20 April 2024 Who doesn’t like a nice old bluestone lane ? Cyclists and less able people I guess. But they are so very Melbourne, so you’d think the @cityofmelbourne would do their best to not muck them up, but their infrastructure division worries about maintenance costs, accessibility, and doesn’t have a very clear policy. … Continue reading Bluestone laneways in the CBD →

20 April 2024 Yay or nay ? The idea of demolishing all the 1960s housing commission high rise towers is in the Age today. Architect Peter McIntyre, who helped design the red brick ones in Nicolson Street Carlton, one of the first on the list (last pic), points out they’re likely quite structurally sound. Those … Continue reading Demolish all the Housing Commission towers ? →

17 April 2024 As part of the creation of the student precinct at Melbourne Uni, the raised deck around the back of the stylish 1940 Frank Tait building by Percy Everett was removed, and now it’s the focal point of the generous landscaping, which slopes down toward it. Designed by @aspectstudios, there’s lots of places … Continue reading Student Precinct, Melbourne University →

14 April 2024 I quite like this one, the Quincy Hotel on King Street near Flinders completed in 2020 - a simple idea of golden wavy fins catching the light works well. A different approach from #ElenbergfFraser, not their normal wavy shiny curtain walls. BUT I’m annoyed that it doesn’t respond to the context at … Continue reading Golden fins in King Street →

14 April 2024 A little gold rush era survivor from 1855 in Lonsdale Street near King Street. It was built by Edward Fitzsimmons, and was first an office, becoming a shop in 1859. A painted sign on the side was revealed in 2018 then covered again, advertising it as a temperance hotel later in its … Continue reading Squished colonial in Lonsdale Street →

16 April 2017 The fabulous #MelbourneTownHall #CouncilChamber, 1910. Look at that #plasterwork! With lots of gum leaves, hard to see though. In fact hard to see anything, it's so dim, only natural light is through the skylight, and #leadlight #windows into light courts. And loads of dark polished timber too. Designed by Grainger Kennedy & … Continue reading Melbourne Town Hall →

16 April 2024 There’s three similar scale art deco flats in a row on Simpson Street East Melb, all possibly c1940 by IG Anderson, or possibly not (update : the left two are by George Blumin, with Anatol Kagan, c1940-41, info via Art Deco Society and the book on Kagan). The far right, called Liege, … Continue reading 3 Art Deco flats in a row, East Melbourne →

Original post 11 April 2019 Oggs Chemist, in the #ParisEnd of #CollinsStreet - a long story, but interesting ! The terrace of #townhouses was built 1855, and Oggs was established in 1872, and at some point added a very nice #castironverandah / porch thing. Then in 1954 the @cityofmelbourne edict from 1951 that all posted … Continue reading Oggs Chemist, Collins Street →

9 April 2024 Delightful villa at 17 Powlett Street, East Melbourne; used to be mostly hidden behind plants, now you can admire the sweeping lawn and the delicate detailing. It’s an 1869 rebuild of an earlier house, and thought to be designed by prolific architects Crouch & Wilson. Last pic is @cityofmelbourne photo from 2001, … Continue reading East Melbourne mini mansion →

8 April 2024 (updated from 2019) : Rather marvellous High Victorian facade on #SydneyRoadBrunswick, great fat #pilasters, sadly defaced with graffiti, and equally sadly due to be #facaded for apartments. 2024 : in 2020 a development by @sixdegreesarchitects was announced, finished mid last year, pic 2. Not complete facading, they kept or rebuilt a part … Continue reading Sydney Road almost facadism →