Dec 2019 Fantastic old sign in Bellair St, Kensington. A bloke jumped out of his car to tell me he knew the family ! Local legend apparently. Kensington Neighbourhood House tells me that : “Bill Pearce set up a plumbing business in the 1940s. The only gear he could afford was carried on his bike. … Continue reading 1940s signwriting
Repost 2019: #StalbridgeChambers, 1891, by #TwentymanabdAskew, another one of #myfavouritebuilding’s. At nine floors, it’s one of the two remaining 19thC skyscrapers in Melbourne (the other is the gothic #NationalMutual, Queen & Collins). Love the way every floor is subtly different, something they also did on #TheBlockArcade, and #FinksBuilding (demolished). It was offices, but also a … Continue reading Stalbridge Chambers, 1891
Photo June 2024 12 December 2019 Pleasantly surprised to see that the additional floors on #EquityTrustees aren’t green ! They’re simpler than I thought they were going to be, so hard to keep up. Also it’s not just a hotel, it’s going to be a #HiltonHotel ! A little 244 room one. Designed by #batessmart. … Continue reading Equity Trustees
This is one of the craziest things to get built as part of the early 2010s avalanche of approvals under #MatthewGuy as Planning Minister. Its sort of L shaped fitting an L shaped site, where there was a permit for an opposite L shaped one to the right of the first photo, so loads of … Continue reading Apartmentmania – how close is too close ?
30 August 2019 Lovely little 1854 #bluestone #warehouse survivor, just after the #goldrush. Last photographed in 2014 when the #VictorianSpiritualistsUnion was still there, now it’s a laser skin clinic, and surrounded by towers. Pity it’s painted white, but nice they kept the signage. First pic 2019, 2nd is 2014 when the spiritualists were still there, … Continue reading A Warehouse for the spirits
The #AustralBuilding, 1891, #NahumBarnet, in #CollinsStreet, always worth a shot (in winter). I like the way the name, being all Australian, is a bit at odds with the style, straight from #RichardNormanShaw #QueenAnne revival / #FlemishRenaissance in London, but like 15 years later, though the style was pretty new to Melbourne. Love the crazy exaggerated … Continue reading Austral Buildings, nationalism in Queen Anne dress
15 March 2017: #Petersville, the 1964 #admininstrationbuilding of the #PetersIceCream manufacturing plant in suburban #Mulgrave. Designed by #DGraemeLumsden, one of the few commercial designers in Victoria who departed from #modernist norms into ... fun ! A #sinecurve #shellconcrete roof, and a specially made #honeycomb #screen to the first floor, all of which sort of hovers … Continue reading Mid Century Modern at Petersville,
A faded example of 1980s playfullness with ‘#heritagecolours’, grabbing whatever they liked from a page that probably included colours only used for interiors, ignoring the fact that they were only ever plain grey #cementrender or sometimes ochre #limewash - not that I’m complaining, at least this one is relatively restrained, and so old it looks … Continue reading Fun with heritage colours in Elizabeth Street – from the 80s
December 19 2019: Glimpsed before this view disappears for another 50 years behind the Pride Centre. Arbedour, 83 Fitzroy Street, is one of four 1880s row-mansions behind the shops on #FitzroyStreetStKilda, which are all set back the same, and all had shops built in the front gardens from the 1910s-1930s, all still there, more or … Continue reading Hidden Heritage of Fitzroy Street
The first arches of the #VictorianPrideCentre are up ! I’m reserving opinion about the design, I like the wacky arches/tubes all piled up, and I think the interior will be magical, but I don’t think 2 storey high arches on the front of the footpath is a good idea - I think people will be … Continue reading Price Centre construction
If the Nazi's never took power, would Berlin have Europe's tallest skyscraper and East Prussia be a honeymoon destination ?
Storey of Melbourne 