Repost 2017: The original #cloister at #MelbourneUniversity. In the middle of a huge site, it started off as three wings, built 1853-57, designed by #FMWhite (who was still around in 1888 designing huge city office blocks). Always lovely to walk through, love the brick #vaulting. But did you know the wonderful bit of #cloister at … Continue reading Old Quad Melbourne University →

7 September 2018: Def one of my fave city buildings. Former #StateAccidentInsurance office, 1941, #PercyEverett, #publicworksdepartment chief architect showing his creativity again in his only ‘commercial’ office building. Quite a contrast to his other tower, the New York skyscraper style #russellstreetpolicestation done at the same time. It's a careful balance of competing #horizontal and #verticals, … Continue reading Moderne in Collins Street →

September 2026: Speaking of the wastefulness of demolition, #embodiedenergy and all that, here’s how they did it in the olden days - just covert the large old house to four flats ! 25 #AclandStreetStKilda. However, if the two top floor flats add up to 200m2, then regs would require a lift, a crazy rule - … Continue reading Early apartment conversion →

5 September 2017: Fabbo #terracepair on Royal Parade, Parkville, built 1888 (peak of the #landboom) with a wealth of crunchy detail, never painted. The distinctive elements like the wheeled #scrolledbrackets on the #parapet and the stumpy columns look very much like the work of builder/designer #NormanHitchcock. Love the grimacing lions. They’re also the relatively rare … Continue reading OTT Victorian In Parkville →

6 September 2019: Anyone remember The Secret Life of Us ? This c1928 block in #AclandStreet was where half of them lived. Having a popular TV series set in a suburb that was once cheap where the characters are young lawyers and doctors, well, it means you’re being priced out ! Then I moved to … Continue reading Secret Life on Acland Street →

Repost 2019: #KingsArcade, #HighStreetArmadale, 1893 or is it ? Just learned the shops were built in 1893, with a walkway through to the station, then the shops lining it to create a proper arcade didn’t happen till 1923. At first called Armadale Arcade, it’s now named not after the King but the King family, who … Continue reading Kings Arcade, Armadale →

I’d seen this building before but never knew where it was - now I know it was in Elizabeth Street between Lonsdale and Little Bourke, and that it burned down in a great fire in 1907. It was built as Wallach’s Furniture Emporium in 1887, the business having just been take over by Benjamin Fink, … Continue reading Wallach’s Furniture Emporium, burnt →

Repost 2016 (photo from 2013, then lots of photos from others including @tristan_davies) : The spooky, harry potterish #strongroom of the old #TitlesOffice. Note the shelves made of #slate, and narrow windows that have #castiron shutters outside, all in case of fire. This part might be 1870s or 1880s. It actually consisted of two double … Continue reading Titles Office strong room →

Repost 2018: Giant two-towered, much-verandah’d #ToorakMansion #Sebrof in #OrrongRoad. 1884-5, Dalton & Gibbons, originally in 6 acres of grounds (and ok, it’s really #Armadale). 2021: not a lot of easy info in this one, not on the VHR, and the Trust citation has nil. @stonningtoncitycouncil entry though tells me it was bought by the Forbes … Continue reading Sebrof, Armadale →

Repost 2018: #OldandNew, the photo that always pops up as old #Melbourne contrasted with the new. Happened by accident I think; a large #Lshapedsite in#CollinsStreet created in the mid 70s bit by bit, not including the former women only #AlexandraClub, guess they didn’t want to sell (itself created by adding on both sides and the … Continue reading Old charm vs 80s glam →