Author: Rohan Storey

The Hall of Science, haunt of 1880s radicals.

The Hall of Science, haunt of 1880s radicals.

First posted instagram January 24, 2020  This curious building in the middle of St Vincent's Hospital on Victoria Parade was built as the Hall of Science in 1889 by the Australian Secular Association, a pretty radical organisation who lectured on 'freethought', which was basically seen as anti-religious - and they had their meetings on Sundays. … Continue reading The Hall of Science, haunt of 1880s radicals.

50s clunky I won’t miss it !

50s clunky I won’t miss it !

First posted instagram January 24, 2020  Apparently this is going to be demolished soon, and I’m ok with that. Built as the #StVincentsHospitalMelbourne #NursesHome with casualty on the lower levels, it was built in the early 1950s, and it’s just a huge imposing #creambrick bock, relieved only by inset balcs on one side and stuck … Continue reading 50s clunky I won’t miss it !

More Melbourne facadism

More Melbourne facadism

From my friends at @melbourne_heritage_action - A case of #facadism+a bit more, almost but not quite acceptable (thanks samantha stoney for the photo) - this 1938 factory on A’Beckett Street is a particularly notable example of European Modernism, designed by #EFBillson, a pupil of #WalterBurleyGriffin, but that didn’t stop the original 2015 proposal that would … Continue reading More Melbourne facadism

Melbourne Gotham

Melbourne Gotham

Melbourne Gotham, one of the interwar towers that manages to look like an #ArtDeco skyscraper even though built under the #132ftHeightLimit (40m). Designed by the Commonwealth Dep of Works for the #CommonwealthBank, and competed 1941. I like how it’s one-sided, all nicely detailed on the laneway side, but the other side is quite visible, an … Continue reading Melbourne Gotham

How to wreck a church

How to wreck a church

Help needed - this is #MaryImmaculateIvanhoe, designed by #MockridgeStahleAndMitchell and built in 1961, and pretty intact - BUT the parish has submitted plans to ruin it - they were going to demolish but I think that better than this mess ! Additions on all sides, with angular and curved walls in brown brick, demolishing the … Continue reading How to wreck a church

Picturesque Footscray City Primary, 1877 + 1887.

Picturesque Footscray City Primary, 1877 + 1887.

#FootscrayCityPrimarySchool, which I think is pretty cute, a madly squished up collection of #Tudor features, built 1887, added to the more typically spreading rectangular 1877 earlier part, set back from the street. Both parts seem to have all original windows, which is rare. I’ve put the 1960s photo first because of that #poorlyplacedtree. I think … Continue reading Picturesque Footscray City Primary, 1877 + 1887.

Some florid cast iron, South Melbourne

Some florid cast iron, South Melbourne

A lovely well preserved #melbourneterrace, with original #tuckpointed #polychromebrick, all reasonably typical, except the #castironlace balustrade panels, very heavy floral, complete with fruit (?), but with curving sides, leaving some space, rather than more straight side, or joining up to create a continuous pattern. The same iron is also on another house around the corner, … Continue reading Some florid cast iron, South Melbourne