starkitecture - architecture 60-80s |
Taking a look at stark architecture from the 60's to the 80's around Melbourne Australia..
May
30
A Heavenly Delight On The Outskirts Of Frankston
Driving between Frankston and Cranbourne the other day with my trusty companion Philip, we came across a very fetching church that stopped us in our tracks. St Thomas church is known as the Langwarren Pearcedale Anglican Church and it's a fascinating example of early 60's architecture. It's so complete and neat and really pointy with a triangular motif repeated throughout and a very satisfying size and shape.
It looks to be be in wonderful original shape with all its features pretty much intact and an unusual rough cement and stone exterior.
We were extremely fortunate to be spotted by a kind soul who let us have a look inside which was fabulous.
1
Jun
13
Feeling It In East Keilor
I had the good fortune to have a wander around a hilly bit of East Keilor on this sunny winters day and it reminded me that all homes have an atmosphere or a feeling about them, be it welcoming, sinister, very ugly indeed, wonderful, original or funny etc.
Looking at these very exposed 70's and 80's hilltop homes in East Keilor brought on a whole bunch of impressions hard to identify.
1
May
25
The Holy Name Is Exquisite And It's In Reservior.
If you are looking for an architectural saviour it's in Reservoir.
The Holy Name Catholic church is one of my very favourites. Tucked away in Robb St Reservoir I only noticed it was there because of it's mighty steeple was visible from Plenty Rd.
It really is a humdinger in so many ways.
This artwork was created by Voitre Marek, whose brother was also an artist. Worth looking up.
I have always enjoyed the artwork in modernist churches especially the stations of the cross.
Apr
23
Something For Everyone In Greenvale.
Welcome to the grassy dales of Greenvale, a newish, growing outer suburb of Melbourne that has something for everyone with a particular taste for the grandiose, 1990's modern, ye olde English, American plantation,80's chic, tudor, Georgian, Miami Vice, French chateau, Ranch style and Dallas in stunningly confused forms.
I was out the picking up an item of interest from eBay and the suburb made quite an impression in a mystifying way.
Mar
19
High Living In Lower Plenty And It Could Be Yours.
I just happened to be picking up an item of interest in Lower Plenty this morning and found the 70's house containing the said item was on the market and very interesting indeed.
The lovely couple who are selling the home said it was built in the mid 70's and once I stepped inside it showed itself to be a fantastically 3 way split, split level house.
As you approach the front door it appears to be a straight line single level home.
Jan
29
Let There Be Light-Mid Century Lighting, Kempthorne and Beyond.
Looking at the varied delights that the mid century Melbourne home offers on the outside always has me wondering about the inside. The few houses I have been into often have fantastic and novel lighting that often goes unnoticed, but it really forms a large part of the character of the house.
Over the years I have found catalogues and various ads for lights, a lot of them for Kempthorne which was a very popular brand in Australian homes, so have a look.
2
Jan
8
Feeling Better Yet? Austin Repatriation Hospital, Heidelberg.
I have had occasions to wander about a few Melbourne hospitals and some of the bigger older ones have a peculiar landscape thats quite affecting when you take the time to notice your surroundings (hospital visits can be quite distracting).
The Heidelberg Repatriation hospital in Melbourne was built early on during WW2 as a military hospital.
Dec
18
Ghosts Of Christmas Past
Sadly I haven't had the chance to have a little hunting drive around town to capture the Christmas efforts of suburban Melbourne yet, so I will just have a little celebration of some samples of years gone by Christmaswise right now.
Speaking of creepy, I have been decorating my front fence for Chrissy for many years, which sure as hell amuses me and sometimes other people. Some years are more successful than others and some just end up bizarre which generally isn't my intention.
Dec
8
Something Fantastic In Fawkner.
After visiting the marvellous temples of Templestowe in my last post I headed out that afternoon to pick up a rocking duck chair from Fawkner and found I had gone from the ridiculous to the sublime.
Tootling around the back streets of Fawkner on my way home a giant pink lotus flower caught my eye and I did a quick head turning u turn to take a closer look.
It's a huge site with the grounds filled to the brim with fresh looking sculptures and an odd array of concrete seating.
Dec
1
Templestowe/Bullen Temples.
I recently had the pleasure of picking up a choice little desk, with splayed tapered legs and a map of the world laminated onto the top, from the rolling hills of Templestowe/Bulleen in Melbourne. Wandering backstreet style back home I came upon a stupendous enclave of grandiose, enormous houses of various pompous styles, all built in the last 20 years. The fine folk who live here obviously believe that first impressions count.
1
Nov
26
A Floor Is Like A Woman...What Lies Within 2
My last post was all about the chance to see the interiors of the 70's homes I so often feature on starkitecture, http://starkitecture.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/what-lies-within.html via the marvellous pages of the 1972 House and Garden annual. So I will continue from the floor up.
Nov
25
What Lies Within......
As you may be aware I suffer from an excruciating longing to actually see inside the fine, interesting homes I photograph around old Melbourne town and I very rarely get my head in the door. Almost never ever.
