9 April 2021 The Cafe Australia really was quite extraordinary, equal to Walter & Marion Griffin’s other great interior, the Capitol Theatre. Created in 1916, it was a complete rebuild of the Vienna Cafe, renamed as too German in World War I, when Greek Australian owner Antony Lucas revamped it with a national name and … Continue reading Cafe Australia, 1916, a long lost Griffin masterpiece. →

Did you know the back 2/5 of the RoyalSocietyOfVictoria in Victoria Street is actually 1950s? Repost from this day in 2018: The #RoyalSocietyofVictoria, a club of gentleman explorers and naturalists, who most famously sponsored #BurkeandWills. It was built in 1859, designed by #ReedandBarnes, but only the three north bays; in 1954 nearly 100 years later … Continue reading Royal Society, 1859 + 1954 →

EastbourneHouse, #EastMelbourne, built 1901-3 for Dr Peacock, with professional offices and two attached #terracehouses. The architects are listed as #SydneySmithAndOgg, but this is widely assumed to actually be by #RobertHaddon, who consulted for them and others - and it isn’t like their work at all, but does have a variety of elements considered to be … Continue reading Eastbourne House, 1903, Robert Haddon (probably) →

Since I took this shot in 2019 a development by @sixdegreesarchitects was announced, which I thought maybe has been built, but no I think these are the renders used for presale. At least they’re keeping or rebuilding part of the roof over the first floor front units. I recall an early design for this side … Continue reading Some near facadism in Sydney Road. →

Original post 7 April 2017: Melbourne's women-only #LyceumClub, a rare city work by a #femalearchitect, from 1959 - #EllisonHarvie, from #StephensonTurner. Major works going on, a bit worrying because it's not (yet) #heritagelisted, but a woman who said she was the president asked me why I was taking photos, looked pleased when I said I … Continue reading Lyceum Club →

Repost from 2017: The Port Authority building, built as the Harbour Trust, completed in 1931 (it was started just before the depression hit - must've seemed a bit OTT by then). But beautifully proportioned, practically cubic, dominated by those great #giantorder #ioniccolumns and great big cornice. Architects #sydneysmithoggandserpell. Converted to flats in 2000 after a … Continue reading Port Authority Building, Market Street, 1931 →

Original post 5 April 2018 St Ignatius Richmond, one of the largest (along with St Mary North Melb) and with that spire certainly the most prominent of any Melbourne church apart from the two main cathedrals. Designed by #WilliamWardell, who was the chief of the #PublicWorksDepartment ‘with a right to private practice’, and he did … Continue reading St Ignatius, Richmond. →

Original post 5 April 2021: The fabulous #MiltonHouse in #FlindersLane, with unique #ArtNouveau details, thought to be, and probably are, by #RobertHaddon, early champion of the #ArtsAndCrafts, but basically a creative genius - the architects are officially #SydneySmithAndOgg, but the details arnt seen on any other of their work, but can be seen on Eastbourne … Continue reading Milton House, Flinders Lane, 1901 →

Repost 2018: A good shot ? Yes I think so (straightened but otherwise #unedited). #CenturyBuilding, #MarcusBarlow, 1939, a #Moderne companion to his #ManchesterUnity 7 years earlier other end of the block ! Barlow was the chosen architect for the #HoweyEstate which owned the entire 1/4 of a city block since, well, the beginning, in 1837. … Continue reading Century Building and Century Theatre →

A reminder to @metrotunnelvic that they’ve promised to keep and return this sculpture (not sure about the shop one) - this is what I said in 2018 : The Charles Bush #sculpture (right term ?) on the front of the #PortPhillipArcade, built 1961, designed by JFW Ballantyne. The sculpture is to be 'considered' for removal … Continue reading Sculpture, Port Phillip Arcade, 1961 →