Author: Rohan Storey
From the archives - the #SaracensHeadHotel on #BourkeStreet Up from Elizabeth was created 1875 by adding a floor to the 1847 original. Basically a typical Italianate form, but the arches are (just) keyhole arches, there’s a couple of crescent motif finials, and a pair of #oniondome ones, and an actual Saracen's head. The first photo … Continue reading Saracens Head Hotel, Bourke Street, minus the actual head.
January 2020 The #castironlamps on #PrincesBridge were installed a long time after the bridge was opened in 1888- in May 1926, when they made the news ! They trialled a variety of globes, featured in another article from 1925, when they installed the first single cast iron lamps on St Kilda Road. The article doesn't … Continue reading Cast iron street lamps Princes Bridge.
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.
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 !
First posted instagram January 24, 2020 This about as good as it gets ! The existing building is rather plain for 1891 when it was built as the HQ and workshop for ubiquitous #stainedglass manufacturers #FergusonAndUrie (though they soon lost most of their business with the 1890s crash and sold it in 1899). Its pretty … Continue reading This is good, actually; a tower without facadism
First posted instagram January 23, 2020 For anyone not from Melbs, this is northern Victoria topsoil /desert dust come loose due to the drought, blown by the storms the last few days, then dumped by yesterday’s downpour. I read it on the news then was surprised walking down the street it was literally everywhere ! … Continue reading Mallee dust lands in Melbs
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, 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
Creepy creepy #MyersChristmasWindows keeps to the tradition of not quite cute in fact a bit creepy. Including the weirdly jerky movements. #SnugglepotAndCuddlepie gone bad.
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
If the Nazi's never took power, would Berlin have Europe's tallest skyscraper and East Prussia be a honeymoon destination ?
