Feb 2019 Built as Majestic Mansions in 1913, this was a very early #blockofflats, though they only had ‘appliances for simple cooking’, with a central dining room for everyone, so not exactly like modern apartments. Built and designed by builder/developer #JRDaley, right after he did the Waldorf next door, and soon after did the Regal … Continue reading Majestic glamour in 1913. →

Repost 2019: Diatribe warning - this Edwardian era hotel has been compromised so much if it was up for #heritagelisting now it wouldn’t make it. Built in 1911 as the Warldorf by local developer/ builder #JRDaley, who built the Majestic Mansions next door in 1913; very sought after for decades, but after the 1950s like … Continue reading The Waldorf Hotel, Edwardian St Kilda style. →

Would you believe this is about 15 years old ? The owners of this house in #SeacombeGrove #BrightonVictoria built this in an extremely faithful Spanish/OldEnglish style, with correct #terracottarooftiles, textured coloured render, and #TapestryBricks - they might have copied some nearby house (or one in Toorak), but actually havnt seen a house with this combo. … Continue reading Old English Revival revival in Brighton →

Jan 2019 In Ballarat Street, Brunswick, one block back from Sydney Road, there's this crazy thing - the former #BrunswickMarket was designed by #IGAnderson (who went on to do loads of great #ArtDeco flats later), and built in 1930. Just in time for the depression to hit, and it went bankrupt in 1933 (it was … Continue reading Brunswick Market →

Another old interest - #earlycinema buildings; lots survive, where the later grander ones didn’t, because they were often just slightly elaborated flat-floored halls, sometimes with windows ! They also tended to be thinly applied classical/baroque rather than typical Edwardian / early 20s. The first is La Scala, later the Broadway Theatre (such grand names) in … Continue reading Early Cinema’s x 2 →

In Ballarat Street #Brunswick, this stylish #Modernist #factory was built in 1955 for #YAKKA #brand overalls ! Later #FletcherJones, then #PerrucciShirts. By the long-named #AKLinesMacFarlaneandMarshall, pretty intact, just the tiles on ground level painted; love the external skinny posts and long #steelframedwindows, with opening bits, and angled ground floor. I think even doors original ! … Continue reading Hard Yakka! Since 1955 →

The hall in the #SouthMelbourneTownHall is very grand, but just a bit bland; maybe in 1880 it had a far more decorative #colourscheme ? Quite likely. Don’t know but maybe this scheme is from the 1930s when it had a big renovation, the #blackwood panelling, doors, nice #terrazzo stair all date from then. Heard there … Continue reading South Melbourne Town Hall interior; 1880+1937 →

The 1887 #GothicBank chamber in all its glory; proof that Victorian interiors weren’t all gloomy (though plenty were). Lots of #goldleaf and #eaudenil (a pale aqua). Important to note that it’s now double the width it was originally; in 1887 it was a fairly intimate thing only three bays wide, with counters either side and … Continue reading The Gothic Bank, Collins Street →

#MarianaHardwick’s #weddingdress superstore more or less carries on the function it was built for in 1908, as Hooper’s #Drapery. Designed by the prolific brothers #TompkinsAndTompkins, in the #tallarchedredbrickRomsnesque style mostly seen in Flinders Lane warehouses- but they also used it in the same year for Dimmeys Richmond, another suburban #departmentstore. This one noted for the … Continue reading Hoopers Drapery now Mariana Hardwick’s →

19 January 2019 Some more #MockTudor ‘residential shops’ on #ToorakRoad, right next to #SouthYarraStation, a bit dominated by the #highrise clustering behind. Found an article about them - built 1935, designed by Oliver Dixon, ‘in the Old English style’ - not as ornate as others but the #oldeworlde #leadlight #shopfronts are completely intact ! And … Continue reading Mock Tudor Toorak Road →