Category: Uncategorized
#FootscrayTownHall, #JosephPlottel, 1936. A delightful essay in a very American mode, a combo of Bryzantine and Florentine, it’s more about effect than an accurate style, with lovely variegated brickwork and very crisp detailing in buff-coloured #faience, which goes a bit Celtic. Plottel had done the St Kilda Synagogue in the 20s in a more clearly … Continue reading Footscray Town Hall, exotic styling from 1936
I think I’m right to be jealous of the @cityofsydney’s mandatory design competition process for large projects (policy here) - look at all these lovely projects, all that brick and timber, and nicely scaled public space - ok they need the spaces more than we go what with the narrow streets in the CBD, but … Continue reading Something Sydney can teach us – Design Competitions as part of the planning permit !
Not my photo but I couldn’t wait - just discovered that #MewtonAndGrounds did a ‘Scout Settlement’ project in #NottStreet, #PortMelbourne in late 1936, and it’s still there ! The Scout Settlement wasn’t the Scouts, but similar, providing recreation rooms for boys ‘from the more congested suburbs’ in this case the very working class Port Melb. … Continue reading Geoffrey Mewton discovery !
Built for #Kodak in #CollinsStreet near Swanston in 1935, designed by #OakleyAndParkes, it was notable for using #StainlessSteel in the #spandrels - as well as the shopfront. Looks pretty accurate, except maybe the curve is bigger, and doesn’t have the vertical framing. Don’t know if @thehourglass_australia got a heritage grant, but they should have ! … Continue reading Kodak’s Art Deco shopfront reconstructed!
The #AlbertParkHotel, yet another case of #facadism, but at least you can’t tell. And it looks like there wasn’t much inside to tell of it’s history, having been altered many times, the first being a 1930s #Moderne makeover of the Victorian original. But being so picky like I am, they could have retained some of … Continue reading Albert Park Hotel – more facadism.
I knew the #acousticshed over the #melbournecitysquare site for the #melbournemetro town hall station was going to be big, but seeing it is another thing. It’s 20m high, 30m wide and 90m long. And it’s going to be there for about 5 years. Ps I think no need to build a new city square I … Continue reading Great big shed in Swanston Street
#LowtherHall in #Essendon was in #openhousemelbourne but I missed it ! Closed at 2. But you can see from the street, and I found lots of historic photos. Became Anglican #GirlsSchool named after the then Archbishop in 1919, bought from #EWCole, of #ColesBookArcade, he bought it when he was in his 80s, that’s him in … Continue reading Gone with the Wind Mansion in Essendon
When the plans say ‘retain heritage building’ but they mean ‘retain two walls and the appearance of a heritage building’. Huge #studenthousing project on #SwanstonStreet, #Carlton, designed by @hayball_arch. The 3D rendering clearly implies it was more or less staying, but I’ve got the plans, and it’s clearly marked ‘retain this bit of wall demolish … Continue reading Facadism No 9
Rather fetching, and apparently built in 1944, during the war. Huppert & Co engineering must’ve been an essential industry. Very nice #ArtDecoFactory with a hint of Modernism - that grid of #squarewindows, still with original steel frames. Unfortunate addition on one end, and not sure that the double openings at that end arnt newish, the … Continue reading Deco morphing to Modern in 1944
The #FootscrayPsychiatricCentre is a real #Brutalist beauty ! (photos by @johnjovic) - I helped write the nomination to #HeritageVictoria, and today they said yes ! Being a good example of #Brutalism, with all that sculptural #offformconcrete (the big slightly yellow panels are actually#precast) was only one reason, it’s also demonstrative of the #deinstitutionalisation that started … Continue reading Brutalist Footscray Psychiatric Centre heading for the VHR.
If the Nazi's never took power, would Berlin have Europe's tallest skyscraper and East Prussia be a honeymoon destination ?
Storey of Melbourne 