7 May 2024 This cutie at 30 #LatrobeStreet has quite a varied and unusual history. First built as the Deutscher Turnverein in 1871 (facade 1874), architect #AlfredKursteiner, it was a hall for the German community for such pursuits as gymnastics and choral singing, and they’re still around as the #ClubTivoli. Seems like it was the … Continue reading German gymnastics →

Original post 28 April 2014: Some social housing from 2012 in Brunswick Street, on the Atherton Gardens Estate - it actually sort of blends in between the trad #brunswickstreet shops and the 1960s #housingcommision blocks beyond. Designed by @birddelacoeurarchitects with @mccabe_architects doing the masterplanning, it’s visually interesting, or maybe a little too much going on. … Continue reading Public Housing, Brunswick Street →

30 April 2024 Apparently yesterday was World Art Deco Day, so here’s a selection of Melbourne examples, all from 1930-1941 ish, arnt they great ? And all mostly intact, not just facades. I’ve stuck to big city buildings, but I could have done just flats or details or just one architect, so many to choose … Continue reading World Art Deco Day →

27 April 2024 A bit of Mock Tudor in East Melbourne- Castle Coombe, complete with half-timbering, pointed arches, prominent chimneys, and irregular brickwork. Something that looks really like it should be in St Kilda. Built in 1933, and designed by Bernard Evans, who also did flats in St Kilda and elsewhere in Tudor, Georgian and … Continue reading Every man’s home is his Coombe Castle →

27 April 2024 So the YIMBY (yes in my back yard) group was in The Age today complaining about the heritage listing of a church in Thornbury, saying that it will mean less housing, which wont help affordability. Firstly, its not a very nice church, but every old church has some historical significance for some … Continue reading YIMBY’s vs heritage →

26 April 2016: The Rochester Castle Hotel in Johnston Street Fitzroy, a nice bit of elaborate and intact Victoriana but harder to see the detail now it’s all black ! Was a nice ochre in 2014, last time I snapped it. Update : the pediment says 1852, but for too grand for that date, rebuilt … Continue reading Rochester Castle, black →

22 April 2024 It’s not often an architecture firm goes bust, but Elenberg Fraser has just gone into administration, leaving a legacy of at least 20 wavy wiggly glassy tall apartment towers. I don’t dislike them, it’s nice to see colour and variety on the skyline, but they’re mostly part of the build as much … Continue reading Elenberg Fraser gone bust →

19 April 2024 A bit of ‘immigrant nostalgic’ style - Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Burnley Street Richmond. The postwar migrant communities pretty much always went for traditional styles in their churches, though rarely employing an architect, instead applying suburban building techniques to evoke churches in the home countries (in this case perhaps Byzantine era … Continue reading Migrant heritage in Richmond →

19 April 2024 The lovely arched bricked facade of Reidy’s 1911 warehouse in Lonsdale Street near Spencer used to dominate the streetscape; now it’s getting lost amongst the towers, with another one coming. Its yet another example of facadism, only the front wall and short bits of side wall were retained - at least the … Continue reading Reidy’s facade, Lonsdale Street →

19 April 2019 Repost 2019: This house on #BeaconsfieldParade was built in 2017, and eight months later the owners sold it, because they were ‘spending most of our time overseas’. #1percenters. By @bojan_simic_architecture, it’s meant to evoke a ship, but really it’s just ovals - or maybe the back of a ship ? Update : … Continue reading Oval ship shape →