7 February 2025

The 1989 St Kilda Police Station at the bottom of Chapel Street is not a likeable building, but it’s notable that it was heritage listed only about 10 years later ! In fact it was identified for listing in a 1992 St Kilda study, which unusually had a brief to look at very recent architecture. The citation just says it’s a ‘well handled postmodern pastiche’, representing the period. It sort of looks like an altered old warehouse, or a public building that’s lost its detail, leaving that odd arcade at ground level with its bluestone bases, but perhaps it was meant to be tough looking. The delicate mesh sunshades offer quite a contrast, still doing their job. There’s a huge carpark /yard as part of the thing, with bold forms to the side and rear, including a windowless tower. The citation says the architect at the Public Works Department was Rob Miles, who I recall working on this when I was there on work experience, maybe 1987?

Update : yes @robert_miles_design has this on his website, he also does graphic design and sound engineering (I recall him working with famous bands at the time). I had him mixed up with Rob Mills who’s everywhere last decade or two doing luxury houses and flats, I thought that was a big career change !

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