Looks like 18th century Portuguese #Baroque, but it’s 1954 #BrombyStreet #SouthYarra ! A donation to St Thomas Aquinas, a little 1915 Chapel-of-ease, led to this extraordinary new front (the interior wasn’t changed). It was designed by #TGPayne, looks like he had fun ! And not influenced at all by any of the modernist churches just … Continue reading Baroque surprise →

Repost this day 2018: #StoreyHall, built 1887 as the Hibernian Hall for the Irish Catholic Benefit Society, part of #RMITUniversity since 1959; the green and purple thing is an extension (foyers, gallery etc) by #ARMarchitecture, 1996 - I think they work well together. This is one of many photos I’ve taken over the last couple … Continue reading Hibernian Hall, 1887 →

16 August 2021 A fab block of #ArtDecoFlats in Dickens Street Elwood, opposite the St Kilda Botanical Gardens. Great emphasis on horizontal lines, including the window frames, set against the verticals of the chimney and stairs, with the added dash of a semi-circular widow bay for the front flats. They squeezed in a lot, 9 … Continue reading More IG Anderson Deco flat fabbness →

Repost 2019: Looming up behind the #SwanstonStreet shops at Little Lon is this beast, in Drewery Lane, a landmark related to cigarettes, concrete, and Melbs Jewish history to boot. Built in 1910 as another part of the #SnidersAndAbraham Tobacco empire, where they already had two others next to this one. Built using the Turner ‘Mushroom’ … Continue reading Sniders & Abraham Tobacco warehouse →

14 August 2021, new pics June 2024: The #StKildaBotanicGardens Conservatory 1990 - nice to have, but architecturally, I never thought tilt-slab classical was a particularly appropriate way to go. Architects Napier Thomas Mantesso Healey, according to the foundation plaque, located unhelpfully at grass level. Nice enough inside, though I always expect glasshouses to have lots … Continue reading St Kilda Conservatory →

Repost 2018, updated 2021: Aurora Melbourne, #LaTrobeStreet, vision vs reality, both images from @elenbergfraser, 2nd side by side from 2018. Surprisingly the render is exactly right, except for the colour. Funny how it’s so tall, 90 floors, but not really a landmark. It would look better in morning sun, but then this is what it … Continue reading Aurora, Latrobe Street, 2019 →

A lovely house follower michael Barrett just sent me, in Hastings Road, East Hawthorn. He thought it might be #RobertHaddon, and it might be, or might not, the very cute domed pavilion is his thing, but other than that it’s very much #Arts & Crafts details you might see anywhere. A style that’s also called … Continue reading Arts & Crafts in East Hawthorn →

Repost 2019: 😮😮 what can you say ? The delightful and quite wacko Beverley Hills Darling Street #SouthYarra was built by architect-developer Howard Lawson, the self-described ‘architect who builds’, in 1934-5. It’s actually two blocks, and the largest single project of about 15 apartment blocks he built in this immediate area. He took these steep … Continue reading Beverley Hills and more, Howard Lawson, 1930s →

Repost 2019: The first one is the 1888 #BallaratStarHotel, corner #LittleBourkeStreet, by #TwentymanAndAskew just before they did the Block Arcade. Doubt it had a lift, so the rooms on the 4th floor would have been cheaper ! Recently the exterior was repainted, looks nice though really shouldn’t be white and maybe still missing a top … Continue reading Two ex-hotels on Swanston Street →

12 August 2021 The Langham, cnr Grey & Robe Streets, St Kilda, 1919, architect unknown - a curious melange of styles, Edwardian/ArtsAndCrafts with some added classical elements like the wreaths and abstracted cornices, the uncertainly reflecting the newness of flats to Melbourne, and architects. It would have looked more Edwardian originally with a domed Belvedere … Continue reading Early flats on Grey Street, St Kilda →