29 December 2024

I posted about the grand and rather massive Tea House on Clarendon Street Southbank on this day 6 years ago because Heritage Victoria actually refused a permit for a hotel tower plonked right next to it (last 2 pics). New developers commissioned a new design in 2022 from the internationally famous @snohetta that was much more sympathetic, designed like a cluster of towers, and not nearly so close, especially at the front end. Also in a similar colour, I’m not sure that was necessary, but better than black ! This was also refused by Heritage Victoria in 2023. Im not sure if it changed much, but they must have modified it a bit, because they got a permit in July this year, and the images look the same. I think it’s fine, but of course even better if there was no tower. The Tea House was originally built in 1888 for stationers Fergus & Mitchell, and designed by Nahum Barnet, with architect and engineer John Grainger, and they wanted 6 storeys, despite the marshy soil requiring iron-bark piles and concrete rafts. All pics real estate articles, last pic I did myself in 2018, because they didn’t do one from that view.

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