23 December 2021 I shouldn’t be surprised but I am - a proposal to plonk a second tower behind Harry Seidler’s 1988 #ShellBuilding; I’m not a huge huge fan but I defend it’s right to exist unmolested, especially since it’s on the VHR, and the only justification is the not really supported assertion that the … Continue reading Shell House – squeezing in a second tower →

Original post 31 March 2017 : #MenziesBuilding (aka #MingWing), #MonashUniversity, #EgglestonMacDonaldandSecomb, 1964, detail. It's modernist, but not purist, with the vertical ribs notched, and the ##spandrelpanels scored, and a darker shade. At the base there's a hint of #arcade, with an actual #undercroft too. More variety provided by the various positions of the shutters. The … Continue reading Ming Wing at Monash →

Byram, Kew, 1888, t one of the most fantastic #lostmansions ever built in Melbourne. A fine essay in the Queen Anne style, and very much as practiced in the US (#stickstyle), creating a precursor to the later local Edwardian style (see the fat verandah #turnedtimber posts?). It was designed by #EGKilburn (of #EllerkerAndKilburn), and had … Continue reading Bryam / Goathland / Tara Hall, Kew →

Original post 31 March 2018: #VillageBelleHotel #StKilda, 1891 (replacing the 1855 original), now with its new glass beer garden, and a year before, under construction. Pleased they reinstated the #balustrade #parapet and orbs, but displeased not the foreground arched windows (I hadn’t seen the old photo till now), nor the #OrlandoWines sign they took off … Continue reading Village Belle, St Kilda, restored. →

The #StateGovernmentOffices at 1 Macarthur Street were completed in 1966; the design by #YunckenFreeman famously won a competition despite not putting the tower behind the #OldTreasury as they were supposed to, but this is of course the better solution. The State Chemistry Lab behind added in 1969 is in a far more solid #precastconcrete form, … Continue reading State Government Offices – doesn’t need palm trees. →

29 March 2021 The very nice 1920s copper shop window of Machin&Co in upper ElizabethStreet, near the Queen Vic Market, retained along with the 1870 facade above it, instead of demolished as they wanted to do first, even though it was #heritagelisted ! (thanks to #MelbourneHeritageAction I’d like to think). @Australian nurses federation Rear facade … Continue reading Machin & Co facadism →

Original post 27 March 2021: A bit crowded out but a bit of alright, the former National Hotel, Victoria Street, across the road from the Queen Vic Markets. Prob late 1930s, now and back when new. Relatively rare all new Art Deco hotel and four storeys too, when most pubs just two. Update 2024: it’s … Continue reading The National Hotel, North Melbourne, 1937 →

30 May 2025 An extraordinary thing, and a very great loss, and @ausnian_ recently alerted me to these excellent photos from 1939 from Pix magazine via @statelibrarynsw; here’s what I said in 2019: Norwood, Brighton, 1891-2, demolished 1955 - definitely the most weird and wonderful mansion of the #LandBoom era. The exterior was a mashup … Continue reading Norwood, Brighton, 1892-1955 →

Repost from this day in 2018: my fave OTT #MelbTerraceParapet in #ChurchStreetRichmond, so many details and so tall ! Sad to see it’s all white now, 3 1/2 years ago it was green and blue, with some lovely grime.

A horrifying might have been - a scheme from the mid 70s I think, amongst a bunch of images I’ve got from the files of the @nationaltrustvic - the saving of the Rialto and #Olderfleet buildings group happened by stages, with many skirmishes, including the demolition of the rear wings of the Olderfleet by then … Continue reading Saving the Olderfleet, 1970s →