Original post 26 January 2021

I do like all periods of architecture, including modernism, but this doesn’t float my boat. One of the less interesting of the 55 post war #officeblocks that’s proposed for #heritagelisting – #WalesCorner, at Collins & Swanston, was built 1964-66, and designed by #StephensonTurner, best known for their 1930s hospitals. Like many of the others this is proposed mainly because it’s more or less intact, apart from the canopy and shopfronts; I guess it’s important to list a good number now before more are lost to alterations, but I’m not much of a fan of the ones that are neither slick minimalist nor interestingly modelled. This ones in reconstructed stone looking a bit like marble, but with almost flush window spandrels panels. In a dull blue. I guess incorporating an arcade is unusual, and so is the setback on the south side, so it’s almost freestanding. I also particularly dislike that this one is so tall in an area that ultimately did not sprout many more, which has been a heritage precinct with a 40m height limit since 1982, so it’s the proverbial sore thumb, though actually you sort of don’t notice it. Photo 1 is mine from 2014, 2 from Pinterest (no details) and 3 early 60s from @cityofmelbourne via Facebook.

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