28 August 2019: There’s two houses called Elenara and Thalassa at the beach end of #FitzroyStreet - they were built together in 1908 for the one client, and designed by George Cummings, and were both used as Guesthouses from the beginning. Lovely varied compositions, unusual for Edwardian houses that the first floor is as big … Continue reading Elenara and Thalassa, Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. →

Original post 27 August 2017, now updated : The #statue of #JohnBatman in the plaza of the National Mutual Building, as it was in 2015, then half hidden 2016, now gone who knows where. It was in the news today, with Ben Quilty saying it shouldn’t come back, because of his wonton murdering during the … Continue reading Batman and Fawkner statues →

Original post 21 august 2020: VillaCapri, another partly hidden #StKildaMansion on Grey Street but if you pop your phone over the fence … It was built in 1873, designed by noted architect #SydneyWSmith, and its practically unchanged - because it and the adjacent house have been owned by the #PresentationSisters since at least 1925, when … Continue reading Villa Capri, Grey Street, St Kilda →

19 August 2023 Another grand terrace pair in St Kilda, this one on Princes Street, judging from the simple details and timber verandah, perhaps 1860s or 70s. Until late last year it was a rooming house of mainly large bedsitters operated by Launch Housing. They stated that they’d use the funds for better quality housing, … Continue reading Terrace pair, Princes Street, St Kilda. →

Original post 18 August 2020: Another early #grandterrace in #StKilda, this one in #BurnettStreet is actually a #terracepair, with side gardens, a type seen in St Kilda but not much elsewhere. Built in 1866, it has a Palladian touch with the verandah in the form of open renaissance #colonnades, which the @nationaltrustvic citation (with handy … Continue reading Classical terrace pair, St Kilda →

Original post 17 August 2018 CollingwoodTownHall, 1890, #GeorgeJohnson. Just about the grandest of the many towered #TownHalls built in the #landboom years of the 1880s, and built by one of the smallest and poorest municipalities; but the they wanted to show they could have nice things too. It was part funded by the state government … Continue reading Collingwood Town Hall →

16 August 2023: You might have seen this in the news - it’s Rotherwood, Riversdale Road, Camberwell, just up from the junction. Built in 1939, it was a bit upmarket, with just 9 flats, a front garden (with a huge pin oak), and tennis court to the rear. It was built by builder Eric Humphries, … Continue reading Rotherwood →

10 August 2023: It was 4 years ago that The #HotelWindsor tower was declared off ! Here’s what I said then : 11 years after first proposed, #RichardWynne #MinisterForPlanning has refused to extend the permit. It was already extended by VCAT twice, and the last time they said it should be the last. So now … Continue reading Windsor Hotel high rise proposal →

12 August 2018 Postmodernism. The #urbanruin of the #AllanPowellHouse, 1989, Victoria Street, #StKilda. #AllanPowell was the architect for this house for the Crigan family, but it was so well known, it was known by the architects name. I certainly knew it as that ! Always puzzled by it too, the faux ruin parts less prominent … Continue reading Crigan House, Allan Powell, St Kilda →

Original post 14 August 2017: Relova Redressing Laundry, #HoddleStreet, Richmond, 1937, architect Walter Mason. The big drum held the water tank (at least that's always been my understanding). I remember this from archi school lectures in the 80s held up as a notable example of #ArtDeco, so I was surprised to learn while working at … Continue reading Relova Redressing Laundry, Hoddle Street, Richmond →