6 February 2020, updated new pics Jan 2026

No it’s not about the car, though I do like the colour – behind it on Beaconsfield Parade St Kilda West is something looks like it might be 80s Edwardian revival, but it’s actually a block of flats made out of an older house, like many in St Kilda. And the ground floor flat on the left is made out of the original drawing room, complete with elaborate ceiling ! Wow. Horrible kitchen though.

The block is called Biarritz Court, and was created some time in the 1920s; I found flats advertised in 1924, but the St Kilda Heritage Study says the conversion was probably 1927, by architect Archibald Ikin. I found a couple of 1910s/20s photos showing a pretty grand house with an arched verandah topped by a gable, which is still there. I think Archibald extended the verandah to create big sunrooms, and divided the house into four, and also squeezed a three story addition down the left side with one long thin flat per floor. Nice woodwork in there.

I don’t know when the house was built but the 1896 MMBW plan shows a vacant block and it looks a bit Victorian a bit Edwardian so maybe c1900.

Update : a descendant of the original owners say it was c1898. The one next door called Shandon was built in 1885, and the next one also looks c1900, both still there, last 2 pics.

• Uncategorized