This stylish thing on #DomainRoadSouthYarra caught my eye- such thin concrete edges, and slim balcony framing, much finer detailing than you normally see. Turns out it’s a luxury boutique hotel called United Places, designed by @carr_au, opened in 2018. First two photos mine, rest from various reviews and websites - I quite like the black … Continue reading Fine modernist revival, Domain Road, 2018 →

The Tilba, on #ToorakRoadWest in #SouthYarra, a great essay in the QueenAnne/Edwardian love of corners, with a complete tower and open belvedere turret. Built in 1907, the architect was William H Webb, and it seems to have become a private hotel / guest house rather than a family home, a function it maintained until 2006 … Continue reading Tilba, Toorak Road West, 1907 →

August 2021 The Adderley, a delightful turreted corner shop (and 1st floor residence) dominating what was once called Elwood Junction, where Broadway, Glenhuntly and Ormond Roads meet. It was built in 1921, and designed by #NahumBarnet (he got around !). Across the corner there was another striking building, the Maison Deluxe Dance Palais; these and … Continue reading Elwood Junction →

Repost 2018 (but 2nd photo this year): Totally #bronzed; the #VictorianAutomobileChamberofCommerce, not sure possibly base early 60s, top 1970, bronze coloured windows (some kind of copper inclusion) and brown painted steel. The ONLY 50s/60s office block left on #StKildaRoad of any note, partly because the #VACC have never left, and partly because it’s the only … Continue reading VACC St Kilda Road →

3 August 2014 : The super stylish Beaurepaire Centre at #melbourneuniversity; used for training during the #melbourneolympics in 1956 but not officially opened until 1957. Designed by Eggleston MacDonald & Secomb, it features jaunty abstract patterned tiling by Leonard French, who also painted the futurist style mural over the rounded feature thing in the gym … Continue reading Beaurepaire Pool →

There’s quite a lot of Postmodern office buildings in St Kilda Road, built early 80s to late 90s, some I really like, others not so exciting. 3 August 2021 Can’t get more 80s #postmodern. 476 #StKildaRoad. Uber cool blue glass, baby blue framing and that polished granite with pearlescent bits that was so popular then. … Continue reading Postmodern St Kilda Road →

2 August 2018 : Fantastic OTT #highvictorian house in #MaryStreetWestStKilda. Architect unknown but could be #FrederickDeGaris who did similarly ornate things in the area. Or one of my fave other OTT architects like #WSLaw or #WilliamGeorgeWolf. 2021 update : heritage study says it’s 1896, so it might be by John Little, who did the similarly … Continue reading High Victorian, but late. →

Repost this day 2019: #WalterBurleyGriffin’s 1929-30 incinerator in #MooneePonds was a little underwhelming actually. Great #chimney, nice lines, but hardly any details of note - unlike the three Sydney ones, built a bit later, all far more exciting. It’s said that it was designed to blend with the surrounding housing, so no flourishes. Doesn’t help … Continue reading Griffin Incinerator, Essendon →

Repost this day 2016: I have vague memories of Melbournes Central first having been a 100 storey tower originally with a vast tent-like central atrium - and Ive finally found an image which is exactly what I remember (thanks to a hoarder on skyscrapercity) Originally called the Victoria Project, it was a 72 storey tower, … Continue reading Melbourne Central first proposal →