25 July 2019 A famous bit of #heritagecompromise in #SmithStreetCollingwood (actually the #Fitzroy side). In the 1980s a redevelopment saw the old Ackmans Store (aka 'Monster Furniture Arcade'), which occupied a whole block, completely demolished except for the very front wall, to allow a then very large Safeway’s supermarket, with a rooftop carpark, leaving the … Continue reading The original facadism – Smith Street Safeways. →

Lucky enough to get an invite to the launch of this book #AustraliaModern on Friday, with exhibition at the #melbourneschoolofdesign - an overview of #Modernism in Australia 1925-75 by highlighting 100 places - a project centred in Melbs but Philip and Julie have nobly gone out to ensure the whole country is covered, but of … Continue reading Australia Modern in 100 buildings. →

So cute ! #SmithStreetFitzroy, Edwardian, but heavy leaning toward Arts&Crafts. A Trove newspaper trawl tell me that it was Globe Loans from the 1880s to 1914, then WW1 recruiting, then in 1917 Lucas&Co Furs applied to register a ‘new factory’ here, employing 10 females, it sort of looks a bit industrial, though tiny, so I’d … Continue reading Cute Edwardian on Smith Street →

July 2019 The transformation of the Edwardian #OsloGuestHouse for #theBlock2019 is complete ! I’ve got photos going back to Dec last year when they started. Not bad, but annoyingly in the currently popular black and grey #colourscheme, and the #palmtrees are pathetically lacking in fronds (I suppose they’ll grow) and I reckon they detract a … Continue reading The Block 2019 – 9/10 for the frontage restoration. →

A nice Victorian pub ? No, a pretty bad reproduction from 2007, built after the original 1871 Victoria Hotel in #SouthMelbourne was demolished in 2003 because it became ‘unstable’ while they were reducing it to two facades for the giant development behind. It’s made out of #tiltslab panels, you can see the joins and #weepholes. … Continue reading Historic reproduction fail. →

July 2019 #NewburnFlats in #QueensRoadSouthMelbourne were built in 1939-41, and was prob the most high-profile announcement of the arrival of European #Modernist multi-level living in #Melbourne - which is no surprise since it was designed by recently arrived German background Swiss trained architect #FrederickRomberg, who was also the developer, so he could do what he … Continue reading Newburn Flats, Frederick Romberg →

#MunicipalDesign is getting better, but still not as satisfying as the olden days - this is the base of a #tramwire support post in #FitzroyStreetStKilda, which for some reason has a new one right next to it, which is not only not decorated, just plain steel, but much fatter - why are new posts bigger … Continue reading Tram Poles old and new. →

Every building in the #MelbCBD has a story - I knew this as #AncientTimesHouse, a private collection of mummies and antiquities I saw on a school trip in the 70s (no idea who ran it..) though it’s been a shop ? and apartments for ages now - and clearly it’s an Edwardian #redbrick #warehouse, apparently … Continue reading Ancient Times and Communism in Chinatown →

#Greyday, shiny tower, happens to be almost on axis with #MarketLane off #BourkeStreet. It’s the tower that’s next to the #WesleyChurch, far too big and too close imho.

16 July 2019 After the @heritagecouncilvic @openhousemelb Heritage Lecture last night by #KerstinThompson at the #VictorianCollegeoftheArts in Southbank, we got a tour of of one of her works, the conversion of the 1912 #PoliceStables last year into studios ! Lovely work, very nicely detailed, fits in the space snugly, though I was a bit disappointed … Continue reading Police Stables transformed by KTA →