22 August 2025 One of those city buildings that’s nice, but not terribly exciting, but this one in Exhibition Street has an interesting history. Kelvin House was built in 1927, by and for the institutes for architects, engineers and surveyors. It was designed by Godfrey & Spowers in a pretty conservative mode, unlike the architects … Continue reading Engineers and a theatre →

21 August 2025 A grand mansion, or perhaps large house - but it does have a tower ! And it’s called Huntingtower (and said to have great views). Dating from 1890, it’s in Church Street Hawthorn, and in my memory was once much more visible, but you get a good view from the gate. Whats … Continue reading A tower in Hawthorn, but hunting ? →

21 August 2025 This trio in Yarra Street Hawthorn looks like they might be San Francisco! With those tall thin proportions complete with towers, they’re quite unusual for Melbourne- another place I knew of but had never actually seen. If you look closely you can see that they’re all the same plan, but with different … Continue reading The Beswicke three →

20 August 2025 A popular style for apartment projects lately is the white arched format, which I quite like - this one by @robmillsarchitects on High Street Armadale seems to be finished in bagged brick (though likely brick tiles). It replaced a pretty plain house, probably 1920s. The format is pretty obviously based on the … Continue reading Timeless arches →

18 August 2015, updated 2025: A simple little very early pub in the heart of the city, a testament to the ongoing profits of beer. The Duke of Wellington was built in 1850, just before the #goldrush, but didn’t become a pub till 1853, license trouble I believe. Oldest/longest operating in the city at least … Continue reading Duke of Wellington →

17 August 2025 (photo 2015): On Flinders Street near Russell, one of the more elaborate Victorian #lightindustrial premises found in the #melbcbd. Built 1885 for the stationers Schukraft & Co, it was designed by W H Elleker, later of #ellerkerandkilburn. An early #residentialconversion in 1995, rather ordinary inside but great views. The window frames are … Continue reading Warehouse, Flinders Street →

17 August 2025 An interesting but definitely not spectacular house in Kooyong Road Toorak that looks maybe 60s ranch style, but it’s actually 1936, and designed by Roy Grounds ! He was in partnership with Geoffrey Mewton at the time but they designed separately, and Grounds did other rustic style houses at the time. It’s … Continue reading Roy Grounds modern cottage style →

16 August 2025 A rather extraordinary Toorak mansion we learned about in archi school but I’d never seen irl until today - it’s in Kooyong Road just north of Toorak Rd, and called Glyn, built in 1908, designed by Rodney Alsop with terracotta roofs and gables everywhere, in fact it’s huge ! And the walls … Continue reading Glyn, Toorak →

15 August 2025 A pair of nice churches on Sydney Road Brunswick - both Presbyterian, one succeeding the other. I like the bluestone one more, dating from 1864, designed by Charles Webb, small but soaring. Twenty years later they needed a bigger church, and I guess already had the land, and this time engaged Evander … Continue reading Presbyterian Churches, Sydney Road →

14 August 2025 Happened to go to this place for lunch - it’s on Nicholson Street, and called East Brunswick Village, and it’s a huge development, and it’s not bad ! I like the architectural expression in particular, lots of brick and tiles and textured precast too, and it’s all by @jam_architects, they’ve managed to … Continue reading Huge development, but nice. →