Well, recently I came across a piece of decorating bounty, a 1972 House and Garden annual which inspiringly documents all the must haves and must do's in the fashionable 1970's home, and I'm going to show you what's inside.
Oct
18
Life Could Be Grand On The Strand.
I just happened to be passing through Williamstown when I noticed this fine example of Starkitecture and agave action up for sale on The Strand. It could be yours!
45 The Strand Williamstown up for auction next weekend-the 25th of October.
Fortunately I have access to some tasteful internal photo's from the real estate listing. Normally I can't get so much as an eyeball in the door.
Here is the blurb.
Sep
30
Fancy Brickwork.
As you may recall I am very interested in any form of ornamentation on houses and buildings in an era of plain lines and simplification compared to the heavy duty Italianate decoration of the Victorian architecture.
So any way, my attention is constantly drawn to any decorative touches especially when it is in the fabric of the building and this brings me to fancy brickwork.
Sep
15
Some Personal Touches In Bundoora
I just happened to be driving around Bundoora in Melbourne today and had the opportunity to admire a few personal touches that tickled my fancy.
Mandalas, novelty fences, studious trimming and silly letterboxes.
Here's a sampler.
Aug
16
A Down To Earth Pointy Church.
I have been looking for this church for some time. I remembered seeing a church with it's skirts going all the way to the ground but I couldn't quite remember where I'd seen it.
I finally happened across it this week as I was wending my way back from the chilly wilds of Mulgrave.
Corner of Blackburn and Canterbury roads in blessed Burwood Heights.
I dug around a bit and found some history.
Jun
23
Pleased To See You.
I thought I would share a few happy snaps of things I have been pleased to see dotted around the suburbs of Melbourne.
This time I don't have a particular theme or idea that I am following apart from feeling happy when I saw these interesting style choices. The first one is a particular favourite spotted very unexpectedly in Glenferrie Rd.
And to finish a couple of relatively amusing fences.
Jun
7
Coburg Throws A Curve.
I have always liked Coburg in Melbourne, it's a wonderful mixture of times and styles. Tucked away in a back street is a very handsome catholic church with a beautiful curved wall.
It's not a building you would really notice at first glance but it's shape and the extremely minimal steeple signal that it is worth a second look.
Sadly I haven't been inside yet. The outside integrity suggests that it is probably pretty original inside.
2
May
9
Say Goodbye To This Bit Of Character.
Some months ago I was travelling through Kew and had to throw out the anchors and stop and have a last look at this personality house. It's a classic 70's concoction, probably built to impress and with quite a few mutated deco touches to add glamorous appeal.
Well the hoardings were up, the garden was destroyed and the front is covered with images of the spectacularly ordinary apartments they plan to build here after they knock this house down.
Apr
24
Topiary Mastery in Oak Park.
A lovely surprise came my way recently on a radiogram hunting trip in Oak Park in Melbourne.
Oak Park is new territory for me. It's kind of on the way to Broadmeadows.
So after picking up a very nice hi-fi, Philip and I had a little drive around to get a feel for the suburb.
And we felt it for sure.
Here is one treasure that lay within the 50's and 60's vintage streets of Oak Park.
You've gotta love such a fine bit of topiary.
Apr
14
No More Goals Kicked in Waverley Park.
I suppose it was a good idea in it's day and it's day was short lived.
Philip and I were picking up a handsome radiogram from the wilds of Mulgrave and couldn't resist a sidetrack to Waverley park in Melbourne.
Also known as VFL park, it was a big deal at the time as the first purpose built stadium for Aussie Rules footy and it was magnificent. Designed in the early 60's and constructed from 1966 onwards the ground had it's first for real game in 1970.
Mar
1
Happiness Is.....A Holgar and Holgar Possibility.
I was just taking an inquisitive drive in a likely area for architectural prizes in the hills of Heidelberg in Melbourne when I turned my first prospective corner and holey moley I am looking at what strongly appears to be a Holgar and Holgar designed house.
Feb
24
The Secrets In The Succulents.
There is nothing nicer than having the sculptural joy of a couple of nice juicy succulents in your garden.
In the 60's and 70's the easy to care for succulent often played a starring role and if you are lucky you might spy some plants that appear to have been growing in the same place ever since.
Sometimes just a couple of plants says it all, especially with a straight line house.
For me usually there is no such thing as too much succulent action.
Jan
31
Backstreet Treasure, A Robin Boyd Place of Worship.
It's a wonder what you can find in the back streets of Melbourne and sometimes you will come across an extraordinary mid century church, huge and uplifting and often architecturally radical.
I was driving around Ivanhoe with my eyes actually open and I noticed an amazing and unusual building in Warncliffe Rd off Lower Heidelberg Rd.
3
Jan
1
Way Off The Starkitecture Beaten Track An Eccentric Curiosity.
Last weekend, the one between Christmas and New Year, was a suitable time to enter the twilight zone and serendipity meant that I was able to have a very intense experience of the zone.
Up in the wilds of the Strzeslecki Ranges in Victoria, Australia there is a house that, although inhabited until recent months, has the mood and feel of a ghost laden derelict house stuffed to the gills with many generations of hard living and bottled fruit.
1
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