2019: Coming up Jackson Street in the late afternoon, the #StKildaCoffeePalace in Grey Street often looks so impressive. And nicely worn, not overly restored, ‘cos it isn’t. It’s one of the first ‘temperance hotels’, also known as Coffee Palaces, opening in 1882. It was created by extensively rebuilding the St Kilda Assembly Room, which had … Continue reading St Kilda Coffee Palace →

Feb 2022 Flinders Street Station has always been a sense incomplete. The design was won in a competition in 1899 by architects Fawcett & Ashworth (who both worked for the Railways), and the State Library has their elevations, the only drawings thought to survive, which show the Flinders Street and Swanston Street sides but nothing … Continue reading Flinders Street Station – as it might have been. →

Repost 2019: The most fabulous #shopfront in #Melbourne, possibly Australia, in #RipponleaVillage, an elaborate creation in coppered metalwork, #leadlight, and timber, described as a ‘showpiece’ for #BrinsmeadsPharmacy, built in 1918, fittings by #ThomasDuff & Sons. The building was designed by #SydneySmithandOgg - not for Mr Brinsmead, but for Mr Dalton who had bought the business, … Continue reading Brinsmeads Pharmacy Ripponlea →

15 February 2022 The Corkman pub has been rebuilt ! But as an art work, 3/4 scale. Called ‘Distant Things Appear Suddenly Near', by Irish artist Sean Lynch, and funded by the City of Melbourne, it sits at the north end of University Square, facing the empty pub site, now a temporary park. This is … Continue reading Corkman rebuilt ! →

This incredible thing in pic 1 is the first approved design for Parliament house in Melbourne, from 1855 – when Victoria only had 200,000 people. It was designed by Peter Kerr and John Knight, who oversaw the building of the chambers and library 1856–1860, then nothing happened for 18 years. In 1879 Peter Kerr alone … Continue reading Parliament House, earlier designs →

Repost from 2018: The #PamelaAndersonHouse, Canterbury Rd, #StKildaWest, by #CassandraFahey (practice name #CassandraComplex haha), built 2000 for (in)famously misogynistic ex (#AustralianRules) football player #SamNewman, who never actually lived there. After doing a string of award winning projects in the 2000s, I heard she gave up #architecture for a while, now she’s Lead Architect at Woods … Continue reading Pamela Anderson House →

Repost 2017: A stylish movie set ? No, it’s a house in Olinda ! #Dalcrombie was built in 1939 for Earle Coles, of Coles & Garrard, and originally named Llanhydroch; it was designed by #JEsmondDorney, who did a lot of really great Deco flats, especially in Elwood. So many projecting #semicircular elements, a fave feature … Continue reading Dalcrombie, Olinda, 1939. →

Repost 2016: Bit of #municipalmodern, the 60s #toiletblock behind the #shrineofremembrance. Designed by the #MelbourneCityCouncil in-house team, with a neat circular #cantileveredroof, floating over ribbed concrete walls. Painted the dreaded shades of grey, was originally unpainted concrete with brown bricks. (There was a square version in the Fitzroy Gardens demolished a few years ago for … Continue reading Stylish toilet block →

A redevelopment of the long neglected #SirCharlesHothamHotel on the corner of Flinders & Spence has been announced - and it might not be too bad ! Built in 1913, it’s one of the last designs by #WilliamPittArchitect, and apart from the corner bar and billiard room, the interiors are pretty intact, with art nouveau tiling … Continue reading Charles Hotham Hotel tower →

Northcote Theatre, Melbs oldest intact picture house, built 1912; preserved as a function centre for decades. I got it on the #victorianheritageregister about 15 years ago. Now proposed for an upgrade to more like a nightclub- great the facade is to be restored, reopening the upper porch area, and I don’t mind the groovy new … Continue reading Northcote Theatre →