17 January 2025
I don’t mind the end result of the redevelopment of the Herald building in Flinders Street from 2005 – about 20m deep of the original 1920s building was retained, so the tower rises up well behind, you don’t notice it from the street. Another fun bit is that you can walk through it, and admire the giant columns, in bright yellow, a signature colour of the architects @dentoncorkermarshall at the time (also seen on the big cheesestick, but super faded on the carpark building I posted recently). The tower isn’t the best of their work, somewhat modelled into four towers, but just a glass box really. The original design in 2001 was circular but the site was sold to a more conservative client who wanted corner windows (I was told!). The only interior that might have been kept were the timber panelled main offices, but I think they took the panelling before it was listed. I also recall Heritage Victoria didn’t want to see so much demolished, pretty unusual for them then to say no, considering in other cases they’ve let only a facade be retained, but the permit process was complicated, and somehow VCAT overruled them, that can’t be right….? First photo 2013, rest last week.
Storey of Melbourne 