20 November 2023

This striking Deco landmark on Wattletree Road near Glenferrie Road Malvern was built for Coughlin’s Dairy in 1941, providing office space and a milk bar next to their earlier diary. Unusual long thin proportions probably because it was squeezed into one side of their site, then exaggerated by adding a clocktower. The architect was Norman Smith, who did some other dairies flats and houses, but this is his best surviving work I think. Inside is also great, with spiral stairs with a skylight that goes right up to the flat roof. Which makes a great spot for a very nice bar that’s been there for about a year, called @harvie.armadale (after Ellison Harvie, amongst the first female architects in Victoria). One of the partners in the venue contacted me two years ago and provided the plans (which show that the tower originally had a strip of glass blocks), so thanks for that, and the photo of the stairs from above. I was just having a quick look so didn’t go up.

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