Original post 10 February 2020 Wandering through the streets of #SouthMelbourne I was rather surprised to see this sticking up way above the mostly single storey streetscape. The #ShamrockHotel in Bank Street was built in 1889, and it’s unusual in a number of ways - 1. the scale, 2. it’s not on a corner and … Continue reading Ex Shamrock Hotel, South Melbourne →

September 2026 Always liked this boldly Queen Anne terrace pair on Grey Street in St Kilda. They’ve got that high pointy pediment with sunburst and swags against plain red brick, and down below there’s all that cast iron, made to look like wrought iron complete with protruding collar/ties (but you can see the joints between … Continue reading Kalara, Grey Street, St Kilda →

First posted 9 February 2020 An amazing OTT #highvictorian terrace house at 20 #StVincentPlace, #AlbertPark, largely hidden by trees (but found a photo from 1967). Has this crazy parapet that continues around the wing walls, never seen that before. Not #heritagelisted individually (only as part of the precinct) so no research, but those little cherubs … Continue reading High Victorian in St Vincent Place, Albert Park →

Original post 8 February 2020 #VisionAndReality, it’s all about the angles and ...a bit of fudging - this is the #StBoulevard (😂), in #StKildaRoad, another curvilicious design from #ElenbergFraser, its not bad, it might have been just a huge lump, but it’s 3 separate blocks instead (with individual floral names), curving in 3 dimensions, but … Continue reading Elenberg Fraser in St Kilda Road →

19th Century #BenevolentInsitutions often had spacious grounds, even on #StKildaRoad, where the Institute for Deaf Children has a huge park in front with a sweeping drive. They also sometimes adopted a dour Gothic style, but in this case the architects #CrouchAndWilson lightened up the #bluestone base with delightful #polychromebrickwork detailing, and a riot of spires … Continue reading Victorian Gothic in brick and stone →

Original post 30 October 2019 No 5 #BundalohnCourt #StKilda uses ArtDeco zig zag plan to great effect, seems to be mostly 1 bed, but at least two have been combined vertically to make a 3 bed townhouse.

October 2019 The new #substation in #WaratahPlace in the city, by @co_opstudio, it’s not bad, some interest and texture, but I’m still annoyed they couldn’t do it with tiles that looked like #redbrick instead of the popular very dark brown, and that they said the half-tiles were going to be in a contrasting (red) colour, … Continue reading Substation architecture →

Original post 7 February 2020 #PremierTower, by #ElenbergFraser, I guess it’s only about 1/2 way up ! It was cut down from 90 floors...to 79, not as much a thought. This is the one that was inspired by Beyoncé (!). Photo 8 December so I suppose it’s quite a bit taller now. Photo 8 December … Continue reading Another Elenberg Fraser, most curvy of all ? →

Original post 7 February 2020 Photos 20 November 2019 The delightfully named Venezia Court has just enough going on to justify the exotic moniker - there’s some sort of #VenetianGothic #pointedarches, and a bit of crenellation on the rear stair tower, but then it goes all classical for the entries, and there’s Art Deco ceiling … Continue reading Venezia Court, St Kilda, 1934 →

Original post 1 November 2019 Photos 8 October 2019 In the middle of the landmark 19thC #OldTreasuryBuilding there’s this staircase, added by #PercyEverett I think in the late 40s, and it’s great ! A symphony of curved plaster and timber. Not sure if it replaced an earlier one or what, it’s next to the lift … Continue reading Stair sculpture at the Old Treasury →