It’s a small thing but super annoying - this cute little survivor in Exhibition Street dates back to 1858, and was the (very small) Shakespear(e) Hotel from c1869-1890s, and altered possibly enlarged 1871, since then not much changed - but is now going to be almost facadism, actually 3 walls left-ism, with the floors, back … Continue reading Shakespear Hotel, almost facadism →

Repost this day in 2017: The ground level of #ArtsWest by @armarchitecture finished 2016 actually looks a bit #surreal. I guess it's the unlikely #yellowochre as a kind of forest/cave/#undercroft, plus the wiggly shiny #louvres / #fins. Amazing what computers can do for you. And the fins above have patterns made by ‘impressing’ various objects … Continue reading Arts West, ARM, 2016 →

If you don’t recognise this I don’t blame you - the #QueensCoffeePalace on the corner of Victoria Street and #RathdowneStreet was there for 70 years but there aren’t many photographs. Designed by #OakdenAddisonAndKemp in ‘German Renaissance’ style, it was built to houses guests going to the #CentennialExhibition in 1888, but never opened. It became ‘residential … Continue reading Queens Coffee Palace, Victoria Street →

It’s 6 years old now, and still looks crazy/amazing - and a bit more on display with the demolition on the site next door - where there will be a new tower obscuring it somewhat unfortunately. #IconStKilda, @jcbarchitects, 2015 Last time I posted this, there was a lot of #dislike ! The marketing that came … Continue reading Love it or hate it it’s an Icon. →

Repost from this day in 2017: #BHPResearchLaboratories, Mulgrave, #EgglestonMacDonaldandSecomb, 1969. As architectural historian Philip Goad says "steel structure, inset glass walls, thats it". Minimalist but carefully detailed; big #IBeams form the edges to the floor plates, with vertical I-Beams bearing the weight (externally at least). The steel was originally #coreten, so with the dark tinted … Continue reading BHP Research Labs, Mulgrave →

Repost from April 2018: #GardenAvenueEastMelbourne, a cul de sac of 5 blocks of flats all built c1940, all by #IGAnderson. What a talent ! Oh, and two blocks that face George Sreet behind too. First, #TuffnellLodge, c1940. Anderson at his most creative, verticals and horizontals collide and thrust forward towards the main road, love it. … Continue reading IG Anderson did a whole street – Garden Avenue, East Melbourne →

Some #brutalistrevival in #Elwood - a development by Piccolo, designed by Hecker Guthrie and #WoodsBagot (did HG do the interiors ?). The conc makes a great canopy. The overall style is quite nice, 60s revival bricks, modernist lines, and proper hanging greenery too - can anyone tell me what it is exactly? Can’t show you … Continue reading ‘Elwood House’, 2018 →

Interesting block of flats on the edge of the Elwood shops in Ormond Road, I could tell it was 50s or maybe late 40s, like prewar but with jaunty 50s things like the porch and stair railings. The agents sales blurb actually says ‘by noted architect #SirBernardEvans’ who did many flats from the 1930s into … Continue reading Melton Court, Elwood, 1951 →

Repost from this day in 2019: Even Richmond has some #VictorianMansions, on the hill closest to the city of course - this one is called Elim “formerly called #Yooralbyn, built in 1889 for William Harper, a partner in a leading Melbourne merchant and manufacturing firm.” Then it was maybe a boarding house, I think the … Continue reading A mansion in Richmond, Elim on Erin Street, 1889 →

April 2021 Reading through my (photo) copy of Picture Palaces And Flea Pits (1983) I remembered that when I was growing up in East Camberwell in the early 70s we had 2 local cinemas ! The Broadway, originally Ours, was virtually at the end of my street (also called Broadway). I only remember going once, … Continue reading Broadway Theatre, but not NY. →