Original post 2 April 2016: A jaunt up to the #skyhighlookout #mountdandenong, to see the 1971 circular restaurant and viewing platforms by #JDaleFisher. I helped it get #heritagelisted in the 90s when #parksvictoria was aiming to let a developer in to replace it with some completely OTT touristy experience that no doubt would have been … Continue reading Mt Dandenong Skyline →

Original post 2 April 2021: Amazing 1960 house in Carlsberg Road Eaglemont is for sale - designed by builder brothers Ian, Max and Malcolm Delbridge for their parents Harold and Florence. It was their take on modernism, all thin pipe supports, thin concrete slabs and a lot of glass over three levels. It’s been glammed … Continue reading Mid Century marvellousness Eaglemont →

2 April 2023: Grosvenor Mansions, William Street, Balaclava, an early-ish example of the conversion of Victorian terraces into flats from 1919. Designed by architect/ developer Howard Lawson (who went on to develop Beverley Hills South Yarra in the 30s), the work ‘increased the rental return three-fold’. I just happened to be going passed these and … Continue reading Grosvenor Mansions Balaclava →

Original post 1 April 2018: The outstandingly OTT #minimansion, the #JosephLalorHouse #Church Street, Richmond, 1888, heavily modelled, nothing is flat, it's all engaged #columns, projecting #bracketed elements, columns in a variety of sizes. I call it #chunkyvictorian.The architect #williamgeorgewolf was born in NY, then trained in Germany (#grunderzeit anyone?), then came here in 1884 where … Continue reading Lalor House, Richmond →

Original post 31 March 2019: I had no idea this existed, a new #melbournelaneway through a new not bad not great #apartmentbuilding at 137 #BourkeStreet called The Metropolitan connecting through to #CoromandelPlace; there’s a dogleg but that’s ok, and it’s most under the building and gates close at night but still noice to see, great … Continue reading New city lane (sort of) →

Original post 31 March 2020: The #GraingerMuseum sits on the #RoyalParade edge of the #UniversityOfMelbourne; Australia’s only purpose-built biographical museum, probably because he paid for it and oversaw its construction in 1935-8, when he was only in his 50s. It’s got a half-wheel shape, his own suggestion, but the details and construction by the University’s … Continue reading Percy Grainger Museum, Melbourne University →

Original post 31 March 2014: Nice little Art Deco /Modernist factory in South Melbourne on the corner of Clarke & Ross Streets. It was built in 1938, with a news report noting that it was to house the manufacturing of the ‘soft drink flavour known world-wide as coca-cola’ - so clearly a new thing then, … Continue reading Coca Cola bottling works →

Original post 31 March 2020: This nice house in #Footscray, right on the river, and now part of the Footscray Community Arts Centre, was built in 1874, and was home to William Henderson, who ran a bacon curing works right next door - must have been smelly ! The works were to the north, and … Continue reading Henderson Curing Works / Footscray Community Arts Centre. →

Original post 31 March 2017: The #MoorabbinBowl #TenPinBowling, the best example left in Victoria of the first wave of these being built, and the only one with a heritage listing (though not before it was all painted blue). Architect #TheodoreBerman, built 1962. Sharp #modernist edges, but a great variety of materials and textures, mostly now … Continue reading Moorabbin Ten Pin Bowling →

Original post 30 March 2016: Sitting up on the top of a hill in the outer east is the ex-Sacred Heart Croydon Monastery complex, completed 1939. Designed in a nicely stylised #romanesquerevival, in then modern #creambrick, by Lionel San Miguel, a Portuguese born Melbourne #architect, who did a number of notable buildings for the Catholics. … Continue reading Sacred Heart Croydon →