17 January 2024
Rather excellent. A design by Arthur Purnell (Purnell & Pierce) for an office block in 1937, but no indication of where or for who. It’s rather more striking than anything actually built in the CBD in the 30s – super streamlined, with horizontal window framing and multiple curved corners. Maybe if it was built it might not have quite lived up to the drawing. For comparison the second photo is something he designed in 1935, at the top of Bourke, once Gaslight Records. The drawing is from the 2007 booklet for an exhibition of Purnell’s work curated by Derham Groves, held at the Baillieu Library.
Storey of Melbourne 