t know who built which ones, except for a few.
September 2026:
Fun Postmodern public housing on the corner of St George’s Road and Park Street, North Fitzroy, my photos from 2013. They’re from c1983, and designed by Greg Burgess, drawing from Victorian polychrome brick and Edwardian verandahs adding onto his interest in zigzagging restless geometric forms. I think they’re great ! Now rather hidden behind the planting.
From street view they still look the same, repainted, and that’s pretty good going given they’re now 43 years old. They’ve each housed many families I guess, who get all the convenience of the inner city, and sense of a single home.
He did two other similar projects in Carlton, Kay and Station Streets (pics 7,8), both recently heritage listed by the City of Melbourne, but these ones not protected by Yarra (who haven’t even had a go at postwar places let alone postmodern ones). Greg Burgess’ own website has original plans and photos.
If this site done today would be 5 storeys of flats.
