Author: Rohan Storey
December 2018 Looks a bit like a Russian church, but it’s #FlemingtonPostOffice, 1890, another wonderfull eclectic design from the #PublicWorksDepartment when they went all creative in the 1890s. Flemington for some reason has a great bunch of public buildings arrayed up a side street, taking advantage of the pointy corner sites, but a long way … Continue reading Flemington Post Office, a real eclectic delight.
Look what I found wandering home up a side street from #christmaslunch - the fabbo #FlemingtonCourtHouse, built 1891. Lombardic Romanesque ? Italian Byzantine ? All of the above ! Designed by #AJMacDonald, at a time in the later 1880s when the #PublicWorksDepartment were let loose to be inventive after decades of classical restraint. The police … Continue reading A J MacDonald PWD star !
This odd #redbrick wall right on the street at the corner of #PuntRoad and Commercial Road in #SouthYarra is actually #FawknerMansions, built in 1910, and Melbourne’s oldest extant #blockofflats. Reputedly the first to be purpose built self contained flats, with 25 'complete suites' of 5 rooms each. Designed by Ernest Willis in that severe red … Continue reading Melbourne’s oldest BlockOfFlats !
Original post 19 December 2018: As you know, I do love suburban #MockTudor shops (#OldEnglish is the proper name), and #ToorakVillage has the best examples. No 474-6, south side east end is the best one, dating from 1932, Built for William Ford chemists, and designed by #RobertHamilton, who said ‘I wanted to show the good … Continue reading Toorak Tudor
23 September 2017: The #MelbourneClub, the first, best, most exclusive club, very much a part of the #highsociety that clustered here in what's now called the #ParisEnd of #CollinsStreet, once lined with exclusive Drs surgery/townhouses, clubs, and the Masons too. Built in two stages, the first in 1859, designed by #LeonardTerry - swipe to see … Continue reading Melbourne Club
#ArchiNerd research - finally got to see the archive plan I wanted - and yes the building in #LittleBourkeStreet that I thought was interesting 50s is actually 1940 ! The only change is the pink gridded area being rendered in grey (and losing the cute rooftop sign). Designed by RM & MH King, it was … Continue reading Chart House, from the archives.
23 December 2018 Excellent bank in #ChapelStreetSouthYarra by #WalterButler, built 1918; a very ‘muscular’ as they say composition, the #ioniccolumns almost lost within the deep reveal, high #rusticated base, and those wild stylised hanging things either side. Butler is better known for Arts & Crafts / Old English houses for the wealthy, so this is … Continue reading Union Bank, Chapel Street, 1918.
December 2018: This grand frontage of the Gordon Institute in #Geelong was created in the late 1940s, and designed my fave architect #PercyEverett. He was tasked with added a Textile School to the college, so of course took the opportunity to mark his mark, so the addition has a pair of tower elements, and elaborate … Continue reading Percy Everett hometown statement.
Random photo from the archives, Xmas 2015; the fabbo shops in #FaradayStreetCarlton, built 1886, long occupied by #Brunettis before they moved round the corner in 2012. They’re by designer/builder #NormanHitchcock with his characteristic #HighVictorian elaboration, with #cherubs, extra flowery brackets, giant faces, #Corinthian everything, and solid ‘muscular’ details, namely the fat fluted window #pilasters. He … Continue reading Norman Hitchcock goes to town.
I reckon this looks quite good, even through the trees. Not sure why, maybe it’s the unusual #pattern or colour combo, or just because the slightly green #blinds go well with the trees (or do they look green because of the trees?). Maybe because of its unusual genesis ? It’s a #palimpsest, grey #barcode cladding … Continue reading Curtain wall through the trees – London Assurance, 1959
If the Nazi's never took power, would Berlin have Europe's tallest skyscraper and East Prussia be a honeymoon destination ?
