Repost 2018: The wonderfully #dour but so #hardtophotograph former #MagistratesCourt. Built 1911-13, designed by #GBHAustin of the #PublicWorksDepartment in a very unusual ‘French Romanesque’ or Norman style, complete with clustered turrets and a chevron patterned copper roof. Matches the style of his Watch House next door from 1908, but that’s in render. The roughly stone … Continue reading Magistrates Court, 1913 →

Repost 2019, updated 2025: Fairlie, in Anderson Street South Yarra, designed by #YunckenFreeman Brothers, Griffith & Simpson, 1961, the first luxury postwar flats, and the most expensive at the time. Somehow it had passed me by until fairly recently - did I just never see it ? Pretty sure it didn’t appear in any modern … Continue reading Fairlie, South Yarra →

Repost 2017: The Wimmera, on Wimmera Place, one of the more interesting #ArtsandCraftsstyle flats in #StKilda. Built during WW1 in 1917, it's relatively early for flats in Melbourne, and like other early ones, it's a mix of stylistic influences, with Edwardian #redbrick piers creating a formal front of loggia/verandahs, but on the bay view side, … Continue reading The Wimmera, St Kilda →

Repost 2018: #TowerEnvy, the totes amazing #IllawarraMansion, dominates a side street in #Toorak (cos all the land was carved off ages ago). #JamesBirtwhistle’s best work by far, a case of given the right client and budget … a #landboom mansion built for land boomer Charles Henry James, 41 when he commissioned this in 1889, 43 … Continue reading Illawarra mansion Toorak →

31 August 2019: This is my father’s house at 33 Creswick Street Hawthorn, and blow me down I’ve suddenly discovered who designed it and when ! #ArthurPurnell, in 1937. I always liked its quirkiness, me and my bothers helped convince my mother to buy it in 1988 - I thought it was 1920s all this … Continue reading Purnell in Hawthorn →

Majella, one of 6 remaining mansions on #StKildaRoad, and the only one on the east side, and the only 20thC one, built 1913. It was designed by #ArthurPeck, in a broadly Edwardian style, leaning to Arts&Crafts, with the interesting use of #terracotta walls and columns on the verandah, but otherwise a bit plain. Built for … Continue reading St Kilda Road mansion for windmill genius →

Repost 2017: #AscotLodge, #HoddleStreet, #EastMelbourne, 1930s but exact date and architect unknown. In the 2000s Scarfy used to sell footy scarves out the left ground floor window. Empty for a while, pending the horrifying redevelopment, which got a permit because this block didn’t actually have a heritage listing. 2021: It’s #StuartHallArchitect, 1940. And just seen … Continue reading Art Deco flats to be demolished →

Repost 2019: The really rather delightful #SheridanClose on #StKildaRoad, #BernardEvans, 1953. I was surprised when it appeared amongst the best of Melb in the 1999 guide book Melbourne Architecture, but now I’ve had a close look, it’s worthy, a well crafted design blending Modernism with Georgian, all in variegated cream brick. And an interesting layout … Continue reading Modern Georgian in St Kilda Road →

Repost 2018: The zipper pattern of 15 Collins Street, designed by #emigrearchitect #KurtPopper, 1970, now proposed to be #heritagelisted. Surprised to learn that this is a modification of the first version by #RoyGrounds, which had a random pattern and I think a better design except it wasnt set back. Built as #ownyourown #apartments back when … Continue reading Ugly ? 15 Collins Street, 19710 →

Looks like a pandemic shot but it’s a Sunday in 2018: View from the #CollinsStreetHill, framed by low old buildings and equally low modern infill podiums - so this view hasn’t changed much since 1939, except for the skyscraper shadows and the trees have grown a lot. 2021: added various old similar views.